Poll: Do you think you work longer hours than other translators?
Autor de la hebra: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
PERSONAL DEL SITIO
Jun 10, 2016

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you think you work longer hours than other translators?".

This poll was originally submitted by Anne Lee. View the poll results »



 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 10:25
Miembro 2007
inglés al portugués
+ ...
Other! Jun 10, 2016

I haven't the faintest idea, nor do I care...

P.S. By the way, some years ago, when I worked in-house, our translation unit secretary in order to distribute the workload fairly among the 15 translators kept this kind of statistics and accurate records to measure the team’s productivity, but since I retired I’m a FREElancer…

[Edited at 2016-06-10 11:04 GMT]


 
Marjolein Snippe
Marjolein Snippe  Identity Verified
Países Bajos
Local time: 11:25
Miembro 2012
inglés al neerlandés
+ ...
No Jun 10, 2016

Lots of translators seem to work during the weekend. I don't - the weekends are when my friends have time to play, so I go play with them.
A fair few seem to work until late. I don't - it is when I wind down, read a book, go rowing and relax.


 
EvaVer (X)
EvaVer (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:25
checo al francés
+ ...
Working long hours is not the point Jun 10, 2016

Teresa Borges wrote:

I haven't the faintest idea, nor do I care...

The point is to do more work.


 
neilmac
neilmac
España
Local time: 11:25
español al inglés
+ ...
Other Jun 10, 2016

My mate Andy probably works about the same hours as me, if not more. Don't know about anybody else, really...

 
No Jun 10, 2016

Most people on this forum seem to work very long hours, not sure why, but I have no idea if you are representative.

A 25-30 hour working week works well for me. I prefer to work in short, concentrated bursts.


 
Michael Harris
Michael Harris  Identity Verified
Alemania
Local time: 11:25
Miembro 2006
alemán al inglés
Other Jun 10, 2016

Teresa Borges wrote:

I haven't the faintest idea, nor do I care...


Could not have said it better☺


 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Alemania
Local time: 11:25
inglés al alemán
+ ...
Other Jun 10, 2016

Quoting from an old Beatles song: How could I know? Why should I care?

 
Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Italia
Local time: 11:25
inglés al italiano
I don't know Jun 10, 2016

And I couldn't care any less.
I mean, how many hours you work depends on a huge number of factors, just a few examples:

- fast or slow typing
- CAT tools or not
- field of expertise
- bills to pay
- family with kids?
- personal expectations
- rates applied (linked to what you have to pay)
- how many days a week you want to work (if you prefer to work 3 days a week you can work 14 hours in a row and have 4 days off....)

Ok
... See more
And I couldn't care any less.
I mean, how many hours you work depends on a huge number of factors, just a few examples:

- fast or slow typing
- CAT tools or not
- field of expertise
- bills to pay
- family with kids?
- personal expectations
- rates applied (linked to what you have to pay)
- how many days a week you want to work (if you prefer to work 3 days a week you can work 14 hours in a row and have 4 days off....)

Ok I stop.... given the above, any comparison in this sense is, in my opinion, useless.

The real balance is where you decide that the ratio working hours/free time is ok for you, not compared to colleagues.

[Edited at 2016-06-10 10:12 GMT]
Collapse


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 05:25
inglés al español
+ ...
Missing options Jun 10, 2016

I understand there can be competition among translators in a team: who does what better, or as per Teresa's anecdote, a manager who estimates productivity based on hours worked.

That spirit may be expressed best with this lyric: ♫Anything you can do I can do better/I can do anything better than you!♪

Now, the missing options in this half-baked poll:

I don't know
I don't care
What is the point of this poll?


 
Rolf Kern
Rolf Kern  Identity Verified
Suiza
Local time: 11:25
inglés al alemán
+ ...
In Memoriam
Other Jun 10, 2016

I simply don't know.

 
Vera Wilson
Vera Wilson  Identity Verified
Francia
Local time: 11:25
Miembro 2006
inglés al alemán
+ ...
Other Jun 10, 2016

Did you just call me slow?

 
Rebecca Garber
Rebecca Garber  Identity Verified
Local time: 05:25
Miembro 2005
alemán al inglés
+ ...
Other Jun 10, 2016

Don't know. Don't care.

I make enough to keep my family housed and fed, and I have enough free time to do what I want.

Why should I care if someone else is working longer/shorter hours? Does that affect my schedule/life in the slightest? I suppose if I wanted to feel jealous or superior, I might enquire, but why? Why invite negativity into my life when things are going well?

Life isn't a competition.


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brasil
Local time: 07:25
Miembro 2014
inglés al portugués
+ ...
What? Jun 10, 2016

The questions posted in these polls sometimes make me believe there is a 2nd grade group in charge of them. What sense on earth does this question make?

[Edited at 2016-06-10 20:00 GMT]


 
SteveMcD
SteveMcD  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:25
alemán al inglés
No idea Jun 10, 2016

Don't know. Never thought about it. Not a concern.
What I do think about is whether or not I'm working longer hours on a project than maybe I should be and why.


 


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Poll: Do you think you work longer hours than other translators?






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