Comments on: Top 10 rules for working from home http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/ featuring musings about my life and the translation industry Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:27:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: TootSweet Transcreations » Blog Archive » Why would you want to be a freelance ?! http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/#comment-791 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:49:11 +0000 http://jillsommer.wordpress.com/?p=474#comment-791 [...] other thing that can help is to set up some rules. Although I sometimes find it quite hard to discipline myself, I too try to be out of my pyjamas [...]

]]> By: Judy Jenner http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/#comment-520 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:14:42 +0000 http://jillsommer.wordpress.com/?p=474#comment-520 Great post, Jill. As a newcomer to freelancing (but who marched out of the house in awesome three-inch heels and dresses every day for almost 10 years), I am still trying to figure this all out. It’s only been three weeks, so I am trying to learn what works for me. Great suggestions! Well, I do pass 4/5/6/7 already. And 3, by default, because I don’t watch much TV anyway. I have failed at #1, this far, and don’t have too much data on #9, but not doing badly (yet).

I have been working too much and feel guilty when I am not, but hopefully this will pass. I have been commenting to friends that my boss, the witch, won’t let me hang out at the pool during the day, which is silly, because I can work at night, too. :) I really need to set a schedule like you and Corinne suggest. Right now it’s all over the place, and I am not sure if I like it or not. Part of me loves it, because I was really tired of the ever-predictable rhythm of work in my corporate life, so maybe I need to go crazy with an unpredictable schedule for a while and then structure it a bit more.

With that said, I am off for a run, and maybe hit the pool, too.

]]> By: MT http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/#comment-517 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:18:22 +0000 http://jillsommer.wordpress.com/?p=474#comment-517 Amen!!! :-)

]]> By: Look what I found: Another translator’s blog « ¿Se habla English? Life of a Translator http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/#comment-516 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:52:51 +0000 http://jillsommer.wordpress.com/?p=474#comment-516 [...] to this blog because you are bound to find something actually beneficial (such as her post on 10 top rules for working from home). And because it offers glimpses into her life outside of translation. Well-rounded individuals [...]

]]> By: Janine Libbey http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/#comment-514 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:27:48 +0000 http://jillsommer.wordpress.com/?p=474#comment-514 I do my hair and put on makeup everyday to put myself in a “work” frame of mind. It also means I look all right if I run into any clients at lunch time which has happened to me on more than one occasion!

]]> By: Corinne McKay http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/#comment-513 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:16:47 +0000 http://jillsommer.wordpress.com/?p=474#comment-513 Fabulous post, this should be required reading at the ATA conference! It’s interesting how everyone excels at some of these and struggles perpetually with others, so I think it’s great to take inventory every once in a while and see how you are doing. For me, keeping a regular schedule is really, really important, otherwise I get into this downward spiral of working late, working too fast, sleeping too little, being a total grouch to my family, etc. I try not to be a slave to the schedule because hey, that’s part of the beauty of freelancing, but I do really try to have a schedule for the day in my head, so that a few quick errands don’t turn into an entire afternoon of thrift shopping.

Right on!

]]> By: jillsommer http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/#comment-509 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 02:41:45 +0000 http://jillsommer.wordpress.com/?p=474#comment-509 You guys are hilarious! I don’t necessarily follow all the rules either, but I find that when I do I feel more together and efficient. And yes lose the pajamas, but shorts and a t-shirt are fine. As long as it isn’t something you’ve slept in or would be embarrassed to be seen outside in. :-) And for what it’s worth, I usually fail number 8 too. I try to set office hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. but usually find myself still at the computer at midnight. It isn’t healthy, and I really need to work to change this. Maybe I should call them “guidelines” instead of “rules”?

]]> By: Irishpolyglot http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/#comment-508 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:24:36 +0000 http://jillsommer.wordpress.com/?p=474#comment-508 My score:
1. Pass/Fail – I don’t work particular hours, but the hours I *do* set I stick to them!
2. Epic fail. The most formal I can be during the work week is shaving less than once every 3 days :-P
3. Pass. What’s a TV? :) I haven’t used one of those in years. Don’t miss it. I use stumbleupon video and torrent downloading as a replacement, but my efficiency programs I’ve installed don’t let me access them when I’m in a work slot!
4. Pass/Fail – I change living location every month and always try to have an office space! Right now I have an office, but two months ago it was in my bedroom. You’re right about “quickly checking emails”, very good point I need to work on!!
5. Epic fail. My desk looks like the centre of gravity of my whole flat is there. Definitely something else I need to work on!!
6. Pass – don’t use post-its. I keep a very small equivalent as a program in my computer that doesn’t get cluttered. :)
7. ? I don’t have ANY physical documents. Everything I do is electronic and I my bank etc. has PDF versions of statements for me. I have nothing to file. I scan anything I’m rarely posted and put it in the recycling bin. I save trees :-P
8. Ridiculously epic fail. I travel with my job and have to leave my computer on at night to WAKE ME UP when I get work from European clients :-P I’m unavailable after EU office working hours though, and when I’m not in this bad a time-zone it’s usually a non-issue, since I only have EU clients. Sounds really bad, but I get back to sleep quickly and it’s a sacrifise I am happy to make for being on the road!
9. Pass.
10. SUPER pass :D I’m not a workaholic :-P Most of my life is me time :D

Thanks for the interesting tips!! Certainly some things were emphasised that I need to change ;)

]]> By: ginstrom http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/#comment-507 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:27:12 +0000 http://jillsommer.wordpress.com/?p=474#comment-507 Awesome list! Here’s how I score:
1. – Fail. I work whatever hours are convenient to me.
2. – Fail. Shorts and t-shirt is the norm; then again, that’s the norm when I go out too. Also, I live in Japan so lace-up shoes in the house aren’t really an option :)
3. – Pass. I watch almost no TV anyway.
4. – Pass. I had my office built when I had an extension built on my house.
5. – Epic fail. I have clutter on my clutter.
6. – Pass. I don’t use post-it notes. :)
7. – Pass — because I almost never use paper. My wife does our taxes and takes care of our bills.
8. – Fail.
9. – Pass. Although I will pick up the phone off hours if I’m in the office and not busy with something else.
10. – Pass. One of the truly great things about being a freelancer, IMO.

]]> By: Nicholas Sanders http://translationmusings.com/2008/09/17/top-10-rules-for-working-from-home/#comment-506 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:14:51 +0000 http://jillsommer.wordpress.com/?p=474#comment-506 Lose the pajamas only?

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