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Poll: How long do you work before taking a break?
Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
PERSONAL DEL SITIO
Oct 3, 2013

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How long do you work before taking a break?".

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Tim Drayton
Tim Drayton  Identity Verified
Chipre
Local time: 16:47
turco al inglés
+ ...
2-7 hours Oct 3, 2013

I have been keeping a diary of my working hours this year, including the times that I stop for breaks (apart from short breaks to attend to calls of nature or put the kettle on). I see that, at times when I have been working at full capacity, the length of the stints that I put in ranges from two to seven hours, with four hours probably being about average.

 
Patricia Prevost
Patricia Prevost  Identity Verified
España
Local time: 15:47
inglés al español
+ ...
It depends Oct 3, 2013

It is difficult to say. I guess it depends on how long I have been working, what time it is, or even the subject (extensive resarch involved). However, I don't think I take breaks before 40 or 50 minutes. Very short breaks, I mean.

[Edited at 2013-10-03 08:21 GMT]


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 14:47
Miembro 2007
inglés al portugués
+ ...
Other Oct 3, 2013

It depends on a lot of factors: my mood (Am I tired? Did I sleep well?), the subject (really interesting or dead boring?), the deadline (urgent or loose?), the telephone (is it one of those days when it rings all the time?), the weather (sunny or grey?)…

[Edited at 2013-10-03 09:25 GMT]


 
Julian Holmes
Julian Holmes  Identity Verified
Japón
Local time: 23:47
Miembro 2011
japonés al inglés
Depends tremendously Oct 3, 2013

On factors like your

- biorhythm
- deadlines (i.e. is a gun being held against your head)
- lack of deadlines
- physical condition
- degree of focus and concentration
- amount of sleep you got the night before
- weather (i.e. is it 38C outside with 80 to 90% humidity), or
- you aren't just in the mood to work
etc., etc., etc.

My answer ">3" because I'm like a steamroller when the engine is revved up. Vrmm vrmm ...
See more
On factors like your

- biorhythm
- deadlines (i.e. is a gun being held against your head)
- lack of deadlines
- physical condition
- degree of focus and concentration
- amount of sleep you got the night before
- weather (i.e. is it 38C outside with 80 to 90% humidity), or
- you aren't just in the mood to work
etc., etc., etc.

My answer ">3" because I'm like a steamroller when the engine is revved up. Vrmm vrmm

BTW, what's a "break?" I wouldn't consider putting the washing out or doing the dishes a break, even though it can take your mind off things.
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Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
Estados Unidos
Local time: 06:47
Miembro 2003
español al inglés
+ ...
I lose track of time Oct 3, 2013

When I'm concentrating on a translation I lose all sense of time passing. I'm always surprised when I notice what time it is and realize how long I've been working.

 
neilmac
neilmac
España
Local time: 15:47
español al inglés
+ ...
Other Oct 3, 2013

It depends on how you define "break". I more or less regard any time spent away from my PC screen as a break. And, as with most things, it varies, as other colleagues have already mentioned.

 
Tatty
Tatty  Identity Verified
Local time: 15:47
español al inglés
+ ...
The meaning of break Oct 3, 2013

I would define a break as going to the loo, making a cup of tea, hanging the washing out. Otherwise, I would only break for lunch for about an hour, and dinner.

 
If only the question was... Oct 3, 2013

How long do you break before doing some work?

 
Giovanna Alessandra Meloni
Giovanna Alessandra Meloni  Identity Verified
Italia
Local time: 15:47
español al italiano
+ ...
LOCALIZADOR DEL SITIO
Other Oct 3, 2013

It depends on different factors, I read many of them in some replies here.
Moreover, I think it depends on the format of the file to be translated. I usually need a break (or, better, my eyes need it) if there are many tables or codes or other elements that can strain my (poor) eyes.


 
Allison Wright (X)
Allison Wright (X)  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 14:47
1-2 hours Oct 3, 2013

Tatty wrote:

I would define a break as going to the loo, making a cup of tea, hanging the washing out. Otherwise, I would only break for lunch for about an hour, and dinner.


With Tatty, here.

A break would be any time not spent actually translating or doing translation-related work (answering e-mails, term research), and most definitely a break when it involves getting off my chair.

I have been known, like Muriel, to lose track of time, and sometimes find that I am hanging washing on the line about 4 hours after the machine cycle stopped.


[Edited at 2013-10-03 15:07 GMT]


 
Helen Hagon
Helen Hagon  Identity Verified
Local time: 14:47
Miembro 2011
ruso al inglés
+ ...
1-2 hours Oct 3, 2013

For me, a break means anything that involves being away from the computer and stretching my legs. I have regular short breaks of a couple of minutes or so to make a coffee or load the washing machine, and a longer break at lunchtime when I like to go out for some fresh air. However, if a deadline is looming, the longer break may suffer.

 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 09:47
inglés al español
+ ...
I would care about how long I work before I take a break... Oct 3, 2013

...if I had an obsessive compulsion to keep track of time, like someone's manager or an autistic person with feverish attention to detail (no offense to autists, though).

In this sea of inconsequential minutiae, do we really care about how many minutes we work before our next break? Do we keep track? We are animals of habit, for pete's sake. Is someone trying to get some “professional advice” or standard to shape his/her workday?

I don't care what you or others thin
... See more
...if I had an obsessive compulsion to keep track of time, like someone's manager or an autistic person with feverish attention to detail (no offense to autists, though).

In this sea of inconsequential minutiae, do we really care about how many minutes we work before our next break? Do we keep track? We are animals of habit, for pete's sake. Is someone trying to get some “professional advice” or standard to shape his/her workday?

I don't care what you or others think, but I naturally analyze facts and questions for usefulness and relevance, and call it as I see it.
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Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Alemania
Local time: 15:47
Miembro 2009
inglés al alemán
+ ...
How about "Whenever I need one"? Oct 3, 2013

First of all, I don't track my actual working time between breaks, unless I charge by the hour.

If the translation flows easily and the project is interesting or fun, then I usually keep on working until its completed.

If the field requires a lot of research and / or many varification emails with the client (which is more tiring), then the working period between breaks might be shorter. Again, there is no estimate of the work hours because I don't "keep" time.
... See more
First of all, I don't track my actual working time between breaks, unless I charge by the hour.

If the translation flows easily and the project is interesting or fun, then I usually keep on working until its completed.

If the field requires a lot of research and / or many varification emails with the client (which is more tiring), then the working period between breaks might be shorter. Again, there is no estimate of the work hours because I don't "keep" time.

The working hours between breaks also depend on the delivery deadline. In case of a very tight one breaks will be limited to the absolute necessity. If the deadline can be easily met, then there might be more frequent breaks.

In short, I normally take a break when I need it, regardless of how many or how few hours I've been working.
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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 14:47
Miembro 2007
inglés al portugués
+ ...
Only 4 hours? Oct 3, 2013

Allison Wright wrote:

I have been known, like Muriel, to lose track of time, and sometimes find that I am hanging washing on the line about 4 hours after the machine cycle stopped.


You wouldn't believe how many times I found out next morning that I had completely forgotten to hang up the washed clothes...


 
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