Poll: Do you set working hour limits for yourself? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you set working hour limits for yourself?".
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I had to laugh out loud when I saw that 61% of the respondents so far do not have working hour limits. That's the nature of the profession, especially in the case of translators living alone. Colleagues with spouses and children have to be more strict with their time. My guess is that if we all had a choice, none of us would have working hour limits.
| | | | Liena Vijupe 
Latvia
Local time: 07:33
Member (2014)
French to Latvian
+ ...
There is no need to limit my working hours because there is a natural limit in how much I can work without losing focus. That's when I prefer to stop and do something else instead, unless I absolutely have to continue.
I do have business hours though (generally corresponding the standard ones) outside of which I consider myself unavailable for work.
| | | | | No set working hours | Oct 30, 2021 |
No limit to start and no limit to end (but no all-nighters at all!). My working hours depend entirely on my workload. So my working hours are extremely flexible and I am more than willing to work overtime (or not work at all!) as and when necessary. I work weekends very often by choice (meaning if I’m working on a longish job). I worked in-house more than 30 years and when I retired I decided to freelance. For me, that's the joy of freelancing: being free to organize my day and work-schedule s... See more No limit to start and no limit to end (but no all-nighters at all!). My working hours depend entirely on my workload. So my working hours are extremely flexible and I am more than willing to work overtime (or not work at all!) as and when necessary. I work weekends very often by choice (meaning if I’m working on a longish job). I worked in-house more than 30 years and when I retired I decided to freelance. For me, that's the joy of freelancing: being free to organize my day and work-schedule so that I can achieve everything I planned. I can’t say it works every time but I’m trying… ▲ Collapse
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 06:33
Spanish to English
+ ...
Not really. I work when there is work to do, and I stop when I'm tired or have something else that needs doing.
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 06:33
French to English
When I have work, it'll mostly get done between 7am-8pm but during that time I will also be doing my yoga, taking the dog out, having several snacks, stopping for a coffee with a neighbour who drops in, going shopping and whatever else life might throw at me. I always seem to manage to fit other stuff in, like I spent all day Monday training someone to help me in my volunteer work. It so happened that I didn't have any work that day, but I'd have got it done ahead of time or set a later deadline... See more When I have work, it'll mostly get done between 7am-8pm but during that time I will also be doing my yoga, taking the dog out, having several snacks, stopping for a coffee with a neighbour who drops in, going shopping and whatever else life might throw at me. I always seem to manage to fit other stuff in, like I spent all day Monday training someone to help me in my volunteer work. It so happened that I didn't have any work that day, but I'd have got it done ahead of time or set a later deadline had I received anything. And I'll happily work at weekends, but at a more leisurely rate than during the week. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Our business hours are customer contact times | Oct 30, 2021 |
This means that it is not guaranteed I will answer the phone outside our business hours/phone you back outside our business hours and quick email answers are not guaranteed anymore either - outside our business hours. It does not at all mean we are not working outside our business hours or we won't check and answer our emails at all during our EXTENDED business hours (which end somewhere between 2200 and 2400 hours on weekdays and at 2200 hours at the weekend). Also, we sometimes simply answer t... See more This means that it is not guaranteed I will answer the phone outside our business hours/phone you back outside our business hours and quick email answers are not guaranteed anymore either - outside our business hours. It does not at all mean we are not working outside our business hours or we won't check and answer our emails at all during our EXTENDED business hours (which end somewhere between 2200 and 2400 hours on weekdays and at 2200 hours at the weekend). Also, we sometimes simply answer the next day if the official part of the working day is over, depending on the importance and urgency of the inquiry. Also, we tend to avoid being reachable only on a mobile (low-cost call forwarding and related technology/mobile email client capable of downloading attachments) during our business hours where possible. However, it is not always possible to stay in during our business hours. So yes, I am able to quote on a "mobile" (smartphone) almost as quickly as on the computer unless only Trados files are sent.
Was that all far too confusing just now :‑) ?
[Edited at 2021-10-30 13:18 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kevin Fulton
United States
Local time: 00:33
German to English
Although I have no set limit on the number of hours I work during the week. I try not to translate/edit past 8:00 in the evening. Toiling into the evening hours generally results in resolving translation problems in my sleep all night, thus reducing my effectiveness the following day. Knocking myself out with alcohol counteracts the translation dreams, but likewise reduces my efficiency the next working day. I'm much more productive quitting early in the evening and getting up earlier to contin... See more Although I have no set limit on the number of hours I work during the week. I try not to translate/edit past 8:00 in the evening. Toiling into the evening hours generally results in resolving translation problems in my sleep all night, thus reducing my effectiveness the following day. Knocking myself out with alcohol counteracts the translation dreams, but likewise reduces my efficiency the next working day. I'm much more productive quitting early in the evening and getting up earlier to continue my work. ▲ Collapse
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| 6 Hours A Day, 6-7 Days A Week | Oct 30, 2021 |
I pace myself by working only 6 hours a day, over a period of 6 or 7 days a week. That way I don't get burned out on any given literary project. My clients don't seem to mind.
[Edited at 2021-10-30 20:09 GMT]
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:33
Member (2008)
Italian to English
I normally work Italian office hours (even though I'm in London). I work on UK national holidays and don't work on Italian national holidays.
If I'm really busy, or if I'm passionately interested in a particular translation, then I might work all the time, long hours, and weekends too.
[Edited at 2021-10-31 11:35 GMT]
| | | | | Working hours | Oct 31, 2021 |
I do not have any set working hours as such but I do set my own limits. When I get a big job, I try to finish as much of it as I can but I do not overdo it. I stop working by nine pm and take some breaks during the working day. I’ve worked on New Year but then take breaks when everyone is working. I still go to the beach in summer or in the countryside in winter for breaks but I do not keep fixed hours.
| | | | Mr. Satan (X)
English to Indonesian
My working hours largely determined by the deadlines. I always set a certain milestone for each session/day, and before I reach that milestone I won't stop working. I can't stop working. The milestones I've set are carefully calculated. So if I missed them, it's almost a certainty that I won't be able to deliver my translations on time.
That being said, whenever possible, I try to limit myself to 10 hours at most.
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 01:33
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I don't really have a limit I control, with exact numbers. But I do not exceed my limits (mentally and physically speaking). I take regular breaks, I stop when I feel like stopping for the day, I interrupt my work to sleep during the day, sometimes, etc. There are no benefits in being a workaholic, not even the money.
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