| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] | Poll: Do your friends and family understand that you must always be available? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| Couldn't have said it better | Oct 6, 2009 |
JOHN WINDER wrote:
Having worked in the educational sector for a long time with its rigid timetables and fixed holidays, the freedom and flexibility of the freelance lifestyle is something I very much enjoy. Former colleagues sometimes have an idealised view of my current lifestyle, believing that I work just when I want to and I can be free to meet them in their holidays at the drop of a hat. I find that if I am as busy as I like to be I need to plan holidays and longer social activities a little way in advance. I am not sure whether everybody in salaried employment understands this.
| | | | | Most of the time they do | Oct 6, 2009 |
On the whole, I find my friends and family to be quite understanding about my workload. They have their own commitments and they are understanding about mine.
As many others have said, I don't consider myself to be always available.
As has also been mentioned, I do find that some friends with more regular working hours than mine have a tendency to idealize my lifestyle, thinking I can work or not work whenever I want. While I do appreciate the flexibility that ... See more On the whole, I find my friends and family to be quite understanding about my workload. They have their own commitments and they are understanding about mine.
As many others have said, I don't consider myself to be always available.
As has also been mentioned, I do find that some friends with more regular working hours than mine have a tendency to idealize my lifestyle, thinking I can work or not work whenever I want. While I do appreciate the flexibility that I have, I try to explain to them that it's not quite that simple: when you have a deadline to meet, you can't take time off whenever you please, and when you don't have work, you can't pull jobs out of thin air. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 23:24
English to French
+ ...
Some family and some friends consider I should be permanently available for THEM (even though they are not for me!).
I sometimes chose to be available for customers rather than some activities with friends and/or family.
| | | | Mohamed Gaafar 
Egypt
Local time: 23:24
Member (2005)
English to Arabic
+ ...
| In my case they consider me a rich jobless Man | Oct 6, 2009 |
Interlangue wrote:
Some family and some friends consider I should be permanently available for THEM (even though they are not for me!).
I sometimes chose to be available for customers rather than some activities with friends and/or family.
After so many years I have manage to introduce the concept of a freelancer to my very small, limited, circle of interest community wife, mother, bank employees, tax authority, door man; etc. Some of them started to get the notion others still strongly believe that I'm a rich jobless dude cheers
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| You are 100% right! | Oct 6, 2009 |
Gianni Pastore wrote:
The question is "do your friend of family make a fuss when you let them down because of a sudden job?"
My answer: yes, my friends do not always understand that I have to spend the night working rather than going out with them.
G
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Life is unpredictable. I cannot be "always available". My life's priority is always chainging each day, each week, and each month.
Having said that, I have to admit my job is fairly important to us.
My hubby understand that ane thank God, he is flexible:)
| | | | Jenn Mercer
United States
Local time: 17:24
Member (2009)
French to English
Gianni Pastore wrote:
The question is "do your friend of family make a fuss when you let them down because of a sudden job?"
My answer: yes, my friends do not always understand that I have to spend the night working rather than going out with them.
G
Gianni,
This is a much better restatement of the question and I have often had this come up in the past. However, now that my husband understands how much more I make with translation than with writing, it makes a bit more sense to him. I have also found that he is more understanding after a thin month. For my daughter, it is harder to explain, but I try to spend more time with her when I am not working rather than spending all my excess time on marketing.
| | | | | I have a dog that understands I must always be available | Oct 6, 2009 |
Her name is Snow. She is so insistent that I pay attention to her IMMEDIATELY when I'm at my computer that we have been working with behaviorists for 3 years to try to change her mind. She used to throw hissy fits when I didn't pay attention to her; now she just lies and groans and mutters for hours on end. Her twin sister, Sunshine, is just the opposite - totally patient. Her message is always "That's fine, Mom. I can wait. Do what you have to do."
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| You may not always "have to," but surely most of us often "need to" | Oct 7, 2009 |
I manage my time. None of my clients "assumes" that I will be available at their beck and call.
But let's face it: if you have to pay the rent, bills, etc., and the market starts playing tricks like the ones we've seen recently --excuse me if I'm wrong!-- then, when several clients call all at once with "urgent" projects, you magically become "available" against all your principles and better knowledge.
After twenty years as a full-time freelance translator, my huge fam... See more I manage my time. None of my clients "assumes" that I will be available at their beck and call.
But let's face it: if you have to pay the rent, bills, etc., and the market starts playing tricks like the ones we've seen recently --excuse me if I'm wrong!-- then, when several clients call all at once with "urgent" projects, you magically become "available" against all your principles and better knowledge.
After twenty years as a full-time freelance translator, my huge family and all my friends have come to understand how this choice of mine works. I may miss a birthday party once in a while, but... such is life! ▲ Collapse
| | | | casey
United States
Local time: 17:24
Member
Japanese to English
| Perhaps the question should be reworded | Oct 7, 2009 |
I think perhaps what the question was meant to ask was "Do your friends and family understand that you must always be available _during your regularly scheduled work hours_?"
| | | | Elena Carbonell
Netherlands
Local time: 23:24
Member (2007)
English to Spanish
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| I totally understand the question | Oct 7, 2009 |
I think I get it.
It's more like people thinking: "eh, you are not working in a project right now, maybe you can buy the presents for that birthday we have next weekend or you can go to the school to help with this activity that will take all morning".
In that case I have to say that most people don't understand and that they don't take that into account when I tell them that I have to be available. Many people think that being your own "boss" means you can work whenever you want.... See more I think I get it.
It's more like people thinking: "eh, you are not working in a project right now, maybe you can buy the presents for that birthday we have next weekend or you can go to the school to help with this activity that will take all morning".
In that case I have to say that most people don't understand and that they don't take that into account when I tell them that I have to be available. Many people think that being your own "boss" means you can work whenever you want. Being my own boss means I can work WHEREVER I want and with my pyjamas!
We definitely cannot decide on our "WHENEVER". ▲ Collapse
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