| Pages in topic: < [1 2 3] > | Poll: How much do you think your productivity is/would be affected by having children? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Nilton Junior 
Brazil
Local time: 23:37
Member (2009)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Moderately at most | Jan 18, 2017 |
Michael Harris wrote:
Why should they affect me? If this is concerning work hours, we are self-employed, we do what we want as long as the work is done.
If I have to look after the children in the afternoon until my wife comes home from work then this is all planned.
I voted "Moderately", but I agree with Michael here. Besides, I am used to sleeping only a few hours a day when I am too busy or cannot stop playing video games (both of which can happen very often), so I don't think it would take a considerable toll on my productivity.
| | | | | Time is not the only factor | Jan 18, 2017 |
Michael Harris wrote:
Why should they affect me? If this is concerning work hours, we are self-employed, we do what we want as long as the work is done.
If I have to look after the children in the afternoon until my wife comes home from work then this is all planned.
Even if children do not affect your working time, they can affect the income you need to generate, your amount of sleep (especially in the early years), etc. While my remark about sperm donors wasn't very serious, I still think that children have some influence on your career, except of course when they are adults themselves.
| | | | | Children and time-consuming hobbies | Jan 18, 2017 |
Nilton Junior wrote:
Besides, I am used to sleeping only a few hours a day when I am too busy or cannot stop playing video games (both of which can happen very often), so I don't think it would take a considerable toll on my productivity.
The major difference is that kids don't come with a Pause Game button
On the other hand, functioning with a few hours of sleep is a very useful ability for a parent.
| | | | Nilton Junior
Brazil
Local time: 23:37
Member (2009)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Hail Morpheus | Jan 18, 2017 |
Annamaria Amik wrote: Nilton Junior wrote:
Besides, I am used to sleeping only a few hours a day when I am too busy or cannot stop playing video games (both of which can happen very often), so I don't think it would take a considerable toll on my productivity. The major difference is that kids don't come with a Pause Game button On the other hand, functioning with a few hours of sleep is a very useful ability for a parent.
I see what you mean, but unfortunately neither do deadlines just around the corner.
Even though Morpheus is a close friend (sometimes my wife wakes me up at 4 PM on weekends), playing video games is more effective for me than sleeping when I am tired. I guess I'll have to rely on it even more often when I have children.
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Chris S wrote:
I have to earn more money in less time
Good point Chris...
I work more efficiently... I mean I waste time because of their homework, sport etc. but when I work I am more efficient.
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Maria Dimitrova wrote:
I would say that having children has moderately affected my productivity largely because of the new skills I have developed after having them. They do take a lot of time and distract me from working, but, on the other hand, they have forced me to become more organised and focused, so that I can now produce larger volumes of translated words per unit of (undisturbed) time.
I can absolutely relate.
| | | | | In my first year as an empty-nester | Jan 18, 2017 |
- my productivity has increased dramatically. I've decided I'll stop beating myself up over "how slow" I was those years when bringing/picking up, play dates, activities, volunteering at the school, parent teacher conferences, suddenly having to rush and pick up a kid who is feeling unwell at school, delousing, teen angst, teen anger etc. etc. took a huge chunk of my time and mind.
| | | | Vesna Maširević
Serbia
Local time: 00:37
Member (2011)
English to Serbian
+ ...
| Some of the answers made my day! | Jan 18, 2017 |
From sperm donors, to a harem and pause button... I don't think we had such a successful poll lately!
When it comes to "gender gap"...
tomtom88 wrote:
Interesting. Only women react to this poll. I don't think the only reason is their large representation in our industry...
Well, women fought for their right (to take on multiple jobs; be in multiple roles - working woman/housewife/mother...). I often wonder who to blame (Clara Zetkin perhaps?) for forgetting that as long as women are those who actually bring children into this world, equality can not be an option.
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| I hope that sounded better in Serbian | Jan 18, 2017 |
Vesna Maširević wrote:
as long as women are those who actually bring children into this world, equality can not be an option.
Because in English I certainly hope you didn't mean what is actually written
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 00:37
Member (2006)
German to English
Edith van der Have-Raats wrote: Michael Harris wrote:
Why should they affect me? If this is concerning work hours, we are self-employed, we do what we want as long as the work is done.
If I have to look after the children in the afternoon until my wife comes home from work then this is all planned.
Even if children do not affect your working time, they can affect the income you need to generate, your amount of sleep (especially in the early years), etc. While my remark about sperm donors wasn't very serious, I still think that children have some influence on your career, except of course when they are adults themselves.
Yep, of course, but the question was about productivity. And I must admit, I only take on enough work where I know that I have a little leeway for unplanned things that may happen.
| | | | Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 00:37
Member (2006)
German to English
Nilton Junior wrote: Michael Harris wrote:
Why should they affect me? If this is concerning work hours, we are self-employed, we do what we want as long as the work is done.
If I have to look after the children in the afternoon until my wife comes home from work then this is all planned. I voted "Moderately", but I agree with Michael here. Besides, I am used to sleeping only a few hours a day when I am too busy or cannot stop playing video games (both of which can happen very often), so I don't think it would take a considerable toll on my productivity.
I fail to understand how playing video games can compensate for sleep?
I generally only need 3 to 4 hours sleep a day, but then I need it. Everyone has their own way of shutting down, but that is not healthy in the long run.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 19:37
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
It has happened before, back in the 90's, when I had three children and both my wife and I worked outside. We were practically forced to have baby sitters, but it still affected our productivity, our routines, sleeping hours, etc. I don't expect to have any more children, so I really don't know how much it would affect me as a freelancer working at home, but certainly a lot. I'm not the kind of man who thinks most baby stuff is women's duties. The only thing I could not do to my kids was offerin... See more It has happened before, back in the 90's, when I had three children and both my wife and I worked outside. We were practically forced to have baby sitters, but it still affected our productivity, our routines, sleeping hours, etc. I don't expect to have any more children, so I really don't know how much it would affect me as a freelancer working at home, but certainly a lot. I'm not the kind of man who thinks most baby stuff is women's duties. The only thing I could not do to my kids was offering my breast to feed them, although we all know they usually want mom and not dad when something is bothering them.
However, it surprises me that many men, in the 21st Century, still think children would not make any difference in their routine. I thought that was something of the past. ▲ Collapse
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Nilton Junior
Brazil
Local time: 23:37
Member (2009)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Hi Michael and Mario | Jan 18, 2017 |
Michael Harris wrote:
I fail to understand how playing video games can compensate for sleep?
I generally only need 3 to 4 hours sleep a day, but then I need it. Everyone has their own way of shutting down, but that is not healthy in the long run.
Video games help me clear my head. If I had a long day and have about 8 hours until I need to get back to work, playing video games for 2-4 hours and then going to bed will keep me more focused on the following day. If I simply sleep for those 8 hours, I will spend the entire day wishing I was doing something else rather working and still feel tired.
I guess it is more of a matter of not feeling all I do is work and sleep. Video games are pretty much the only thing that entertain me when I am tired.
By the way, I know my first message was not too clear, but I didn't mean I'd rather play games than sleep. Sometimes I get carried away playing and get less sleep than I should, but it does not mean I do not sleep at all.
Mario Freitas wrote:
However, it surprises me that many men, in the 21st Century, still think children would not make any difference in their routine. I thought that was something of the past.
My daily routine would be most likely affected in ways I cannot even imagine at this moment, but this poll is about productivity.
[Edited at 2017-01-18 18:01 GMT]
[Edited at 2017-01-18 18:01 GMT]
| | | | Magda P.
Italy
Local time: 00:37
Italian to Greek
+ ...
| Parenting actually helped me | Jan 18, 2017 |
If I wasn't a parent, I would not be able to do what I do. I have learned to be productive. I just think that deadlines are really important to keep you focused. Children eventually learn and understand that what you do is (also) for them and for their own benefit.
[Edited at 2017-01-19 11:04 GMT]
| | | | Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 04:07
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | In fact they boost productivity | Jan 19, 2017 |
Children are fun and are the main raison detre for all the hard work that I put in day in and day out. Had it not been for them, I need not earn so much as I am a very frugal person and can live comfortably and rewardingly on very little.
On a practical side, I do a lot of translation of children-related documents and games. I often guinea-pig my translations on my daughters and her friends, who help me identify phrases and terms that are difficult for kids to understand.
... See more Children are fun and are the main raison detre for all the hard work that I put in day in and day out. Had it not been for them, I need not earn so much as I am a very frugal person and can live comfortably and rewardingly on very little.
On a practical side, I do a lot of translation of children-related documents and games. I often guinea-pig my translations on my daughters and her friends, who help me identify phrases and terms that are difficult for kids to understand.
Children are also great stress busters, much better than pets. After a couple of hours of strenuous translation, even a few minutes spent gambolling with your kids will have a rejuvenating effect. For this purpose smaller kids are best (babies are ideal). ▲ Collapse
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