| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | How do you cope with being a freelancer? Thread poster: Viktoria Gimbe
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| A dog and Tai Chi and a loving family | Nov 6, 2006 |
Well, I do not manage well getting up early so I am more of a night worker.
We got ourselves a dog which makes sure that I get some fresh air once or twice a day (and ours is a dead friendly one, too, Marijke so I made very nice new friends while walking it).
In the morning, when the children are at school there is some time to do some work and in the evenings and at night as well.
But best... See more Well, I do not manage well getting up early so I am more of a night worker.
We got ourselves a dog which makes sure that I get some fresh air once or twice a day (and ours is a dead friendly one, too, Marijke so I made very nice new friends while walking it).
In the morning, when the children are at school there is some time to do some work and in the evenings and at night as well.
But best of all: My husband is a Tai Chi instructor with his own Tai Chi school so I got my very personal trainer for health. And since he is a freelancer, too, mostly working in the evening, when people have time for Tai Chi, we can both take care of our children, which is just great.
[Bearbeitet am 2006-11-06 11:15] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Teresa Bento 
Portugal
Local time: 04:00
English to Portuguese
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| Here's what I do... | Nov 6, 2006 |
Well, I'm new at freelancing, so I tend to enjoy the time when I don't have much to do. The thing about being a freelancer is that you never know when work will start pouring down on you. Sometimes I've a whole week without work and then I've three or four job offers in only one day. I tend to enjoy my free time, try to walk a lot, and I swim at least twice a week (it's great for your neck, back and arms). Swimming is a great way to relax and it really gets your mind off all the stress. After a ... See more Well, I'm new at freelancing, so I tend to enjoy the time when I don't have much to do. The thing about being a freelancer is that you never know when work will start pouring down on you. Sometimes I've a whole week without work and then I've three or four job offers in only one day. I tend to enjoy my free time, try to walk a lot, and I swim at least twice a week (it's great for your neck, back and arms). Swimming is a great way to relax and it really gets your mind off all the stress. After a whole hour, you look like a totally different person.
My routine is usually from 9 to 5, but I take breaks to strech my legs and rest my eyes. I confess that in my first three months as a full time translator my eyes and my hands have suffered a lot. I've done some home improvements, such as getting a new comfortable chair, buying a mouse for my laptop (can you believe it, I used to work with the laptop's own touchpad and I got really sore. Ooh, rookie me! lol) and a glare screen. I don't think I need glasses for now, but eventually I'll get them, just to give my eyes a rest.
Also, I try not to eat junk food. It's hard, because when you swim, you get home very, VERY hungry, but there are some things you need to avoid, so that your stomach won't go mad at you...
As far as relationships are concerned, I try to keep contact with my friends as much as I can. We're getting blogs, so that we can keep in touch, just imagine... everyone is trying to get a job and a real life after finishing college, so it's harder for us to meet... But we still do, sometimes.
My boyfriend also works freelance, so you can figure just how hard it is for us to meet. I sometimes with that I could get a helicopter, so that I could get to Lisbon faster! It's not easy to make plans with friends and family as well, because you hardly know what is going to happen during the day. Fortunately, I have never missed a deadline. I try to work at night or very early in the morning when I plan to go out during the day. This way, I don't get late and the job gets well done, because I am not in a hurry. Also, if I can't go, my family and close friends already know what I do, so we just postpone things and there's no problem. Obligations first, partying later. But partying, going out and maintaining your relationships is also healthy. Having those you love around you keeps you sane and there's nothing like being encouraged by loved ones and friends.
Being successful as a freelancer is a matter of finding one's balance and working habits. Oh, and loving what you do, of course.
Great topic, btw
Cheers,
Teresa
[Edited at 2006-11-07 10:00] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Vito Smolej
Germany
Local time: 05:00
Member (2004)
English to Slovenian
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SITE LOCALIZER | Has anybody noticed... | Nov 6, 2006 |
that it is close to 100% of answers (except for Heinrich and his diet suggestion) came from the female audience?
Which is of course self-evident. Men have no problem coping - as long as there's somebody to take care of the kids, the house, the dog, the whole shebang. To add the insult to the injury I'll quote B. Shaw:"If only women could be more like men"...
In our house, I am the one to do freelancing - so that she can cope (sg).
smo... See more that it is close to 100% of answers (except for Heinrich and his diet suggestion) came from the female audience?
Which is of course self-evident. Men have no problem coping - as long as there's somebody to take care of the kids, the house, the dog, the whole shebang. To add the insult to the injury I'll quote B. Shaw:"If only women could be more like men"...
In our house, I am the one to do freelancing - so that she can cope (sg).
smo with TiC
PS: In ernest, my respect, dear colleagues...
[Edited at 2006-11-06 15:20] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Leash might be a problem | Nov 6, 2006 |
Mary Brix wrote:
There's no reason why children or boyfriends cannot go for walks and play in the exact same way as dogs.
But how do you convince them to fetch? And mine just never wants to stay on leash...
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| proven method | Nov 6, 2006 |
Why not working out some other method which may improve your freelancer’s status and lifestyle, e.g. cut off an ear and escape to the isles? They say it adds to talents.
Then you will not have to care about you family left somewhere. Eventually you will not have to care about your customers let alone deadlines because you will not give a damn to both. It will surely bring you recognition although in a long long while, provided you don’t fall into absinth. But, and which is most signif... See more Why not working out some other method which may improve your freelancer’s status and lifestyle, e.g. cut off an ear and escape to the isles? They say it adds to talents.
Then you will not have to care about you family left somewhere. Eventually you will not have to care about your customers let alone deadlines because you will not give a damn to both. It will surely bring you recognition although in a long long while, provided you don’t fall into absinth. But, and which is most significant, people will talk about your work and argue about your heritage. And you name will be stamped in the centuries. ▲ Collapse
| | | | CathyFS
Local time: 04:00
German to English
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| Pilates - great for your physical and emotional wellbeiong | Nov 6, 2006 |
Viktoria - I also use Pilates. I've been freelancing three and a half years and only started Pilates a few months ago, and it really is great. The first class I joined (a few months ago) was too difficult for me, as I have recurring pain in my neck and shoulders, so I've now joined a class with a different instructor, who takes things at a much slower pace and encourages us for getting it 95% right rather than making us feel bad for not getting it right enough. I spend so much money on physiothe... See more Viktoria - I also use Pilates. I've been freelancing three and a half years and only started Pilates a few months ago, and it really is great. The first class I joined (a few months ago) was too difficult for me, as I have recurring pain in my neck and shoulders, so I've now joined a class with a different instructor, who takes things at a much slower pace and encourages us for getting it 95% right rather than making us feel bad for not getting it right enough. I spend so much money on physiotherapy - I wish I had joined Pilates a long time ago. When I said it to my physio she was delighted and said I had made a very good choice.
I wanted to get a dog in order to make me go for long walks, but we already have 2 cats whose lives we value, so we settled for a kitten. I spend some time playing in the garden with her during the day, and this is great for my mental health.
I'm a bit of a workaholic and find it incredibly hard to switch off from work mode, but I reckon that's because at present I don't have any children and am saving to hopefully start a family soon. Therefore, I take on a lot of work, even when I know it'll stress me out. But it will allow me to take maternity leave when we have our first child, instead of being really strapped for cash when the time comes. My husband and I have decided that it's important for us both to work a lot of hours now, while we have no children, because in the future we won't have time for - or want - extremely long working days and 6-7 day weeks. Recently, however, I have found that if you set a target that you want to achieve in an evening, for example you're going to watch a movie tomorrow night and that's that, then you'll be more motivated during your working hours and will also be less inclined to schedule in overtime. My winding-down time is the pub on a Friday night. Once I get a few drinks into me, work is the farthest thing from my mind)
Anyway, I'd certainly recommend that you try Pilates. It's funny, the Pilates exercises were invented by a man, but it's virtually only ever women who attend classes!!! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Good points, Michele and Vitomir | Nov 6, 2006 |
That sentence could definitely have been better written.
But leashes? Never use 'em, not for dogs and not for children. (Not even for men, come to think of it, which may have something to do with my single status.)
Have a lovely evening
| | | | Lia Fail (X)
Spain
Local time: 05:00
Spanish to English
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| badly..... (but thank goodness for the dog)! | Nov 8, 2006 |
Marijke wrote:
I am a workaholic and it was getting really bad so I got a dog. Now I walk between one hour and 3 hours a day (depending on deadlines and such). It has done wonders for my health and social life (you meet absolutely everybody especially if you have a dead friendly dog). I'm in the perfect position to have a dog. Always at home and time to play and walk. It is also a good thing to do if you have children. My daughter who is 13 is half-responsible for the dog and she has coped very well.
Badly sometimes, especially in the last 2 weeks. This is becuase I've become involved in a lot of unpaid tasks related to translation, so my free time or what there was of it is whittled away to almost zero...The worst thing is relationships, and I have very few friends who knows exactly what being freelancer means, becuase he/she has a self-employed partner...it means freedom to go shopping when the supermarket or shopping centre is empty, but it also means having problems in switching off.-(
But back to dogs! Yes, my dog is a life saver, she has to have her walk daily, and yes, it's nice for the isolated translator to exchange words with other people whose dog becomes entangled with one's own dog:-)
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Ana Naglić
Croatia
Local time: 05:00
Member (2005)
English to Croatian
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Mary Catherine Brix wrote:
A dog can be your best friend, come rain or shine. I have a German Shepard and she's only too happy to play with me. We go for hour-long walks at least three times a day. Or perhaps not "walks". We play with sticks - that means I throw the stick and then we race to see who'll get there first. I never win but I do get cardio-vascular exercise, the throwing movement helps circulation in my arms and shoulders (sensitive areas for people sitting in front of computers) and she and I bond. We race up hills, we climb in areas steep enough for me to need to pull myself up, and we take time to sit, catch our breath and just enjoy the time outdoors, breathing in fresh air (good for tired eyes). This helps me clear my head and I often find answers that previously eluded me.
If you have a pair of short-legged Scotties who are not too fond about walking (except when a ball is involved - but with their teeth, the ball cannot last for more than an hour) - you won't run. But: you will stretch when you try to hold a mum-dog when she wants to go to the other part of a park while the son-dog tries to pee behind the tree because she saw an old friend (French bulldog) or when they see some kids playing football (hint: the ball). They will strech your body well enough:) Enyone who has a Scottie (or at least, a terrier) would understand, LOL
| | | | | Coping without support | May 14, 2007 |
I have been coping well, like many others who've already posted , I love those freedoms you don't have when you're a 9-5er in an office.
The one thing I haven't coped with is the perceptions of others concerning my work. They seem to think that it's not a profession, and that I don't work as hard or as long as 'employed people'.
My boyfriend especially doesn't understand the concept that my work day does not always stop at 6pm. Or that "work" is not just translation, b... See more I have been coping well, like many others who've already posted , I love those freedoms you don't have when you're a 9-5er in an office.
The one thing I haven't coped with is the perceptions of others concerning my work. They seem to think that it's not a profession, and that I don't work as hard or as long as 'employed people'.
My boyfriend especially doesn't understand the concept that my work day does not always stop at 6pm. Or that "work" is not just translation, but also includes sending out CVs, researching the internet, and continuing my education, bookkeeping, etc..
Maybe I should replace him with a dog? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Julieta Moss
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:00
Spanish to English
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| what about odd hours when you have no job to do | Dec 10, 2007 |
That sounds just like me! I too stop at midday to watch the Simpsons while I eat, and prefer to keep a normal working schedule to be available while the agencies/companies are open and likely to contact me.
My clients generally contact me by email, sometimes by mobile if they cant see me online. But as a new freelancer I was wondering what the rest of you do when no jobs are coming in...do you remain at the computer in case an email arrives to reply quickly? I try to do that, althou... See more That sounds just like me! I too stop at midday to watch the Simpsons while I eat, and prefer to keep a normal working schedule to be available while the agencies/companies are open and likely to contact me.
My clients generally contact me by email, sometimes by mobile if they cant see me online. But as a new freelancer I was wondering what the rest of you do when no jobs are coming in...do you remain at the computer in case an email arrives to reply quickly? I try to do that, although eventually I will go out and do something else.
It's a shame cause people dont always understand that sometimes working very very hard for a week can earn me a month's living, but I still need to be there in case something turns up...if I was translating 100% of my available time I would be a millionaire! so how do you more experienced freelancers cope when you have no work for a few days, or do you eventually reach a stage where you can be working all the time?
Orla Ryan wrote: I stick to a 9-5 type of routine from Monday to Friday myself. The way I see it, if I had a shop in town, I could not just close it whenever I feel like it, I should be there during the day when my customers want me and I apply that to my freelance life. I don't want to work at 2am! Then again, I don't have kids or a boyfriend to worry about. Of course, if I need to go to the post office or whatever, then I will do that. But all in all, I work standard office hours, just like my customers. It works for me anyway. I am in the 2nd year of a postgrad right now, so time management is CRUCIAL for me this year. (aaaaahhhh!!) As I share a house with 2 other people, I prefer to be finished work by the time they get home. I watch the Simpsons as a way to wind down and then I go out for a couple of hours, without fail. (I go to the gym twice a week, swing dancing on Wednesdays or go around to a friend's house.) If I do need to finish off something, I'll do it in my room later on that night when I get home from a walk/the gym. HTH [Edited at 2006-11-06 10:42] ▲ Collapse
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| Mantener la rutina | Mar 7, 2008 |
Hola Julieta:
Respecto a tú pregunta de que hacer cuando no hay pedidos pendientes. Bueno, personalmente si he tenido ingresos sufiecientes y los nervios lo permiten, suelo invertir unas 4 horas diarias en investigar las páginas de potenciales nuevos clientes, el tiempo extra disponible lo utilizo en actividades ajenas a la traducción (en mi caso alemán-espanol) deporte, actividades culturales, encontrar amigos y ello sin culpa alguna, ya que cuando hay pedidos urgentes jornadas... See more Hola Julieta:
Respecto a tú pregunta de que hacer cuando no hay pedidos pendientes. Bueno, personalmente si he tenido ingresos sufiecientes y los nervios lo permiten, suelo invertir unas 4 horas diarias en investigar las páginas de potenciales nuevos clientes, el tiempo extra disponible lo utilizo en actividades ajenas a la traducción (en mi caso alemán-espanol) deporte, actividades culturales, encontrar amigos y ello sin culpa alguna, ya que cuando hay pedidos urgentes jornadas laborales muy extensas son invevitables para llegar a la entrega.
Saludos
Alesandro
Julieta Suárez López wrote: That sounds just like me! I too stop at midday to watch the Simpsons while I eat, and prefer to keep a normal working schedule to be available while the agencies/companies are open and likely to contact me. My clients generally contact me by email, sometimes by mobile if they cant see me online. But as a new freelancer I was wondering what the rest of you do when no jobs are coming in...do you remain at the computer in case an email arrives to reply quickly? I try to do that, although eventually I will go out and do something else. It's a shame cause people dont always understand that sometimes working very very hard for a week can earn me a month's living, but I still need to be there in case something turns up...if I was translating 100% of my available time I would be a millionaire! so how do you more experienced freelancers cope when you have no work for a few days, or do you eventually reach a stage where you can be working all the time? Orla Ryan wrote: I stick to a 9-5 type of routine from Monday to Friday myself. The way I see it, if I had a shop in town, I could not just close it whenever I feel like it, I should be there during the day when my customers want me and I apply that to my freelance life. I don't want to work at 2am! Then again, I don't have kids or a boyfriend to worry about. Of course, if I need to go to the post office or whatever, then I will do that. But all in all, I work standard office hours, just like my customers. It works for me anyway. I am in the 2nd year of a postgrad right now, so time management is CRUCIAL for me this year. (aaaaahhhh!!) As I share a house with 2 other people, I prefer to be finished work by the time they get home. I watch the Simpsons as a way to wind down and then I go out for a couple of hours, without fail. (I go to the gym twice a week, swing dancing on Wednesdays or go around to a friend's house.) If I do need to finish off something, I'll do it in my room later on that night when I get home from a walk/the gym. HTH [Edited at 2006-11-06 10:42] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mihai Badea (X)
Luxembourg
English to Romanian
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| Forum language | Mar 8, 2008 |
Dear Alesandro,
For future postings, please use the designated language of this forum: English.
Thanks,
Mihai
| | | | | 4 hours a day | Apr 21, 2008 |
For my part, I translate (and only translate) from Monday to Friday from 8 to 12. I have outsourced most of my paperwork (invoicing, offers and even some e-mails) and it costs me no more than € 30 per week. I try to check my e-mails only 2/3 times a day. In general at 10 am, 1 pm and 4 pm.
The rest of the time I spend writing (a boo... See more For my part, I translate (and only translate) from Monday to Friday from 8 to 12. I have outsourced most of my paperwork (invoicing, offers and even some e-mails) and it costs me no more than € 30 per week. I try to check my e-mails only 2/3 times a day. In general at 10 am, 1 pm and 4 pm.
The rest of the time I spend writing (a book and my blog at http://tips4translators.wordpress.com/), studying (to become an interpreter) and just enjoying life...
In the past I have also worked more than 8 hours a day as a translator but at some point I decided it wasn't a very healthy way of life, so I organized my life in order to be as efficient as possible in my work while still enjoying it... And until now, it seems to work.
By the way, I share some tips on my blog at http://tips4translators.wordpress.com/ for those interested... ▲ Collapse
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