Documents piling on the desk, tight schedule, overflowing inbox , and multiple tabs open on your computer.
Sounds familiar?

In today’s world you often end up having to do dozens of things at the same time. This seems to be the case with almost every profession, which is especially true for freelancers and sole traders, translation professionals included. And although the main job-related activity a freelance translator performs is, well, translating, gone are the days when you could devote your time to just that. Besides juggling multiple projects at the same time, you also need to devote your time to such tasks as research, document preparation, post-editing, proofreading and correcting, managing relationships with your clients and coworkers, handling e-mails, phone calls, marketing and networking, invoicing… The list seems to go on and on, while there’s only 24 hours in a day.

How to use this time effectively and cope with the challenges of multitasking?

Resort to good old checklist

Create a to-do list using the general-to-specific principle. Start by jotting down everything you need to get done and assign days or times for each task. They key thing is to prioritize and always start with those that are the most urgent and need to be tackled straightaway. When preparing a list, it’s a good practice to be slightly pessimistic in estimating how much you will manage to do. Don’t overburden yourself! It’s better to underestimate your productivity and learn you can easily breeze through your list, than realize that you’ve taken on too much.
Relying on a list will free your mind from thinking what else you need to do. It’s also   an easy way to make sure you won’t overlook the most important matters.

Check your mailbox on a schedule

An e-mail mailbox is a great tool that helps you connect with other people, but the majority of people overuse it by checking it way too often. If you keep opening it every now and again throughout the day, you end up wasting time. These precious minutes could be used more effectively doing something else and checking mailbox all the time hinders productivity. Instead, you should try to develop a habit of checking it only two or three times a day. It’s often enough not to miss out on anything important, but not to a point of it becoming a distraction itself.

Know your most productive working hours

Are you more of a night owl, or, on the contrary, do you get up with the larks? It’s no secret that no matter how hard you try and how much caffeine you pump into your system, if you’re not an early bird type, it would be incredibly difficult to reach your productivity peak at 8.00a.m. But one of the cool things about being a freelancers (apart from being your own boss!) is that no one can make you work from 9 to five, if you don’t feel like it. You are free to schedule your tasks in a way that suits you most. Use it to your advantage.
Knowing when your most productive work time is can help you better plan your day and is a clever way to ensure you won’t waste your peak time on activities that require less concentration and brainpower.

One task at a time.

Constantly switching from one task to another may look like you’re on top of everything, but in fact, it can take a heavy toll on your productivity. It’s because if you try to juggle two things at the same time, it’s harder for your brain to filter out unnecessary information. Every time you switch between the tasks, you need a few minutes to remember where you’ve stopped. It’s also a lot easier to get distracted and overlook important details or make a mistake. To prevent or limit the loss of performance, group similar tasks. The more similar they are, the easier will it be for you to adapt and perform better.

Embrace technology

Staying abreast with the latest tech trends can improve your productivity. One way to boost your translator’s performance and help you work more efficiently, is to invest in a CAT tool. That way your translation will become more coherent, consistent in terms of terminology and of higher quality.
Another pro-tip would be to master your touch-typing skills and the most common keyboard shortcuts (ditch the mouse!). Taking your eyes off the screen or your hands off the keyboard takes precious seconds. However insignificant they may seem, they add up over the course of a document and really make a difference.
Apart from CAT tools and keyboard-related life hacks, there are numerous apps designed to increase productivity. These include calendars, time-managing apps, invoicing tools, social channel management software and distraction removers. Make sure you take some time to explore the tools that can really help you increase your work rate.

Having your own business means you are your own boss, but you still have got plenty of people to keep satisfied, most importantly, your clients. While probably there are many ways to achieve that, you can try to start with these 6 principles listed below.

1. Be honest about your skills

No one person is an expert in everything. Some translators are used to translating highly technical documents packed with specific terminology, but feel overwhelmed when having to face literary or poetic texts. Your clients want to make sure you are able to deliver the task, so always be honest about the things you can and can’t do. Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’- it shows you’re a trustworthy and reliable partner.

2. Provide high quality translation

This one is self-explanatory. You won’t be able to keep your clients satisfied if you provide sloppy work. Proof-reading and editing may be time-consuming and tedious but you can never afford to skip it. A good practice is to have another pair of eyes to read your work before you hand it in, if possible.

3. Keep to your deadlines!

Being able to deliver the project on time will assure your clients that you are reliable. That’s why, before accepting every offer you should carefully consider how much time it will take you to deliver, whether or not you are able to accept express translations, etc. Don’t be afraid to negotiate the delivery time or ask for a deadline extension (only not on the last moment!), though.

4. Never hesitate to ask questions

Whenever you have any doubts or queries about the terminology or subject matter, it’s always better to ask instead of delivering low-quality work. Most clients will be happy to answer your questions, especially if you ask them ahead of time (and not just 5 minutes before the deadline). It shows you are well-organized and take your job seriously.

5. Pay attention to details

Usually there’s more to translation than just putting words and meaning into another language. It often happens you have to take other factors into account, such as the layout of a document, website, etc. the spacing, the fonts used. Take time to prepare your document before getting down to work, think about how the text will expand when translated to another language and how it will affect the layout. It will not only save you time, but also make you come across as a professional, whose work is of the highest standard.

6. Know your value

Don’t be afraid to be unapologetic about your rates. Make sure you are assertive in your contact with the clients and don’t accept offers that are below what you’re comfortable with. And yes, it may mean that sometimes you may lose a gig and would be forced to turn some projects down, but such strategy will pay off in the long run, as underpricing affects the perceived value of your services. And if you keep accepting low-paying offers, you’ll end up being forced to take on more than you can handle to keep yourself in the business, be able to pay the bills, etc. At some point, the quality of the services provided is bound to suffer.

The same principle applies not only to rates, but also working hours and accessibility. Don’t let your clients believe you’re the guy who would never say no to anything.

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Getting your first job experience might be intimidating and scary. You ‘re still going back and forth on whether it’s really something you want to do. If you don’t know where to start, perhaps you could use a few tips.

1) Learn all about the translation profession

Get yourself well acquainted with various translation techniques and methods. Studying translation is not necessary to enter the industry, but knowing at least some of the strategies, may come in handy. Consider using a CAT tool, as they are a real time-saver and can considerably improve the quality of your work. It might be a good idea to talk to someone who is already working as a translator and gain some valuable insight.

2) Gain work experience as quickly as possible

Clients and especially big translation agencies expect you to have some experience in the job. You might not feel too confident sending an application, if you have nothing to show for. Consider taking on a volunteer job, at least for some time. While this means you’d be working for free, it will give you an opportunity to gain valuable experience and find out if this is really what you want to do in life. Alternatively, you could do some translation work for your friends. Perhaps someone you know needs their website translated? Or maybe, if you’re still a student, you could do some work for your university?

3) Let the world find you.

Market your services to as many potential clients you can. Start with friends and family, use the social media channels to inform people about yourself, consider creating a website. Be visible. Look for conferences and events where you can not only learn about the industry and recent developments, but also do some networking.

4) Be professional

Word of the mouth often serves as the best advertisement, and this is especially true about this profession. That’s why you can’t afford to deliver low quality work. Always accept offers that give you enough time to produce good quality translation. That is also why you should try to stay strong on price and not accept jobs that pay to little. If you keep getting low-paying gigs, you would need to take on more work, and eventually the quality of your translation will suffer. Don’t forget about doing a proper research before getting down to work – make sure you know the right context, terminology, etc. – when in doubt, don’t be afraid to contact your clients and ask for consultation. When finished, always remember about proofreading.

5) Consider specialization

Why would you want to limit yourself to a narrow field of knowledge, when you can be a generic translator and market your services to a broad clientele? Simple. By developing a specialization in one (or a few) areas of expertise you can gain an edge over your fellow translators. It is also easier for you to advertise your services to a specific audience, and you are more reliable to your potential clients. You make yourself stand out in the crowd. And once you become a real expert in your niche, you will realize the clients are willing to pay more for translation they can be sure is of the highest quality. The task of taking on a specialization may appear challenging and daunting at first, but it’s an effort that will pay off in the long run.