More and more translators are working from home. The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have encouraged teleworking, a practice that is even more prevalent in this sector. If this is your case or if you are planning to move to the comfort of your own home for your translation work, you may find the following tips useful.
Tips for Telecommuting Translators
Like everything else, working from home has its advantages and disadvantages. Telecommuting in translation offers greater freedom to organize your day, but that can be counterproductive. It may lead to behaviors like working in bed, not having fixed work hours or staying in your pajamas all day. The following recommendations will help you work more efficiently. Take note!
- A workspace. Every professional home-based translator must have a space where they can do their work with the utmost comfort. The ideal situation is to have your own room as an office, where you can place your work equipment and all the tools you need. However, we know that not everyone has a spare room in their home, so another option is to place a desk in the living room or kitchen. It’s very important to make sure your workspace has natural light, so try to find the best spot for your desk.
- Try to isolate yourself from noise. This applies especially in cases where you don’t have your own room to work in. Use a good headset with a microphone.
- Comfort first and foremost. Make sure you have a suitable chair. You will spend many hours in front of the computer, so being comfortable is paramount. Also, try to keep everything well organized and work with natural light.
- Discipline. Try to keep regular hours. Not having set work hours may cause translators working from home to be distracted and not perform as well. Try to establish a work schedule for yourself and prioritize the most important tasks. And yes, say goodbye to pajamas! Wearing pajamas all day long only leads to laziness and lowers self-esteem. You don’t have to wear a suit; go for clothes that are comfortable, but that don’t make you feel like you just got out of bed.
- Avoid distractions. It’s tempting to spend 5 minutes watching a video or checking social media, but doing that may lead you into a rabbit hole of unproductivity, and then you’ll have to work longer hours to get your deliverables done. To avoid this as much as possible, turn off app notifications during your workday.
- Take a break. Breaks are an essential part of your day. Sitting in the same position for a long time is tiring and causes health problems, so disconnect for 10 minutes. Take a walk, move, stretch, make some coffee, eat a piece of fruit and come back with more energy.
Now that you have these valuable tips for home-based translators in mind, it’s just a matter of putting them into practice. If you want to learn more about this exciting profession, visit our website.
This post is also available in: Español (Spanish) Français (French)
