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Poll: Should a freelance translator take weekends off? Initiator des Themas: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Should a freelance translator take weekends off?".
This poll was originally submitted by Sherif Ramadan. View the poll results »
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Edith van der Have
Niederlande
Local time: 19:53
Mitglied (2016)
Englisch > Niederländisch
+ ...
| No one 'should' do anything ... | Nov 24, 2016 |
... but decide for themselves. Having said that, for everyone it is important to at least take time of, whether that's in the weekend or on other weekdays. This is a human need. But the freelancing life style gives the opportunity to decide what is best. For people with a family and a spouse working during the week, the weekend will probably be the best choice for time off. But perhaps you are single and prefer spending some quiet week days for leisure and working in the weekends while the cinem... See more ... but decide for themselves. Having said that, for everyone it is important to at least take time of, whether that's in the weekend or on other weekdays. This is a human need. But the freelancing life style gives the opportunity to decide what is best. For people with a family and a spouse working during the week, the weekend will probably be the best choice for time off. But perhaps you are single and prefer spending some quiet week days for leisure and working in the weekends while the cinemas, zoos and shopping malls are crowded. That's the beauty of our profession
[Edited at 2016-11-24 08:23 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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They should do as they please! For me personally, sometimes I take weekends off, and better still weekdays off, sometimes I don’t, it all depends on the amount of work I have and on the deadline. Right now, and until the middle of December, I’m on a period with no weekends off in sight and long hours every day…
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Maybe your family would like you to tale weekends off but "should"?
I guess working times changes according to workload although I think a time limit should be applied or we can become slaves of ourselves.
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Michael Harris 
Deutschland
Local time: 19:53
Mitglied (2006)
Deutsch > Englisch
When is the "Weekend"?
We are self-employed, we do what we want when we want, as long as the work gets done.
But as already mentioned, we do not have to do anything if we do not want to.
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neilmac
Spanien
Local time: 19:53
Spanisch > Englisch
+ ...
That should be entirely up to the translator.
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And as many weekdays as possible
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| Should but .... | Nov 24, 2016 |
We should, but we very rarely get the chance ... otherwise when do we catch up on the backlog?
Clients have a nasty habit of sending jobs on Friday afternoon and expect them by Monday.
I don't remember when I last had a day off (never mind a weekend) without worrying about some job I really ought to be doing.
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Ventnai
Spanien
Local time: 19:53
Deutsch > Englisch
+ ...
Basically, yes, but our profession allows us to be flexible on how and when we work. I sometimes work weekends - I might need to do something during the day in the week or I take a few days off to travel and want to make up for this time in either case. I might also simply have so much work that I need to. This weekend is completely free at the moment ...
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Marjolein Snippe
Niederlande
Local time: 19:53
Mitglied (2012)
Englisch > Niederländisch
+ ...
| If they want to | Nov 24, 2016 |
Alexandra Speirs wrote:
We should, but we very rarely get the chance ... otherwise when do we catch up on the backlog?
Clients have a nasty habit of sending jobs on Friday afternoon and expect them by Monday.
I don't remember when I last had a day off (never mind a weekend) without worrying about some job I really ought to be doing.
I don't recognise this at all!
Between Friday 6 pm and Monday 9 am I very rarely read my emails or do anything work-related.
Clients who catch me before I log off on Friday are told I have other plans this weekend, but I will be back on Monday. Most understand, some really do need the translation on Monday and find someone who is happy to work in the weekend.
Not because they 'should' or I 'shouldn't' but because we choose to work or not during the weekend.
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John Cutler
Spanien
Local time: 19:53
Spanisch > Englisch
+ ...
There's a different answer for this question for every translator out there. Even the concept of what constitutes a weekend is relative. Some cultures obviously consider Saturdays and Sundays just like any other day.
To answer the question in my case, after nearly ruining my health due to constant work, I adopted the policy a couple of years ago that my working hours are the same as those of my clients. (They're all located in Spain and so in the same time zone and have the same cul... See more There's a different answer for this question for every translator out there. Even the concept of what constitutes a weekend is relative. Some cultures obviously consider Saturdays and Sundays just like any other day.
To answer the question in my case, after nearly ruining my health due to constant work, I adopted the policy a couple of years ago that my working hours are the same as those of my clients. (They're all located in Spain and so in the same time zone and have the same cultural norms as I do.) In other words, if they're not working, either am I.
That way I'm guaranteed holidays, weekends, etc. Even the pushiest agencies and direct clients insist on having their own time off, so I just hitched my wagon to that star and went with it. They've seen my reasoning and have continued working with me, so it was a decision that was worth it. ▲ Collapse
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 13:53
Englisch > Spanisch
+ ...
| Shoulda, woulda, coulda… | Nov 24, 2016 |
Sharif, it's not a matter of should (as if it were some moral or religious duty) but a question of opportunity. Like my funnier colleagues have said already here, the concept of weekend for a freelancer, ahem, independent translator is flexible and broad. Some of us have two weekends on the same week!
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Sonja Köppen
Deutschland
Mitglied (2008)
Englisch > Deutsch
+ ...
| Of course not! Freelancers should work 24/7 - no weekends, no vacations, no sleep | Nov 24, 2016 |
... And enough with this breathing business, too. Our only purpose in life is to gain profit for others after all, right?
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inkweaver
Deutschland
Local time: 19:53
Französisch > Deutsch
+ ...
| Of course, if they want to... | Nov 24, 2016 |
Or any other days for that matter.
If you feel you can't take time off without feeling guilty about it you're certainly doing something wrong.
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Thayenga
Deutschland
Local time: 19:53
Mitglied (2009)
Englisch > Deutsch
+ ...
When there is no work or no tight deadline to meet, then I take the weekend off. Usually, I try not to work on Sundays, but sometimes that's not possible. Sometimes the question is, what is more important, a weekend off or possibly losing a client? Such is the life of a freelancer.
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