| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you find yourself not going to social activities you planned to because of work? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you find yourself not going to social activities you planned to because of work?".
This poll was originally submitted by Annika Hedqvist. View the poll results »
| | | | | www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
This happens to me. A lot. One of the downsides of the job I reckon. I will say no if it's something really important i.e. birthday,w edding, etc. but not if it's an aperativo / dinner with friends. Thankfully a lot of my friends are in the same boat so are very understanding. I guess the upside is not having to haggle for annual leave (although I do have to take my lap top...:))
| | | | | www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
I think that if you're a freelancer, you'll always have problems with time: no enough time to do everything we want. We have to deal with it! I often have to cancel some plans beacuse I suddenlyy receive a Purchase Order from a Client, and, as always, they want the job for today, tomorrow or right now! But the "worst" is having a blackberry... She goes with me eveywhere! I feel I must always be available... But that's a part of the job, and my clients appreciate it a lot.
Anywa... See more I think that if you're a freelancer, you'll always have problems with time: no enough time to do everything we want. We have to deal with it! I often have to cancel some plans beacuse I suddenlyy receive a Purchase Order from a Client, and, as always, they want the job for today, tomorrow or right now! But the "worst" is having a blackberry... She goes with me eveywhere! I feel I must always be available... But that's a part of the job, and my clients appreciate it a lot.
Anyway, I'm lucky, beacause my boyfriend understands it perfectly, and so do my friends. But it's true that sometimes listening to "no, sorry, we can't go, barbara has to work" on a saturday evening sounds like an excuse for some people!
But I think that if you get organised, you can always find time to be with friends, maybe not as often you would like, but...! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
Very often.
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Mary Worby 
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:06
German to English
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| www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
No, very rarely. I have to work my translation around my (relatively paltry) and my children's (abundant) social life. I can think of only one occasion over the last ten years when I've cancelled because of work (a rush job for a new, good-paying customer who has now proven to be a solid regular).
Occasionally I'll make 'if I'm not busy I can come' kind of arrangements, which sometimes and sometimes don't work out.
I think getting the work life balance ... See more No, very rarely. I have to work my translation around my (relatively paltry) and my children's (abundant) social life. I can think of only one occasion over the last ten years when I've cancelled because of work (a rush job for a new, good-paying customer who has now proven to be a solid regular).
Occasionally I'll make 'if I'm not busy I can come' kind of arrangements, which sometimes and sometimes don't work out.
I think getting the work life balance is important. I work to live! ▲ Collapse
| | | | | www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
"Yes, but rarely" would have been my answer of choice. I rarely cancel something that I have committed to, but, like Mary, I might sometimes say that I'll do something if work permits. What happens rather more frequently is that I have to turn invitations down in the first place because I have to work.
I try to keep my word and fulfil commitments, whether business, social or otherwise. This does sometimes mean that sleep has to suffer, however!
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 06:06
Spanish to English
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| www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
Yes - work pays me, whereas I pay for "social activities". In general, I tend not to plan (or agree to) anything that might interfere with my work.
I run a Pub Quiz on Sundays which gets me out of the house and socialising - and I get paid for it too! This is also sacrosanct to me.
Since most socialising in the Brit expat community involves getting rat-arsed and I no longer indulge, boozy sessions no longer have the appeal of yesteryear. It's actually quite a laugh going sober t... See more Yes - work pays me, whereas I pay for "social activities". In general, I tend not to plan (or agree to) anything that might interfere with my work.
I run a Pub Quiz on Sundays which gets me out of the house and socialising - and I get paid for it too! This is also sacrosanct to me.
Since most socialising in the Brit expat community involves getting rat-arsed and I no longer indulge, boozy sessions no longer have the appeal of yesteryear. It's actually quite a laugh going sober to parties where everyone else is off their trolley - I wish I'd known that years ago and spared my liver ▲ Collapse
| | | | keelin feeney
Ireland
Local time: 05:06
Member (2007)
Spanish to English
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| www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
I am rarely free for social activities during the week but I don't think that is due to my being a translator. Very few of my friends are free during the week and they are not translators though I do have one group who play tag-rugby 2 evenings a week and that is something I cannot do and am sure would be great fun!
On the plus side, my weekends are always completely free and I only work one weekend about every 3/4 months and that would be only if I were behind on a current job... See more I am rarely free for social activities during the week but I don't think that is due to my being a translator. Very few of my friends are free during the week and they are not translators though I do have one group who play tag-rugby 2 evenings a week and that is something I cannot do and am sure would be great fun!
On the plus side, my weekends are always completely free and I only work one weekend about every 3/4 months and that would be only if I were behind on a current job. So I guess that I have as much as for socialising as people who are not translators - that aside, my Blackberry comes with me everywhere during the week as it gives me the freedom to get out and about without the clients suffering, and I leave it at home then during the weekend. ▲ Collapse
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Annika Hedqvist
Sweden
Local time: 06:06
Member (2008)
English to Swedish
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| www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
I've been doing this a lot lately. There have been dinners and coffees and parties and I've planned to go, but then as the time approaches I realize that I won't make my deadline if I do go. Or I get a new job from a client and I have a really hard time saying no, alternatively I get promised a new job from a client but it takes the client hours to send it out to me, so I don't have the time I thought I would.
I'm not a very social person to start with, but working as a freelancer just seem... See more I've been doing this a lot lately. There have been dinners and coffees and parties and I've planned to go, but then as the time approaches I realize that I won't make my deadline if I do go. Or I get a new job from a client and I have a really hard time saying no, alternatively I get promised a new job from a client but it takes the client hours to send it out to me, so I don't have the time I thought I would.
I'm not a very social person to start with, but working as a freelancer just seems to make me sit at home even more. So for those of you who answered "no", what's your trick? ▲ Collapse
| | | | John Cutler
Spain
Local time: 06:06
Spanish to English
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| www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
I've reached the point where I almost don't make any plans (for social activities or otherwise). That doesn't mean I don't have a social life or hobbies, I just juggle them all around and play things by ear.
I've also gotten used to seeing all 24 hours and 7 days of the week as possible work hours. That means if I have a social or other committment, I go ahead with it knowing that I may have to work in the evenings or wee hours to make up the time. Isn't that part of the freedo... See more I've reached the point where I almost don't make any plans (for social activities or otherwise). That doesn't mean I don't have a social life or hobbies, I just juggle them all around and play things by ear.
I've also gotten used to seeing all 24 hours and 7 days of the week as possible work hours. That means if I have a social or other committment, I go ahead with it knowing that I may have to work in the evenings or wee hours to make up the time. Isn't that part of the freedom of being a freelancer? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 06:06
English to French
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| www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
"Never" was my answer: I hardly ever "plan" social activities, but when I do, I stick to plans. Customers are generally informed that I will not be available on/at such and such date/time and they act accordingly...
| | | | Oleg Osipov
Russian Federation
Local time: 07:06
English to Russian
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| www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
No, never. All the social activities are in and around my house that is in the middle of the street.
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Ken Fagan (X)
Local time: 06:06
French to English
| www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
Pre- or post-Lehman Brothers?
| | | | | www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 10, 2010 |
Not going to planned social events that are scheduled for after normal working hours, like some time in the evening or on weekends? It would be extremely rude of me to back out of a social event to which I've been invited and accepted. Especially if my only excuse is work. Push a customer just a little and 99% of the time you'll find the job just isn't as urgent as they claim - unless you specialize in life-or-death translations. Politely explain you're busy with other assignments but you can of... See more Not going to planned social events that are scheduled for after normal working hours, like some time in the evening or on weekends? It would be extremely rude of me to back out of a social event to which I've been invited and accepted. Especially if my only excuse is work. Push a customer just a little and 99% of the time you'll find the job just isn't as urgent as they claim - unless you specialize in life-or-death translations. Politely explain you're busy with other assignments but you can offer a deadline of xxx. Plus, if you live and work in Sweden and pay taxes and social fees on what you earn, well, with 67% going to the government, it just isn't likely to be worth the insult to my friends or the intrusion on my time. There are 24 hours in a day - make the most of every day and you'll find there's plenty of time for socializing and making a decent earning. Just a question of priorities. In my opinion. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | www.proz.com/polls/8702 comments | Feb 11, 2010 |
I don't plan things, and as John said: "I go ahead with it knowing that I may have to work in the evenings or wee hours to make up the time." More than once I had to tell myself "well you wanted to call XXX and have a drink? not today" But that's fine, I mean, a lot of free time = few translations to do Take care
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