Poll: How many hours of active translation do you do per day, on average?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Aug 20, 2020

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How many hours of active translation do you do per day, on average?".

This poll was originally submitted by Lara Garau. View the poll results »



David Lee
 
Aline Amorim
Aline Amorim  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 16:32
English to Portuguese
+ ...
12 hour Aug 20, 2020

ProZ.com Staff wrote:

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How many hours of active translation do you do per day, on average?".

This poll was originally submitted by Lara Garau. View the poll results »



I work 12 hour per day from Monday throught Friday from 8 am to 8 pm.


Antonio João Silva
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 19:32
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
On average, probably between 4 and 8 Aug 20, 2020

A more precise answer would be as long as it takes, as I've never done the maths. It depends entirely on my workload. I have been working full-time for over 40 years and what I can say is that work runs in cycles, some days I have no work at all and then in others I work 10/12 hours (or even more...) Saturdays and Sundays included. This month so far I had a single day with no work at all and that only happened because a previously scheduled project was delayed for a few days.

SANTOSH CHOUDHARY
Merab Dekano
Muriel Vasconcellos
 
Maria da Glória Teixeira
Maria da Glória Teixeira  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 16:32
Member (2020)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
On average, 6 and 8 Aug 20, 2020

My workload arrives + 11 hours daily, including Saturday and Sunday. And when I have few projects, I arrive at work 6 to 8 hours.

 
expressisverbis
expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 19:32
Member (2015)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
8 or 10 hours daily, and sometimes a little more Aug 20, 2020

Being a workaholic myself, sometimes I spend more than 10 hours per day working.
This depends on my workload, but on average, I would say 8 or 10 hours daily, including weekends.


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 16:32
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
About 8 Aug 20, 2020

I used to say 12 hours when someone asked this. However, the question clearly mentions "active translation", and we have to exclude the time we spend in other things (like ProZ questions and quick polls), as well as the breaks we take, from that count. These are not "ative translation" activities and they are amidst the hours we spend on our desks.

Dan Lucas
 
Lara Garau
Lara Garau  Identity Verified
Argentina
Local time: 16:32
Member (2020)
English to Spanish
+ ...
I agree with you. Aug 20, 2020

Mario Freitas wrote:

I used to say 12 hours when someone asked this. However, the question clearly mentions "active translation", and we have to exclude the time we spend in other things (like ProZ questions and quick polls), as well as the breaks we take, from that count. These are not "ative translation" activities and they are amidst the hours we spend on our desks.


That's exactly what I meant, Mario. How many hours a day you spend translating rather than marketing yourself, sitting at an office or being distracted by something else.


 
TranslateWithMe
TranslateWithMe
Poland
Local time: 20:32
English to Polish
+ ...
active... Aug 20, 2020

Active translation is about 5-6 h, the rest is research

Elena Feriani
 
expressisverbis
expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 19:32
Member (2015)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Yes, you're right, but Aug 20, 2020

Mario Freitas wrote:

I used to say 12 hours when someone asked this. However, the question clearly mentions "active translation", and we have to exclude the time we spend in other things (like ProZ questions and quick polls), as well as the breaks we take, from that count. These are not "ative translation" activities and they are amidst the hours we spend on our desks.


Even when I am replying to emails, asking to Proz questions, answering calls, etc. I am translating. I have already deducted my mealtimes or breaks...
Well, except today, because my cat has been teasing me all day


 
Christopher Schröder
Christopher Schröder
United Kingdom
Member (2011)
Swedish to English
+ ...
4? Aug 20, 2020

Defined as average time spent on translation jobs, less breaks, admin, emails, personal surfing, billing, fighting software, etc, I’d say four hours.

Excluding checking my work and researching terms, so literally just translating, probably only two and a half hours.

Out of six hours on average in the office.

Perhaps I need an assistant🤷‍♂️


Elena Feriani
 
Merab Dekano
Merab Dekano  Identity Verified
Spain
Member (2014)
English to Spanish
+ ...
No fix timetable Aug 21, 2020

People sometimes ask me: -When do you take holidays? My answer is simple: - I am on holidays when I am not working.

In other words, some projects are large and not urgent; then I usually try to divide the effort and work about 10 hours a day (say from 9am to 11pm; that includes meals and similar breaks).

If the project is large and urgent, you end up working about 14 hours a day (more would be counterproductive, as you would start making mistakes).

If you j
... See more
People sometimes ask me: -When do you take holidays? My answer is simple: - I am on holidays when I am not working.

In other words, some projects are large and not urgent; then I usually try to divide the effort and work about 10 hours a day (say from 9am to 11pm; that includes meals and similar breaks).

If the project is large and urgent, you end up working about 14 hours a day (more would be counterproductive, as you would start making mistakes).

If you just have to complete some small recurring projects, you will probably end up working about 4 hours a day.

I usually try to have Sunday free (on Sundays you are less likely to receive an email for an urgent assignment, but it happens, of course).

And there are days when you can afford going for a walk with or without your family (always taking with you your laptop and phone with internet connection, of course; I am using a small Osprey backpack which is ergonomic and water resistant).

Once I had to work two nights in the row and occasionally it happens when I have to stay till quite late. However, it goes without saying that if you stay working too many hours (which you can), you will need to recover (meaning less hours of work next day(s)).
Collapse


 
David Lee
David Lee
United States
5 Hours Aug 22, 2020

5 to 6 Hours Approx..!

 


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Poll: How many hours of active translation do you do per day, on average?






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