Poll: Do you usually work "normal" business hours?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Aug 14, 2014

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you usually work "normal" business hours?".

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Georgia Morg (X)
Georgia Morg (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:21
Portuguese to English
Early mornings Aug 14, 2014

Early mornings work best for me, especially if the work requires a lot of concentration. And I mean early - 4am, in some cases. Then I'd typically work till about 10am. Have a break till about 3pm (wash clothes, cook and eat lunch, quick nap), then start again. Weekdays or weekends, it makes no difference.
Having said that, I don't work every day, or even every week, but when I do, that's the standard pattern.

[Edited at 2014-08-14 08:31 GMT]


 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:21
Member (2006)
German to English
No, not really Aug 14, 2014

I am freelancer. I have my deadlines. I meet them. So it does not really matter when I work, that is one of the advantages of beeing freelancer;-)

 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:21
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Normal? Aug 14, 2014

As I said some time ago (another similar poll) the whole point of being a freelancer, at least for me, is to be free from a strict schedule and routine and to be able to structure my time and my pace in a way that best suits me. When work comes my way (and I accept it), I just do it, regardless of "normal" working hours!

 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 11:21
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Aug 14, 2014

I usually work "normal business hours"... and the rest! I work when there's work to be done and usually give it precedence over other activities, since it's my livelihood.

 
Tim Drayton
Tim Drayton  Identity Verified
Cyprus
Local time: 12:21
Turkish to English
+ ...
No Aug 14, 2014

I have been working at full capacity for the past few weeks, and have been getting up at dawn (which is about 0530 here at the moment), starting work at about 0615 and working through to 1700 with a break of about one hour in between. I have been doing this for six days a week apart from Mondays, when I lie in until about 0800 and go out to do my shopping for the week and start work at about 1100 or 1200. I do not think these could be described as normal business hours.

 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:21
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Almost never Aug 14, 2014

I try to squeeze my work into regular working hours, but I live in a beautiful place (San Diego) with too many distractions.

 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Yes Aug 14, 2014

I am always available during normal working hours

But I don't actually work all of those hours

I only occasionally work outside normal working hours, and only if offered large amounts of cash


 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 11:21
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
No Aug 14, 2014

I see no reason to. Have no small children etc...

Let's have some better poll questions! I know it can be frustrating, when your question and options get edited by the staff so you don't recognize your own question. But at least let's try and introduce some more interesting issues, even anonymously.

I am not saying that the current poll question is irrelevant, but it has just been asked too often.

[Edited at 2014-08-14 10:07 GMT]

[Edited at 2014-08-14 10:
... See more
I see no reason to. Have no small children etc...

Let's have some better poll questions! I know it can be frustrating, when your question and options get edited by the staff so you don't recognize your own question. But at least let's try and introduce some more interesting issues, even anonymously.

I am not saying that the current poll question is irrelevant, but it has just been asked too often.

[Edited at 2014-08-14 10:07 GMT]

[Edited at 2014-08-14 10:08 GMT]

[Edited at 2014-08-14 10:08 GMT]
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Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
Got one, Yetta Aug 14, 2014

At a push, would you be able to answer a poll where "Other" is not an option?
_ Yes
_ No


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:21
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
I'm trying to, but... Aug 14, 2014

The answer is no because there are deadlines to meet (usually Monday mornings). And I do meet them, even if it means working nights or weekends. If I wanted to work only normal hours, then being a freelance translator would certainly be the wrong profession for me.

 
Rudolf Frans Maulany
Rudolf Frans Maulany  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 11:21
English to Indonesian
+ ...
No Aug 14, 2014

In my previous experience because translation/Interpretation was not my main job(main job as medical doctor) I usually did not work in "normal" business hour.

 
inkweaver
inkweaver  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:21
French to German
+ ...
No Aug 14, 2014

And why would I? I enjoy going to the swimming pool, shopping etc. when it's not crowded and freelancing allows me to do just that.

After seven years in the business I don't have to wait anxiously for jobs to arrive.
I have got a handful of very good clients who are happy to wait a couple of hours for a reply since they want me to do a certain job. I have dropped all those "bargain basement" clients who assign jobs on a first-come, first-served basis a while ago so I
... See more
And why would I? I enjoy going to the swimming pool, shopping etc. when it's not crowded and freelancing allows me to do just that.

After seven years in the business I don't have to wait anxiously for jobs to arrive.
I have got a handful of very good clients who are happy to wait a couple of hours for a reply since they want me to do a certain job. I have dropped all those "bargain basement" clients who assign jobs on a first-come, first-served basis a while ago so I am now free to schedule my time the way it suits me. As long as I meet the deadline (and I usually deliver well before I'm supposed to) my clients are happy... and so am I.
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Poll: Do you usually work "normal" business hours?






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