Poll: Do you follow a routine to prepare yourself to translate? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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| | | Most of the time | Aug 3, 2007 |
In general, I need to prepare my mind to start working.
What I usually do after getting up early in the morning is:
- prepare some tea (or a local "mate cocido") or milk (not coffee),
- grab a fruit and cereal,
- check e-mails, answer the urgent ones,
- a quick check of the newspaper headlines
- a quick check of proz website for new forum posts, new quick poll, etc.
Then I am finally ready. This usually takes between 20-30 minutes.
... See more In general, I need to prepare my mind to start working.
What I usually do after getting up early in the morning is:
- prepare some tea (or a local "mate cocido") or milk (not coffee),
- grab a fruit and cereal,
- check e-mails, answer the urgent ones,
- a quick check of the newspaper headlines
- a quick check of proz website for new forum posts, new quick poll, etc.
Then I am finally ready. This usually takes between 20-30 minutes.
I have tried to avoid this in times of heavy work load, but found that this "ritual" is somehow functional with getting into atmosphere to start a good work day.
Happy weekend!
Andrés ▲ Collapse
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Andres & Leticia Enjuto wrote:
In general, I need to prepare my mind to start working.
What I usually do after getting up early in the morning is:
- prepare some tea (or a local "mate cocido") or milk (not coffee),
- grab a fruit and cereal,
- check e-mails, answer the urgent ones,
- a quick check of the newspaper headlines
- a quick check of proz website for new forum posts, new quick poll, etc.
Then I am finally ready. This usually takes between 20-30 minutes.
I have tried to avoid this in times of heavy work load, but found that this "ritual" is somehow functional with getting into atmosphere to start a good work day.
Happy weekend!
Andrés
How on earth you're able to do all that in 20-30 minutes?
Well, I guess I'm really getting old.
| | | | Mark Nathan 
France
Local time: 03:05
Member (2002)
French to English
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| Depends what you mean by preparation | Aug 3, 2007 |
Before translating a technical text I like to read it through, if possible go the company's web site, browse the site and other comparable sites, familiarize myself with the basic terminology etc.
But is that really preparation? You could argue that the above was part of the translation process, and that I had already started to translate the text.
And then presumably you don't really want to know that we clean our teeth, check emails, do a few press-ups, feed the dog etc.
So... See more Before translating a technical text I like to read it through, if possible go the company's web site, browse the site and other comparable sites, familiarize myself with the basic terminology etc.
But is that really preparation? You could argue that the above was part of the translation process, and that I had already started to translate the text.
And then presumably you don't really want to know that we clean our teeth, check emails, do a few press-ups, feed the dog etc.
So, I guess it's a case of is there anything in particular apart from all this that you do before translating?
I have to say that the most useful thing I have found is simply to set a target. By midday I should have translated so much etc. For me, the act of setting this target effectively plans the job - and stops me spending too long messing about doing other things... ▲ Collapse
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but there is something that is a must: be well-rested. If I don’t sleep well, it’s almost impossible to translate one paragraph!
| | | | | Most of the time. | Aug 3, 2007 |
Most of the time, I get up, have breakfast, check my mails and then I prepare myself to begin a new working day. Also, during the day, mostly early in the morning and after having breakfast, I dedicate 1 1/2 hours to study.
Best,
Fernando
| | | | | First of all, you have to be well rested | Aug 3, 2007 |
I agree with Luciana. First of all, you have to be well rested. First, I wake up in the morning, make some coffee, have a good breakfast and relax for a moment, read the news, take a shower, etc. Then I prepare the environment for a long day of translation job: comfortable clothing, good music, a cup of coffee, dictionaries, glossaries, etc., needed to do the job!!!
| | | | Lia Fail (X)
Spain
Local time: 03:05
Spanish to English
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| to perform as a translator / to do a particular job? | Aug 3, 2007 |
Not clear what you mean, Andreas and others interpreted it as starting their day .... Mark as a sort of pre-translation process:-)
I understood the question in Mark's way. I don't do any pre- work for standard translations, I see the first draft as a familiaristaion with the work (the "reading" phase) and may or may not start looking things up in that stage. Pychologically I feel relaxed once I've made a first draft, even if it's not very good, as I feel I've got a handle on how di... See more Not clear what you mean, Andreas and others interpreted it as starting their day .... Mark as a sort of pre-translation process:-)
I understood the question in Mark's way. I don't do any pre- work for standard translations, I see the first draft as a familiaristaion with the work (the "reading" phase) and may or may not start looking things up in that stage. Pychologically I feel relaxed once I've made a first draft, even if it's not very good, as I feel I've got a handle on how difficult it is.
There is also another fairly typical routine which is "avoidance":-) This occurs when there's loads of time and not much work ...and also when the job is going to bore the pants off me ...that's when everything else gets done (or not) before the translation - housework, brushing the animals, leisurely coffees down town, etc etc:-)
[Edited at 2007-08-03 21:57] ▲ Collapse
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I don't have any special routine before start translating in the morning. It is just a matter of deciding whether I have to prepare my university classes (make and/or grade exams, check homework, etc.), do some errands or just sit down and translate.
Can I call routine checking email first thing in the morning?
| | | | Irene N
United States
Local time: 20:05
English to Russian
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| I was born ready:-) | Aug 4, 2007 |
Actually, I make a point NOT to browse anything at all - I might get sucked it and lose precious time when the mind is fresh, whatever the time of the day might be... When there are no envelope symbols in the bottom corner, I just start working. I'd go to Proz or other distractions:-) for a break, but not for starters...
Coffee prepares me for life, not for traanslation:-)
Morning email check happens way before I start translation.
[Edited at 2007-08-04 15:19]
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