Comments on: What Happens When Translators Go on Autopilot

By: Weekly translation favorites (Apr 14-27)

Weekly translation favorites (Apr 14-27) — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 13:52:51 +0000

[…] Guide to Screwing Up Game Localization Blog de traducción: la experiencia de 20 000 lenguas What Happens When Translators Go on Autopilot Podcast: Brian Fox, A Life In Interpreting What Are the Oldest Living Languages? Translation […]

By: David Friedman @LTTDave

David Friedman @LTTDave — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 21:23:03 +0000

In reply to Ben Karl. Thanks for the comment, Ben. Yes, it's a common problem.

By: Ben Karl

Ben Karl — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 06:26:29 +0000

Thanks for great post, David.

I think autopilot, particularly the “running one’s business on autopilot,” is a problem that plagues many freelancers early on because we often only learn to think of ourselves as business owners once we have enough business to feel we merit the title. We would do well as professionals to start thinking of ourselves as business owners charting an intentional, strategic course before we even get paid for our first job. I think that would help many newcomers be a lot savvier.

By: David Friedman @LTTDave

David Friedman @LTTDave — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 20:49:05 +0000

In reply to ktkaczyk.

Thanks for your comment, Karen. Sounds like a good idea to use QA and task reminders. Maybe I could use some more of that myself.

My workflow is fairly predictable since i do financial reports, so I can also do more billable hours during certain periods and more unbillable hours investing in my business and skills during other periods.

However, lately I have been finding that I have no choice but to deal with plenty of correspondence, questions and meetings even during my busiest period of billable hours now that I have gotten involved in some complex direct client projects that require a lot of problem solving.

Otherwise, I can remember referring to it as “survival mode” when I was trying to just do a lot of work without thinking as much about my business and putting off some emails and phone calls I might have otherwise prioritized more. Sometimes a flu would prompt me into survival mode, because I didn’t feel as confident to present myself well on the phone, in person or even by email while I wasn’t feeling well, but would still try to get some billable work done that couldn’t be postponed, and would try to spend the rest of the time resting instead of investing.

By: David Friedman @LTTDave

David Friedman @LTTDave — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 20:38:26 +0000

In reply to giolester. Thanks for your comment, Gio. I like the idea of an imaginary manager. Maybe I will have to try that sometime. Another thing I try to do is look at my texts with the eyes of my client and of the target audience.

By: giolester

giolester — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 13:29:01 +0000

It is just way too easy to fall into those traps. One way I found to avoid it, is to have an imaginary Manager who has to go over each project, meaning I have a checklist and the first step is take a minute to look the whole project over.

That does not save me from every trap but it helps a lot. Keeping my Business Persona on is not innate, but I am getting better at it.

Thanks for the delightful and informative text.

By: What Happens When #Translators Go on Autopilot! #xl8 #t9n #freelance #management | International Language Services - Isabelle F. Brucher - Translation office specializing in Law, Finance and Marketing since 2004

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 14:18:58 +0000

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By: ktkaczyk

ktkaczyk — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 15:54:29 +0000

Great post!
Like you. I’ve done most of these, and have solutions to prevent them most of the time. Thankfully, good habits built up over time help. However to make sure things don’t slip even when I’m not at my best I have some automated helpers such as QA tools checking for certain things and task reminders to make sure I do A or B for a specific type of job.
I do consciously do one of your examples sometimes though: Running your business on autopilot.
– When major events are happening in my life outside work (say moving house or a child with an all-consuming activity or an illness),
– When I have a freelance feast and am trying to make the most of the potential to have a really lucrative period,
I give myself a pass on “growing” and just take the work that comes at a time. Job in, job out, just trying to keep the receivables ticking along. Then when that phase passes, I prioritize marketing or investing in my skills and tools or the like. It works for me to do it in bursts. That’s not for everyone though, so I like that you included it in your list.