| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Off topic: concentration tips wanted.... Thread poster: Kelly Gill
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Kelly Gill
Italy
Local time: 16:13
Member (2008)
Italian to English
I don't know where else to put this.
I am trying to work and I just can't concentrate.
WHY?
Could it be because my daughter is hopping around singing Womanizer womanizer ... with my (MY) ipod...(who the hell put Britney Spears on my ipod???)
.......or maybe because my son is in the same room as me ranting about the goals that Rome didn't get the other day?
.......Or maybe because of my other daughter who is in the kitchen and helping me o... See more I don't know where else to put this.
I am trying to work and I just can't concentrate.
WHY?
Could it be because my daughter is hopping around singing Womanizer womanizer ... with my (MY) ipod...(who the hell put Britney Spears on my ipod???)
.......or maybe because my son is in the same room as me ranting about the goals that Rome didn't get the other day?
.......Or maybe because of my other daughter who is in the kitchen and helping me out by cooking dinner so I can work ..but she keeps screaming "mommmyyyyyyyyy do I put the wine in now or when? do I have to remove the seeds from the pepper? Is it ok that I'm using yellow pepper and not a red one?"
or maybe it's just because of the damn dog (not mine! My neighbor dropped her (him/it?) off while she "goes out to run a few errands" aka sucks down a glass of wine at the local bar) who is panting and farting and panting and farting and won't settle down or go outside to take a dump.
How the heck do you deal with translating and kids at the same time?
I have considered valium, beating them, or kicking them out but for various reasons I just can't do it.
Therefore I am looking for some threats or bribes that work so I can work!
Any ideas would be appreciated. ▲ Collapse
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- Connect the TV, the children's brain is relayed on the same circuit and gets automatically disconnected.
- Go to the local hardware store and buy one of those airport worker headphones, minimum 25 Db cancellation. Go back to work and put them on. .... Peace!
- Next time: don't plan any serious work between the time the kids are done with the homework and their bedtime. If you have to, send the children to the owner of the dog and ask her to take care of them while you run a few err... See more - Connect the TV, the children's brain is relayed on the same circuit and gets automatically disconnected.
- Go to the local hardware store and buy one of those airport worker headphones, minimum 25 Db cancellation. Go back to work and put them on. .... Peace!
- Next time: don't plan any serious work between the time the kids are done with the homework and their bedtime. If you have to, send the children to the owner of the dog and ask her to take care of them while you run a few errands. Then take your laptop and go to work to the local bar while you sip a glass of wine.
Good luck! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Have them understand that... | Jan 13, 2009 |
... being at home while working is much more of working than of being at home! Establish some 9-to-5 term and stick to it. Let them play computer games after you finish the day's portion of work. Show them how much you still have to do to call it a day. Call it a day LOUDLY. Have them understand that their annoying costs them the time.
I used to say "When you will be paid for gaming, I will not work and occupy the PC at all". It works.
[Редактировалось 2009-01-13 19:28 GMT]
| | | | ozan karakış
Türkiye
Local time: 17:13
English to Turkish
+ ...
I stay away from translating while they are annoyingly jolly which causes a lot of neck pain afterwards, due to late night working.
If I have to work and cannot repel them, I promise them some toys or similar rewards. Last time I tried this, my 12 year-old told me that it was a nice try.
[Değişiklik saati 2009-01-13 20:16 GMT]
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Well, yes, you could try giving the kids some valium, but then they'd probably be too laid back to beat. )
| | | | liz askew 
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:13
Member (2007)
French to English
+ ...
| Impossible task | Jan 13, 2009 |
Hi
I don't know how old your kids are...but they need/want/bother their mums until they are teenagers!
I just never find it possible to work on translations when my kids (and husband) are around I work when they are not here (9-3pm)...saying that though mine are 14 and 15 so they can more or less cope on their own now, once they are back from school.
I don't get them to cook, call me what y... See more Hi
I don't know how old your kids are...but they need/want/bother their mums until they are teenagers!
I just never find it possible to work on translations when my kids (and husband) are around I work when they are not here (9-3pm)...saying that though mine are 14 and 15 so they can more or less cope on their own now, once they are back from school.
I don't get them to cook, call me what you like, I would rather wait until I am not "working" and make beans on toast. If I am working when they are around (sometimes..) I get them to make themselves a sandwich and we have tea later on. [my husband works until late so he's not here to cook].
Don't know what else to say, but if your kids are young then they crave your attention. Once they are over, say 13, they start to "ignore" you...
Bye for now.
Liz Askew
Call me a failure, but, hey, I can live with it
[Edited at 2009-01-13 21:38 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Splitting of time | Jan 14, 2009 |
I am also madly bad with regard to concentration.
Discussing about productivity [quality/quantity of work output per unit time], it is better for me to work when no one or nothing annoy me.
If I were you, I will never work when my kids are around me.
I may seek time when my kids go to bed or school etc.
Soonthon L.
| | | | Juliana Brown
Israel
Local time: 10:13
Member (2007)
Spanish to English
+ ...
If I were to "never work with kids around", I would be rather limited in my choice of hours for work. If a client has a rush job, and I want to hang on to them, sticking the kids in the closet while I work is unfortunately,not an option (small closets, strong little girls).
Sometimes all you can do is try to give them "busy work", which explains why my entire house is covered with stickers from a mosaic type project I gave them to do. Amazing how a few thousand small squares of sticky pap... See more If I were to "never work with kids around", I would be rather limited in my choice of hours for work. If a client has a rush job, and I want to hang on to them, sticking the kids in the closet while I work is unfortunately,not an option (small closets, strong little girls).
Sometimes all you can do is try to give them "busy work", which explains why my entire house is covered with stickers from a mosaic type project I gave them to do. Amazing how a few thousand small squares of sticky paper can give you a bit of quiet (well, a whole 20 minutes anyhow...).
Hang in there Kelly. The silence will return and then you'll wonder why you can't focus when it's so quiet! ▲ Collapse
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Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 10:13
German to English
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| I love Oscar's suggestions :-) | Jan 14, 2009 |
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| | | | Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 16:13
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
+ ...
| Buddha approach / technique | Jan 14, 2009 |
What about trying to hypnotize your lot ( the kids and the dog) ?
Draw a spot on the wall, and make them look at it without blinking for about half an hour. If everything goes well, they should drop and fall asleep. You could have peace for at least four hours.
Now, am I not a genius?
| | | | sylvie malich (X)
Germany
Local time: 16:13
German to English
| Babysitter, grandma, neighbour, father... | Jan 14, 2009 |
obviously you need help on two legs.
If you're charging overtime then the babysitter should be (at least) partially covered.
Unless the kid's father only makes his guest appearence on weekends, he'd be your best bet, no?
| | | | Melzie
Local time: 16:13
French to English
+ ...
| strange but true | Jan 14, 2009 |
Get each of your dear prodgeny to invite a friend over.
the non mathematic equation being:
double the number of children = quarter the attention required from an adult
Even better, alternate weeks with the parents of said invitees and you get one 'children's day' with less attention required but admittedly more cooking to do and one totally 'free' day.
Today is my day 'on' and even when I had a customer on the phone they didn't bug me.
Everyone ... See more Get each of your dear prodgeny to invite a friend over.
the non mathematic equation being:
double the number of children = quarter the attention required from an adult
Even better, alternate weeks with the parents of said invitees and you get one 'children's day' with less attention required but admittedly more cooking to do and one totally 'free' day.
Today is my day 'on' and even when I had a customer on the phone they didn't bug me.
Everyone who works at home knows that the phone rings and any children, dogs or spouses in the area will automatically demand your attention! ▲ Collapse
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Mervyn Henderson (X)
Spain
Local time: 16:13
Spanish to English
+ ...
| It could be worse | Jan 14, 2009 |
Kelly,
It sounds to me like your children are well-adjusted.
Your hopping daughter could be trailing miserably around the house dressed entirely in black, with her face whited up corpse-like, listening to "Murder Them All, Why Doncha?" by Nobby and the No-Goods.
At least your cooking daughter is helping out. Tell her it doesn't matter what colour the peppers are, for God's sake, and to give YOU the wine. Tell her today is International Experimental Cookery ... See more Kelly,
It sounds to me like your children are well-adjusted.
Your hopping daughter could be trailing miserably around the house dressed entirely in black, with her face whited up corpse-like, listening to "Murder Them All, Why Doncha?" by Nobby and the No-Goods.
At least your cooking daughter is helping out. Tell her it doesn't matter what colour the peppers are, for God's sake, and to give YOU the wine. Tell her today is International Experimental Cookery Day, so go experiment, honey bunch.
Tell your son to go down the park with the lads and improve HIS football, so HE can play for Rome one day. Practise his dives in the area and shin-clutching, put things right at the club, and earn a fortune for you all.
I'm not sure about the dog. I do have certain measures in mind, but unfortunately they are all rather cruel, apart from stocking up on air fresheners or smog masks. Why not just leave it outside?
The dog problem, at any rate, will be solved when you sort your neighbour out. As someone else suggested, that kind of dog-dumping nonsense will stop when you start calling in the favours at a later date. Alternatively, you could just resign yourself to night work later, say to your neighbour, "Hey, I'll go with you", leave the panting and farting problem to the kids, and see what happens. Watch in amusement as she invents her errands and eventually feels obliged to buy you a drink for disturbing you. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kelly Gill
Italy
Local time: 16:13
Member (2008)
Italian to English
TOPIC STARTER | what lovely answers | Jan 14, 2009 |
Thanks for all your fun answers.
Sometimes it's good to take a break and get a little perspective on the situation that at the end of the day isn't SO bad.
I ended up shutting off my computer and getting up at 5am.
by the way:
- The kids are well adjusted ... I mean the still aren't on drugs and no one has gotten knocked up so that's good I guess!
- I have a lovely exhusband who really is a nice guy and we share the kids 50... See more Thanks for all your fun answers.
Sometimes it's good to take a break and get a little perspective on the situation that at the end of the day isn't SO bad.
I ended up shutting off my computer and getting up at 5am.
by the way:
- The kids are well adjusted ... I mean the still aren't on drugs and no one has gotten knocked up so that's good I guess!
- I have a lovely exhusband who really is a nice guy and we share the kids 50/50 (a week each). ... this means when they are with him I can concentrate to my hearts content.
- The "invite more kids over" idea is something I do often. Most weekends (that would be every other) include an average of 8 kids in the house ... it's amazing how quiet 8 kids can be even if they trash the house.
- The dog is actually helpful sometimes (when no other kids are around)
- My 9-5 job may soon non longer exist therefore I will have more time to translate in peace and loving happiness!
- Most of the time the kids screwing around doesn't annoy me ... I am good at putting myself in a rose colored bubble... but sometimes I really would like to beat them silly. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Nothing but... | Jan 15, 2009 |
Actually nothing helps me when I work at home. My 5 y.o. daughter has a nanny, who keeps her busy all the day with games, studies, etc., but still she's always in my room when I need to work. My way out was to move to the office.
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