We have a lot of flexibility around where and how we can choose to work as freelance translators. Sometimes we forget that we need to make the right choice for our individual set of circumstances, and that these choices will change along with our circumstances throughout our careers.
Last year I spent months running my office from just a laptop and a small folder when I was moving between London and Brisbane. I became a master of digitising, synchronising and reducing, and of setting up functioning workspaces in the least likely of places. While this was a great exercise in mobile working and streamlining more generally, it also made me realise a couple of things:
- It is possible to proofread from a screen just as effectively as from a print out. However it requires a very different kind of concentration and it may not be suited to everyone. I’m glad I’ve tested this and found it to be an option for me, but for now I still prefer to proofread from paper (recycled and re-used, of course).
- Running a mobile translation office requires more fixed infrastructure than you might think. Working from a coffee shop is fun and definitely doable, but I’m not convinced it’s a long-term sustainable option for professional translators just yet. There really is a limit to the number of days you can tolerate the vagaries of virtual working – intermittant internet connections, dodgy power supplies, etc. – and still put in a decent day’s work (and that’s based on my experiences in four technologically advanced countries). If you’re translating full time and on a permanent basis you’ll need to focus on being productive, not pared down, so plan regular sessions at a “docked” workstation.
- It also requires a lot more energy. I found I could run my office from a laptop bag for only so long before the occupational hazards of RSI, fatigue and general burn-out became dangerously familiar bedfellows. It doesn’t matter how much you love being mobile, you need to preserve your mental and physical energies for battles that really are worth fighting. A physical headquarters of some kind will help you stay the course in your business, so it’s worth commandeering a corner of a room, a co-working space, or even a regular spot in an internet café if you have to.
- Printed newspapers will never be obsolete. It doesn’t matter how tech-savvy you are. When *every* element of your work involves staring at a screen, you start to crave the luxury of a one-way interaction with a sheet of good old-fashioned paper.
I still love the flexibility of mobile working but I also have a new-found appreciation for my physical office space. The challenge now is to set up my office with just the right mix of mobile and traditional elements to suit the current stage of my professional and personal life.
I’d love to know what changes you have found yourself making to your home office to suit your evolving professional and personal needs. (After all, that’s the point of being your own office manager too, right?) Let me know in the comments below.
Virtual offices are getting more and more popular in this world of cost cutting efforts and internet capitalizations. What was once considered integral in a company’s business strata now is a bane to business because of their high costs and restrictive contracts. Many have turned to virtual offices for their office solutions as they pay only as much as they use.I think for small business owners these offices are like dream comes true. I am also running a small business and after renting office provided by valleyhq I am very satisfied and feel like I am able to increase my business now.
Virtual offices are getting more and more popular in this world of cost cutting efforts and internet capitalizations. What was once considered integral in a company’s business strata now is a bane to business because of their high costs and restrictive contracts. Many have turned to virtual offices for their office solutions as they pay only as much as they use.I think for small business owners these offices are like dream comes true. I am also running a small business and after renting office provided by valleyhq I am very satisfied and feel like I am able to increase my business now.
Great post, Sarah! Although I’ve never worked mobilely (is that even a word?) for long periods of time, I agree that you make trade-offs to gain that freedom. I occasionally go to a coffee shop near my house to work, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten a crucial piece of equipment (for example the USB mouse that my laptop requires) and had to come home. In addition, the small screen on the laptop can be a real pain when you’re looking for text all over the page.
One possible solution is to work a connection in the city where you’ll be, in order to get some minimal office space. A colleague from the US who now lives in Germany used to go to Germany for about a month at a time, and he made friends with a guy who worked at an ad agency. The ad agency was fine with him (the translator) using a spare desk and their WiFi in exchange for a small fee per week, that seemed like a good solution to me!
Corinne McKay´s last blog post… How will the recession reshape the translation industry?
Great post, Sarah! Although I’ve never worked mobilely (is that even a word?) for long periods of time, I agree that you make trade-offs to gain that freedom. I occasionally go to a coffee shop near my house to work, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten a crucial piece of equipment (for example the USB mouse that my laptop requires) and had to come home. In addition, the small screen on the laptop can be a real pain when you’re looking for text all over the page.
One possible solution is to work a connection in the city where you’ll be, in order to get some minimal office space. A colleague from the US who now lives in Germany used to go to Germany for about a month at a time, and he made friends with a guy who worked at an ad agency. The ad agency was fine with him (the translator) using a spare desk and their WiFi in exchange for a small fee per week, that seemed like a good solution to me!
Corinne McKay´s last blog post… How will the recession reshape the translation industry?
Thanks for the post! Office set-up is often on my mind as I try to figure out how best to improve my concentration and productivity. I took over our living room for my office long ago since no one was really using it. I have a great view from the picture window, a fireplace, and bookshelves. Those create a comfortable atmosphere and allow me to really appreciate working from home.
However I need two sets of french doors for each of the doorways to my office. I have two kids and two dogs roaming around, so I figure the glass will give me a view of what they’re up to while keeping out some sound.
Kelly Wester´s last blog post… Volunteer to be a Virtual Translator
Thanks for the post! Office set-up is often on my mind as I try to figure out how best to improve my concentration and productivity. I took over our living room for my office long ago since no one was really using it. I have a great view from the picture window, a fireplace, and bookshelves. Those create a comfortable atmosphere and allow me to really appreciate working from home.
However I need two sets of french doors for each of the doorways to my office. I have two kids and two dogs roaming around, so I figure the glass will give me a view of what they’re up to while keeping out some sound.
Kelly Wester´s last blog post… Volunteer to be a Virtual Translator