Taking a vacation from your freelance translation job

Before deciding to have a freelance translation job, there were a few (OK, more than a few) things that worried me about the whole thing.

According to an article I had read, one of the drawbacks about owning your own business was that you could never take time off or go on vacation because the freelance translation job would require 24/7 supervision.

Who wants to quit a stable job, spend all that time working to be an established freelance translator (in order to get away from the daily grind), and then work like crazy never getting a break?

I certainly didn't. I mean, wasn't that one of the big reasons I was attempting something this crazy in the first place? To have more time for myself?

Well, in the end, it turned out that I didn't need to worry as much as I did. True, it can be easy to get sucked into work and never make time for yourself or your family but there are some things you can do to avoid this all too common scenario from happening in the first place.

1. Write down your plan
Make a list at least each morning of what you want to get accomplished that day, but be specific. Writing down that you want to work on Translation Project A from 9:00-10:00 is being specific.

2. Schedule your downtime
If you don't schedule it, you'll either never have it or will feel guilty about leaving your work when you get some. (Trust me.) By scheduling it now, you won't have to worry about it later.

3. Learn to say "no"
A lot of people have trouble saying no. If you're one of these types of people, it's important to realize that there is no way you can do everything you want to do while also doing everything everyone else wants you to do. It's not going to happen.

But if you can't say no...

4. At least learn how to delegate/outsource
You don't have to advertise yourself as a translation agency to be able to act like one in a small way. If you've got too much work on your plate, there's nothing wrong with having a competent friend or colleague help you out. This can not only save you time and headaches, but it will still allow you to remain in the good graces of your clients. Everyone stays happy, which is what you want in the end eventually anyway, right?

So remember, having your own freelance translation job doesn't have to be as horribly time-consuming as everyone says. Granted, it is a lot of work and it will definitely take time, but with a little planning and creativity, it can become a great experience and life-changer.

Back from freelance translation job.