Poll: Do you experience family problems because you are too busy with your job?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Jul 3, 2007

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you experience family problems because you are too busy with your job?".

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A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629


 
Jussi Rosti
Jussi Rosti  Identity Verified
Finland
Local time: 13:13
Member (2005)
English to Finnish
+ ...
I see we with continuous problems are a very small minority Jul 3, 2007

I'm so surprised, since this is my main concern.

Is it that you others

1) are not busy (although you would like more work) or
2) do not have a family or
3) are very good in managing your work load?

Or is it just that I have too low rates, because I'm always swamped with work?

-jr


 
Marie-Hélène Hayles
Marie-Hélène Hayles  Identity Verified
Local time: 12:13
Italian to English
+ ...
Sometimes Jul 3, 2007

It used to be much worse, until I learned to say "no" (it was that or find myself suddenly single...)

 
Beatriz Galiano (X)
Beatriz Galiano (X)
Argentina
Local time: 08:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
NEVER Jul 3, 2007

Never because I live alone, now I prefer working more hours at home than commuting daily. Tomorrow might be different.

 
Deborah do Carmo
Deborah do Carmo  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 11:13
Dutch to English
+ ...
Never (these days at least) ... Jul 3, 2007

My family are used to my work habits and understand it's necessary sometimes, so it's never a source of friction, or maybe I just rule by fear and nobody dares say anything?

Seriously though, I start work very early in the morning, so it doesn't really affect them because my evenings are free.

I'm at home far more now anyhow than I was when in full-time legal practice and my children/husband also have the
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My family are used to my work habits and understand it's necessary sometimes, so it's never a source of friction, or maybe I just rule by fear and nobody dares say anything?

Seriously though, I start work very early in the morning, so it doesn't really affect them because my evenings are free.

I'm at home far more now anyhow than I was when in full-time legal practice and my children/husband also have their own interests. We're not joined at the hip, but rather enjoy the time we do spend together.

We're also lucky enough to live in a safe region and the children can come and go here as they please - in a group with their friends - and are at the age when they want to be more independent. Far cry from life in South Africa where we used to live.

If something important comes up on the family front, I simply schedule work around it.

I control my deadlines, not vice-versa.

And I have no qualms about saying no to enforce that.

[Edited at 2007-07-03 16:57]
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Claire Cox
Claire Cox
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:13
French to English
+ ...
Very rarely Jul 3, 2007

Lawyer-Linguist wrote:

My family are used to my work habits and understand it's necessary sometimes, so it's never a source of friction, or maybe I just rule by fear and nobody dares say anything?

Seriously though, I start work very early in the morning, so it doesn't really affect them because my evenings are free.

I'm at home far more now anyhow than I was when in full-time legal practice and my children/husband also have their own interests. We're not joined at the hip, but rather enjoy the time we do spend together.

We're also lucky enough to live in a safe region and the children can come and go here as they please - in a group with their friends - and are at the age when they want to be more independent. Far cry from life in South Africa where we used to live.

If something important comes up on the family front, I simply schedule work around it.

I control my deadlines, not vice-versa.

And I have no qualms about saying no to enforce that.

[Edited at 2007-07-03 16:57]


I second that! Very occasionally something will come up or take longer than expected which means I may be slightly later than intended or have to postpone something non-urgent, but as a general rule, the family come first and I organise my work around that.

Likewise, my boys are now 18 and 15, so much less dependent on me and the eldest is now driving, which makes a huge difference. However, they know that I'm here for them and it usually works well.


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 12:13
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Busy, with family, and [reasonably] good managing workload Jul 3, 2007

Jussi Rosti wrote:

I'm so surprised, since this is my main concern.

Is it that you others

1) are not busy (although you would like more work) or
2) do not have a family or
3) are very good in managing your work load?

Or is it just that I have too low rates, because I'm always swamped with work?

-jr


Jussi, none of the three conditions is true in my case, i.e. we are always VERY busy, I have a wife and children. Also, I think that our workload is managed reasonably well.

I must say that we are swamped with work all over the year. I reckon my good situation is just that my wife understands that my job is very intensive but allows for slightly flexible working times during the day, so that I can also help out with our children on a daily basis (in the morning when my wife is at work) and can work a bit more once the children are in bed. So it must be that I have a very understanding wife (among her many other qualities), for which I am very thankful.


 
Fernando D. Walker
Fernando D. Walker  Identity Verified

Local time: 08:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
Not many Jul 3, 2007

In my case, I have not so many problems regarding my work. First of all, I live with my girlfriend, who is a translator too, so she understands very well how this job is. Second, we have no children to pay attention to, only a dog and a turtle. But, of course, we try to spend time doing different things, apart from translating, such as visiting friends, going out, etc. It is a question of organising our agendas.

Ferna
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In my case, I have not so many problems regarding my work. First of all, I live with my girlfriend, who is a translator too, so she understands very well how this job is. Second, we have no children to pay attention to, only a dog and a turtle. But, of course, we try to spend time doing different things, apart from translating, such as visiting friends, going out, etc. It is a question of organising our agendas.

Fernando

[Editado a las 2007-07-03 18:44]
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janen
janen
Local time: 00:13
Spanish to English
+ ...
Almost never Jul 3, 2007

I have just a partner, no children, which obviously makes it easier. I do try to limit evening and weekend work, partly because of comments from my partner. But my work has not suffered through having a partner, as he gives me valuable IT support.

 
Yaotl Altan
Yaotl Altan  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 05:13
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Never Jul 3, 2007

They must not talk about that because translation feeds us.

[Edited at 2007-07-03 21:11]


 
Jussi Rosti
Jussi Rosti  Identity Verified
Finland
Local time: 13:13
Member (2005)
English to Finnish
+ ...
Funny Jul 4, 2007

I guess I understood the "family problems" a bit differently from most. Most seem to think that there are problems, if there are arguments or some other family member does not agree with heavy working. I don't have this kind of problems. I still consider that I have some kind of problem, because I can't spend much time with my baby girl and even less together with my wife.
I guess I must start saying no more often than I do, even though I already dismiss most of the assignments.


 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 12:13
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
A definition of family problems Jul 4, 2007

Jussi Rosti wrote:
I guess I understood the "family problems" a bit differently from most. Most seem to think that there are problems, if there are arguments or some other family member does not agree with heavy working.


Hm... Yes, probably each of us understands "family problems" differently, depending on each one's situation. A definition of "family problems" as the first entry of the discussion would have helped in assessing whether we have family problems or not because of our job...


 
Estefanía González
Estefanía González  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:13
English to Spanish
+ ...
Not yet... Jul 4, 2007

Well… I have no kids, nor pets… My boyfriend does long working hours too and fortunately I have learned to manage my workload quite efficiently.

Taking into account my situation: late twenties and no big responsibilities i.e. children, I feel this is the right time to put some extra effort into growing my business as best as I can, because in a couple of years, when I am surrounded by nappies, my priorities will c
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Well… I have no kids, nor pets… My boyfriend does long working hours too and fortunately I have learned to manage my workload quite efficiently.

Taking into account my situation: late twenties and no big responsibilities i.e. children, I feel this is the right time to put some extra effort into growing my business as best as I can, because in a couple of years, when I am surrounded by nappies, my priorities will change.

Anyway, most of us work from home, which is actually and advantage to combine family with career. I guess what matters here is to learn how to manage time properly, so that our schedule fits the rest of the family…
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Arianna Tremayne
Arianna Tremayne  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 11:13
German to English
+ ...
Incompatible work schedules - long hours Jul 4, 2007

I was recently joking to my husband that I feel like those film stars, one filming in Mexico and the other one in Siberia. And they get to see each other once every three months or so...

One of us works late hours and gets up late the other one gets up early, and Sundays is for the usual family chores. It could go on forever like that and we found ourselves not talking very much anymore.

I think time for the family has to be created as much as anything else. We decided
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I was recently joking to my husband that I feel like those film stars, one filming in Mexico and the other one in Siberia. And they get to see each other once every three months or so...

One of us works late hours and gets up late the other one gets up early, and Sundays is for the usual family chores. It could go on forever like that and we found ourselves not talking very much anymore.

I think time for the family has to be created as much as anything else. We decided to go away for the weekend, but it was like putting the brakes on when you are on the fast lane.
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Poll: Do you experience family problems because you are too busy with your job?






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