| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: How many hours do you usually work each month? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
| | Fabio Descalzi 
Uruguay
Local time: 06:25
Member (2004)
German to Spanish
+ ...
| We are a hard-working lot! | Sep 22, 2008 |
The first results of this poll show 1/4 of us working more than 180 hours a month (me too) and just 20% working less than 120.
Means, among other things, that most of us don't take it as a part-time job - or those that do, nevertheless happen to spend a lot of time translating after all.
Translation is time-demanding (especially if you have to search complicated terms) but rewarding as well!
| | | | John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 11:25
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Undefined hours | Sep 22, 2008 |
I don’t know exactly how many hours I work a month, but I know it’s a lot. I gave up the idea quite awhile back that the week is supposed to be broken down into a nice neat daily schedule and a proportion of 5 days of work and 2 days off.
As long as I have time for family and a few hobbies, I don’t really care whether I’m working on a Monday at 4 a.m., Sunday at 5 pm or Wednesday at noon. Anyone in this profession who wants to stick to office hours should probably stick to b... See more I don’t know exactly how many hours I work a month, but I know it’s a lot. I gave up the idea quite awhile back that the week is supposed to be broken down into a nice neat daily schedule and a proportion of 5 days of work and 2 days off.
As long as I have time for family and a few hobbies, I don’t really care whether I’m working on a Monday at 4 a.m., Sunday at 5 pm or Wednesday at noon. Anyone in this profession who wants to stick to office hours should probably stick to being an employee working in an office. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Miranda Joubioux (X)
Local time: 11:25
French to English
| I don't actually know | Sep 22, 2008 |
I've never actually sat down and counted them.
I know that I am generally very busy. The main thing is to know you're happy, not overworked and that you can do the things you actually need to do, outside of work.
A while back, I found that I had too much to do and I started farming out work.
I am now a much happier person.
I know that if I examined my working day, I'd probably be able to increase my productivity by managing my time, but I don't actually want to.
... See more I've never actually sat down and counted them.
I know that I am generally very busy. The main thing is to know you're happy, not overworked and that you can do the things you actually need to do, outside of work.
A while back, I found that I had too much to do and I started farming out work.
I am now a much happier person.
I know that if I examined my working day, I'd probably be able to increase my productivity by managing my time, but I don't actually want to.
I love the freedom of being able to do things my way. ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Angela Dickson (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:25
French to English
+ ...
Anyone in this profession who wants to stick to office hours should probably stick to being an employee working in an office.
I agreed with everything you said, John, until the last part - it may well be true for you, but it isn't for me. I prefer to stick to office hours, just because that's the best way for me to see my husband (who has a 'normal' job) and my friends, and play music in the evenings and at weekends.
I generally manage to stick to this (I checked '160-180 hours' in the poll) but I don't regard it as the end of the world if I end up working funny hours sometimes in order to meet a deadline - most often this involves getting up earlier than usual. Ultimately though, I'm much happier if I have fixed hours, and I don't think I need to go and be an employee and work in an office in order to achieve this.
[Edited at 2008-09-22 14:10]
| | | | savaria (X)
Hungary
Local time: 11:25
English to Hungarian
+ ...
| | over 180 hours | Sep 22, 2008 |
doing things on my computer, including housekeeping or browsing the Net during breaks. Only part of those hours earn money, otherwise I would already be retired on a paradise island.
Angela Dickson wrote:
...
Ultimately though, I'm much happier if I have fixed hours...
So am I. I find it fairly annoying to work at weekends (when friends and family are available) or to have to set the alarm clock at 2am (sleep is mankind's best invention) to finish something because I didn't appropriately plan my workload or I was lured into other activities. That's why I charge more for WE or night work. To have fixed leisure time like "normal" people.
Philippe
| | | | abdurrahman
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 13:25
English to Arabic
+ ...
| I didn't count | Sep 22, 2008 |
Hello Colleagues,
Really I didn't count the number of hours per month, but I think I'm working hours are about 160.
| | |
|
|
|
I opted for "other", as it varies so greatly from month to month, that I can't even calculate the average. Jobs come in waves - "fat month", "lean month" - as cycle which I accept as normal part of being a freelancer.
But then, I'm mainly an interpreter, not a translator - maybe that's what makes a difference.
| | | | mediamatrix (X)
Local time: 05:25
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Don't know ... | Sep 22, 2008 |
... don't care.
And anyway, my work is a very variable mix of half a dozen different activities, and translation currently represents maybe only 20% of my total working hours.
MediaMatrix
| | | | Greg Dickie
Canada
Local time: 03:25
English to Spanish
+ ...
| 258 hours per Month! | Sep 22, 2008 |
I have been working a lot of hours lately (258 per month). Being a full-time translator is something that I am working towards. I work in a hotel teaching English to the employees and on the side I teach at a small small school.
| | | | Jeff Whittaker
United States
Local time: 05:25
Member (2002)
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Poll: How many hours do you usually work each month? | Sep 22, 2008 |
If you charge the right rates and only accept large jobs, it is possible to work less than 60 hours per month and still earn a full-time income and devote your spare time to other pursuits besides working.
| | |
|
|
|
Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 03:25
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
No more than 280 hours; I'm in the highest part of the curve age-productivity.
| | | | Odile Breuvart
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:25
Member
English to French
+ ...
Jeff Whittaker wrote:
If you charge the right rates and only accept large jobs, it is possible to work less than 60 hours per month and still earn a full-time income and devote your spare time to other pursuits besides working.
lucky you !
| | | | | Money in, money out | Sep 22, 2008 |
Jeff Whittaker wrote:
If you charge the right rates and only accept large jobs, it is possible to work less than 60 hours per month and still earn a full-time income and devote your spare time to other pursuits besides working.
I'm aware that there may be diversities among all of us since different countries and different types of employment are concerned; however, speaking on my behalf, I would starve if I worked less than 150 hours a month. Perhaps, it is largely dependent on how much debt you have. I would surely prefer turning down a considerable amount of job offers if I didn't have to pay out this much. I have not worked below 200 hours a month in the last 5 years.
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: How many hours do you usually work each month? | Protemos translation business management system | Create your account in minutes, and start working! 3-month trial for agencies, and free for freelancers!
The system lets you keep client/vendor database, with contacts and rates, manage projects and assign jobs to vendors, issue invoices, track payments, store and manage project files, generate business reports on turnover profit per client/manager etc.
More info » |
| | CafeTran Espresso | You've never met a CAT tool this clever!
Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer.
Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools.
Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free
Buy now! » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
