Poll: Do you follow a strict schedule covering every aspect of your work day? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you follow a strict schedule covering every aspect of your work day?".
This poll was originally submitted by Jessica Noyes. View the poll results »
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| My schedule is random | Oct 21, 2016 |
That's the beauty of being a freelance!
I do tend keep a fairly regular schedule in the evening, after things quiet down, but during the day I have appointments, go shopping, meet up with friends, enjoy walks with my dog, get my hair done, take classes - whatever happens to be a priority on the particular day.
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| Confused by question | Oct 21, 2016 |
I always turn my computer on before I start typing if that's what's meant
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Michael Harris 
Germany
Local time: 10:33
Member (2006)
German to English
Chris S wrote:
I always turn my computer on before I start typing if that's what's meant
Oh Chris, that was a good one, but only if you turn it off when you are finished;-)
I am not sure what it means either. We are self-employed.
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Erzsébet Czopyk
Hungary
Local time: 10:33
Member (2006)
Russian to Hungarian
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SITE LOCALIZER | to be or not to be | Oct 21, 2016 |
I do have a strict one which is usually ruined by my clients's and family members' urgent demands...
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I’m a master of my own time! My only strict schedule is to turn my computer on a few minutes after waking up and even this has a very loose schedule: let’s say that it usually happens between 7.30 and 10 a.m., depending on what I had planned for the day…
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 04:33
English to Spanish
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Employed or not, self-employed or in-house, human beings follow routines and not necessarily a schedule. Maybe that's why the question's wording is confusing.
My diagnosis? The faster we want to think and do things, the less precise with words we become.
Back to the question: it's refreshing to see that only a small percentage of respondents expressed following a strict schedule. Now we know who the neurotics are.
 ... See more Employed or not, self-employed or in-house, human beings follow routines and not necessarily a schedule. Maybe that's why the question's wording is confusing.
My diagnosis? The faster we want to think and do things, the less precise with words we become.
Back to the question: it's refreshing to see that only a small percentage of respondents expressed following a strict schedule. Now we know who the neurotics are.
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neilmac
Spain
Local time: 10:33
Spanish to English
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I'm told I'm a creature of habit. I don't know about a 'strict schedule' though. For example, today I got up about half an hour later than I did yesterday. Because I can.
Anyway, I don't really think a strict schedule can apply to a freelancers work - I'm always telling my clients that I never know from one moment to the next what my workload will be.
"The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'... See more I'm told I'm a creature of habit. I don't know about a 'strict schedule' though. For example, today I got up about half an hour later than I did yesterday. Because I can.
Anyway, I don't really think a strict schedule can apply to a freelancers work - I'm always telling my clients that I never know from one moment to the next what my workload will be.
"The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_a_Mouse
[Edited at 2016-10-21 09:47 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Jessica Noyes
United States
Local time: 04:33
Member
Spanish to English
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| From the question poster | Oct 21, 2016 |
You never know how your quick poll question will look after it is edited, especially with the size limit on both questions and answers.
As poll originator, my thinking was that there might be people who have a particular set day or time to carry out different work-related tasks. They actually have their days blocked out like a school timetable with times for tasks such as: answering correspondence, writing up invoices, studying software, returning calls, posting on ProZ.com, seeking new cl... See more You never know how your quick poll question will look after it is edited, especially with the size limit on both questions and answers.
As poll originator, my thinking was that there might be people who have a particular set day or time to carry out different work-related tasks. They actually have their days blocked out like a school timetable with times for tasks such as: answering correspondence, writing up invoices, studying software, returning calls, posting on ProZ.com, seeking new clients, and of course, actually translating.
Even if they live and work alone, some people discipline themselves to get up, start work, have lunch, exercise, practice the flute etc. at a given time each day. The truly disciplined ones might even shut off their phones and computers at a certain time each day as well.
I was wondering if many of my colleagues organize their work and personal lives in this way, especially those who are self-employed.
I also thought that some people might offer good ideas on how to plan one's time wisely.
[Edited at 2016-10-21 10:13 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-10-21 10:13 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Michael Harris wrote: Chris S wrote:
I always turn my computer on before I start typing if that's what's meant Oh Chris, that was a good one, but only if you turn it off when you are finished;-) I am not sure what it means either. We are self-employed.
Dear Michael and Chris thanks for putting a smile on my face today
And let me add... I usually work on the translation with the closest deadline ....
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Jessica Noyes wrote:
You never know how your quick poll question will look after it is edited, especially with the size limit on both questions and answers.
As poll originator, my thinking was that there might be people who have a particular set day or time to carry out different work-related tasks. They actually have their days blocked out like a school timetable with times for tasks such as: answering correspondence, writing up invoices, studying software, returning calls, posting on ProZ.com, seeking new clients, and of course, actually translating.
Even if they live and work alone, some people discipline themselves to get up, start work, have lunch, exercise, practice the flute etc. at a given time each day. The truly disciplined ones might even shut off their phones and computers at a certain time each day as well.
I was wondering if many of my colleagues organize their work and personal lives in this way, especially those who are self-employed.
I also thought that some people might offer good ideas on how to plan one's time wisely.
[Edited at 2016-10-21 10:13 GMT]
[Edited at 2016-10-21 10:13 GMT]
After your explanation about the poll question, I must add that I do have a set date for two tasks: I allocate part of the last day of the month for invoicing my clients and part of the first day of the month to pay my bills and gather all the documents to send to my accountant. Everything else is movable and clamps in place when needed…
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Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 10:33
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
My schedule depends on whether there's a project waiting for me in the morning or not. If there is, then the a. m. prep-routine kicks in. After my shower and a good cup of coffee (or 2) I turn the computer on and set out to work, either until the project is finished (this happens only twice or trice a week due to the length of my projects), until it's time to leave for my regular, recurring appointments, or until it gets dark.
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| The Remains of the Day | Oct 21, 2016 |
Building a schedule around the guaranteed unpredictability of my workload and my family's needs is an act of acrobatics, but I'm pretty good at it after 21 (!) years.
Morning is coffee and some exercise so that I can bear being at my computer later. Then the requests come in, and I weigh, measure, and reshuffle priorities. Sometimes I'll fit some errands in before things really get grinding.
Afternoon is my most productive period - before the schoolbus deposits my son,... See more Building a schedule around the guaranteed unpredictability of my workload and my family's needs is an act of acrobatics, but I'm pretty good at it after 21 (!) years.
Morning is coffee and some exercise so that I can bear being at my computer later. Then the requests come in, and I weigh, measure, and reshuffle priorities. Sometimes I'll fit some errands in before things really get grinding.
Afternoon is my most productive period - before the schoolbus deposits my son, that is.
Evening is family time, so if I'm still working, it's because I miscalculated or because I'm earning a rush rate. Bedtime is relatively early; my brain rarely does anything worthwhile after 9 pm, and I've got to read something on paper for at least a little while before lights-out, to quiet the busy buzzing in my head.
[Edited at 2016-10-21 17:33 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 05:33
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
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| Self-discipline? Thank you, but no. | Oct 21, 2016 |
There is a certain routine I follow every day, in about the same order. Not turning that into a schedule or some kind of mandatory routine is one of the main reasons why I quit in-house jobs and became a freelancer. I will not impose any mandatory routine to myself. It took me a long time to get rid of that kind of torture. The benefits this type of discipline may allow are by far less than the damages.
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Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 09:33
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Just one immovable task | Oct 21, 2016 |
Teresa Borges wrote:
I allocate part of the last day of the month for invoicing my clients and part of the first day of the month to pay my bills and gather all the documents to send to my accountant. Everything else is movable and clamps in place when needed…
The invoicing is my only immovable. I only send returns to my accountant once a quarter but there's a certain amount of book-keeping to be done every month, at some time during the first week. And occasionally there's a reminder to be sent  . I hate that job.
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