Category: Productivity
If your schedule is anything like mine, summer = all aboard the crazy train, when it comes to time management and getting things done. Between trips, kids out of school, picnics, weeding, making sure that the cat has enough of his favorite food before the house-sitter comes, AND many of my Europe-based clients trying to finish …
When author Anne Lamott’s father told her to “make a commitment to finishing things” if she wanted be successful as a writer, he gave her a great piece of advice. It really is the unfinished things in life that drive you crazy. And if you’re like me, you always finish things when they’re for clients. In …
This is a guest post by Dorothee Racette, a past president of the American Translators Association. Based on over 20 years of experience as a successful freelance writer and translator, Dorothee now trains and coaches small business owners in time management and productivity. She shares her insights in her blog and invites you to follow her …
In this episode, Eve and Corinne offer tips for getting things done: how to get into the productivity mindset, how to form a productivity support group, and how to tailor your time management techniques to your personality. We also recommend the following podcasts on productivity: Tess Whitty’s interview with Get It Done Guy Stever Robbins Ed …
Thanks to reader Lisa Rodriguez for suggesting this post! Lisa (correctly) points out that “even with well-oiled procedures, it is *normal* to spend hours” on tasks like record-keeping, cleaning up bills and outstanding invoices, etc. As Lisa comments, “It’s part of the job…no point in getting bent out of shape about it.” Yes. Amen. I feel …
Eve Bodeux and I recently recorded a joint podcast with Tess Whitty, host of the popular Marketing Tips for Translators podcast. The topic is outsourcing for translators: not outsourcing your actual translation work, but outsourcing business, marketing and productivity tasks so that you can focus on the work that you enjoy and do best (while someone …
Everything “co” seems to be hot these days (co-living, car sharing, and so on), and after working in a “co” office for three years, I thought I’d share some thoughts and tips. About three years ago, after 10 years of working from home, I hit the wall. My daughter (the main reason I started working from …
At the recent Colorado Translators Association mid-year conference, a few of us got to talking about tasks that we outsource and services that we pay for. This got me thinking about what types of services we freelancers a) can and b) should be outsourcing or paying for. It’s important to realize that having the proper tools …
Here’s a question I received from a colleague: “You’re always writing about how to find new clients and get more work. I have the opposite problem: I have work coming out of my ears and I’m trying to cut back.” OK! Thoughts on Translation is committed to addressing issues at all points on the freelance spectrum, …
In the age of Information Overload, it seems to get harder and harder to maintain any semblance of control over the volumes of e-mail we receive. But, there’s hope, and there are strategies…let’s take a look at a few, and feel free to add your own in the comments. Let’s start with e-mail management techniques I …
