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Poll: Do you usually check client emails outside of your working hours?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Feb 12, 2014

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you usually check client emails outside of your working hours?".

This poll was originally submitted by tilakahuja. View the poll results »



 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 14:20
Member (2006)
German to English
Other Feb 12, 2014

Define "Working hours"

I have a relatively long day and am almost always at home.
When I work, I check them, if I am not at my computer, then I am not working.


 
Mary Worby
Mary Worby  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:20
German to English
+ ...
Yes Feb 12, 2014

If I'm out and about in the evenings and weekends, I'll always have a phone with me, so while I don't specifically check, I'll see if anything comes in.

 
Eileen Ferguson
Eileen Ferguson  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 09:20
German to English
+ ...
Yes Feb 12, 2014

I receive email notifications on my mobile phone and I usually check the messages as soon as I hear the notification, regardless of the time of day (or night).

 
Elina Sellgren
Elina Sellgren  Identity Verified
Finland
Local time: 15:20
Member (2013)
English to Finnish
+ ...
Yes Feb 12, 2014

I check my email in the evening when I don't do actual translation work, to see whether there's anything urgent, for instance a good job offer or queries about a project I did during the day. It only takes a couple of minutes and I don't stress about it if I am away from the computer.

 
Alexander Kondorsky
Alexander Kondorsky  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 16:20
English to Russian
+ ...
define working hours! Feb 12, 2014

For a freelance translator, "working hours" mean whenever he or she is at the computer or other work-related device. However, checking e-mail does not always mean "work". For example, I may happen to want to check my e-mail at 2 a.m. having no intention of working if there happens to be work.

 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
No Feb 12, 2014

Everybody is entitled to a break

 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 14:20
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
My working hours are flexible Feb 12, 2014

After all, I'm a freelancer

But I have an IPad for when I'm on the go during the day.

I don't take it with me e.g. to the movies at night.


 
Filipa Plant dos Santos
Filipa Plant dos Santos  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 13:20
Portuguese to English
Same here! Feb 12, 2014

Elina Sellgren wrote:

I check my email in the evening when I don't do actual translation work, to see whether there's anything urgent, for instance a good job offer or queries about a project I did during the day. It only takes a couple of minutes and I don't stress about it if I am away from the computer.


Isn't it impossible NOT to check your email all the time?


 
Marjolein Snippe
Marjolein Snippe  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 14:20
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
+ ...
No Feb 12, 2014

Chris S wrote:

Everybody is entitled to a break


Hear, hear!
I am one of those dinosaurs who do not have email on their phones.
When my working day is over (can be early, can be late), I turn my computer off and I close the door to my 'office'. Occasionally, that means a project comes in and is assigned to someone else before I come back the next morning - so be it.


 
Filipa Plant dos Santos
Filipa Plant dos Santos  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 13:20
Portuguese to English
I need one of these! Feb 12, 2014

Yetta J Bogarde wrote:

After all, I'm a freelancer

But I have an IPad for when I'm on the go during the day.

I don't take it with me e.g. to the movies at night.


To take around with me! Not having a smart phone, it would come in handy.

Which reminds me of a joke I heard:

How do you know when someone has an Ipad?

Answer: they tell you.

!!!


 
William Murphy
William Murphy  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 14:20
Member (2009)
Italian to English
+ ...
Other Feb 12, 2014

Michael Harris wrote:

Define "Working hours"

I have a relatively long day and am almost always at home.


I define my working hours as 9 am - 6pm (which is when I can be found in front of my PC. After 6 pm I have my laptop open until I go to bed. I'm not going to work (usually) but I am there to check and respond to e-mails.

Like most people these days I have a smartphone with a paid Internet service but I keep wondering if I should just get rid of it. I never go anywhere that would require me to be connected to the Internet (picking up the kids from school, grocery shopping, holidays - like never).

Sigh... tired of being constantly available.... yet I am when not sleeping.


 
inkweaver
inkweaver  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 14:20
French to German
+ ...
Yes Feb 12, 2014

My "working hours" are very flexible, I may start working at 5 am if I happen to be up at that time and take time off during the day, e.g. attend Swedish classes at the local university twice a week, go for a walk, go swimming etc.

I found that having a smartphone which allows me to check my emails whereever I am and whenever I feel like it gives me much greater freedom as I don't feel the need to stay near my desktop computer all the time. Although these days I only work for clien
... See more
My "working hours" are very flexible, I may start working at 5 am if I happen to be up at that time and take time off during the day, e.g. attend Swedish classes at the local university twice a week, go for a walk, go swimming etc.

I found that having a smartphone which allows me to check my emails whereever I am and whenever I feel like it gives me much greater freedom as I don't feel the need to stay near my desktop computer all the time. Although these days I only work for clients who don't allocate jobs on a "first come, first served" basis, I like to be able to respond reasonably quickly and let my good clients know whether I will be able to do a job or not.

However, I don't check my emails at night - wouldn't dream of it, actually.
Collapse


 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 06:20
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
I check them when I'm at my computer Feb 12, 2014

Since I'm on my computer most of my waking hours (translating, writing (my blog, my next book, and other stuff), or doing a kajillion other things), it's normal to check my e-mail. On the rare occasions when I'm not at my computer, I don't want to be bothered.

As I've said many times before, I tend to get long jobs and I usually have at least one waiting in the pipeline, I'm not in a position to take most of the jobs that come my way.


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 14:20
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Feb 12, 2014

Prithee, what is this "outside" working hours of which you speak, sir?

But seriously, I check my emails whenever I feel like it, whether I'm working or not. The main email account I use for work-related purposes is the one I use most. Some of the other ones have been unused for so long that they get discontinued by the providers.


 
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Poll: Do you usually check client emails outside of your working hours?






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