ProZ.com Translation Forums

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | Voice of Danish reason

Mario Chavez (X) — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 22:34:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Mario Chavez (X)
Post title: Voice of Danish reason

[quote]Gitte Hovedskov wrote:

I can only do one thing at a time.

I may have more than one project booked for overlapping deadlines, but I can only work on one of them at a time. I may alternate between them, but with just one head and two typing hands, there is a logical limit to my dexterity. [/quote]

Yes! That's a different and more sensible description of what us translators do: one thing at a time just like every other sane and intelligent human being.

A better question would have been: Are you able to alternate two or more projects simultaneously?

:)

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | Define “at the same time”

Mario Chavez (X) — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 21:18:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Mario Chavez (X)
Post title: Define “at the same time”

I'm glad the discussion is not being degraded into the so-called merits of multitasking. Multitasking is a myth.

I fail to see the utility of the question, though. It'd be like asking a 9-year-old if they can laugh, smile and think of funny things while watching a cartoon or kiddie movie. Of course they can! The topic is so pedestrian as to merit no further serious discussion.

Or maybe we can run a survey among grizzly bears: can they breathe, move all four legs, scan the horizon with their eyes and let their nose scan for scents of possible prey all at the same time?

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | I've Done It, But Hopefully Never Again

Barbara Cochran, MFA — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 18:52:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Barbara Cochran, MFA
Post title: I've Done It, But Hopefully Never Again

In 2016, I was, all at the same time, translating one historical novel that was almost 900 pages long, an autobiography that was almost 400 pages long, at the same time that I was a full-time graduate student and working on my thesis, which was an almost 200-page literary translation.

I'll never do such a thing again, with perhaps the exception of working on two literary translations at the same time, because I came down with the shingles from all the stress and ended up suffering with lingering symptoms from that for about a year.

[Edited at 2017-12-21 18:55 GMT]

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | 4 projects at the same time

Juan Pablo Sans — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 17:42:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Juan Pablo Sans
Post title: 4 projects at the same time

Even 4 or 5.

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | No, not really

Gitte Hoveds (X) — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:58:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Gitte Hoveds (X)
Post title: No, not really

I can only do one thing at a time.

I may have more than one project booked for overlapping deadlines, but I can only work on one of them at a time. I may alternate between them, but with just one head and two typing hands, there is a logical limit to my dexterity.

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | Capable = able or willing?

Mario Freitas — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:41:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Mario Freitas
Post title: Capable = able or willing?

Everyone is 'capable' of working in multiple projects at once. I believe the question is "are you able to do it without harm" or "are you willing to".
I regularly work on multiple projects at once. I always agree on 3000 words per day for large projects, so I have a good margin for other projects. If you don't accept jobs from regular clients, they will surely find another translator, and you don't want that to happen, really. It's a matter of planning and being organized.

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | Yes

Yetta Jensen Bogarde — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 11:26:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Post title: Yes

I usually have 5 - 6 going. Many projects in the pharmaceutical field are more than translatimg. Right now I am the LVC on 4 projects.

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | Depends what you mean

Christine Andersen — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 10:29:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Christine Andersen
Post title: Depends what you mean

Like others, I alternate sometimes between projects.

I even open multiple files in a project in Trados and cross-reference them where appropriate, but I voted no in the poll. One job at a time, that's what my Granny taught me!

She had twins, and she knew where multitasking was unavoidable. She would never have used that term, but she knew that it IS normally quicker to concentrate on the job in hand, then move on to the next - she tried all the variations!

Most of my jobs are small, so it would be meaningless to work on more than one at a time.
'Give it your full attention!' - I can still hear her. :-)

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | Yes

Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 09:56:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Post title: Yes

It happens quite often when I’m working on a longer project with a comfortable deadline and a regular client comes up with a smaller job. From time to time I do have a few projects with different deadlines all lined up like ducklings in a row…

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | yes

Kay Denney — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 09:46:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Kay Denney
Post title: yes

I find I work best when I have one big project, and fit in smaller ones as I go once I have the big one going ahead smoothly.

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | It depends on the project

Jack Doughty — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 09:42:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Jack Doughty
Post title: It depends on the project

For literary projects, which extend over a long period, I like working this way.
But for difficult technical texts, I only do one at a time.

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | I do it all the time

Alexandra Speirs — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 08:36:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Alexandra Speirs
Post title: I do it all the time

Projects are usually never so big that they demand 100% of my time.
Besides, we can't abandon our regular customers when a big job comes along.
It also helps to have a bit of variety, instead of concentrating on one subject all the time.
Keeps the little grey cells lively.

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time? | Yes, I like to

Muriel Vasconcellos (X) — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 08:30:00 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
Post title: Yes, I like to

Good question.

So far, I've enjoyed situations in which I was working on two projects at once, sometimes even three. It usually happens when I have a large job with a relaxed deadline, so I can sandwich in smaller jobs.

When I come to an impasse in one job, I switch to the other, and sometimes that relaxes me enough to think of a solution for the first job.

Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?

ProZ.com Staff — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 08:10:02 +0000

Forum: Poll Discussion
Topic: Poll: Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?
Poster: ProZ.com Staff

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Are you capable of working on two or more projects at the same time?".

This poll was originally submitted by Paola Giardina. View the poll results »