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Poll: How do you keep awake when doing a "must be on our desk first thing in the morning translation?"
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Mar 9, 2007

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How do you keep awake when doing a "must be on our desk first thing in the morning translation?"".

This poll was originally submitted by John Cutler

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more informatio
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How do you keep awake when doing a "must be on our desk first thing in the morning translation?"".

This poll was originally submitted by John Cutler

View the poll here

A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629
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Melzie
Melzie
Local time: 09:26
French to English
+ ...
Pure 'cussedness' Mar 9, 2007

that's about it really, so I said 'other'

 
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Nikki Scott-Despaigne  Identity Verified
Local time: 09:26
French to English
Far away, far away is the land where the solitary nocturnal translator trails... Mar 9, 2007

Approaching my 13th year in the business, I now generally simply refuse jobs of this sort. I feel fired up and convinced the work is done well, but it is rarely done to the best of my capabilities in such cases. Could also do to be with age ! Not to mention family commitments.

 
ilker ingiz
ilker ingiz
Türkiye
Local time: 11:26
German to Turkish
+ ...
Easy solution Mar 9, 2007

I take my daughter (3 years old) into my room for 10 minutes. She talks without a pause. So I'm awake. The negative part is even if I don't need it (on weekend etc.) she is still acting like this

 
JaneTranslates
JaneTranslates  Identity Verified
Puerto Rico
Local time: 04:26
Spanish to English
+ ...
Diet Pepsi, "progress" games, rewards & prayer Mar 9, 2007

It helps that I'm a "night person" who regularly works until 2:00 am, but I have some little tricks for those occasional all-nighters.

1) I "treat" myself, allowing myself to drink Diet Pepsi all night instead of water. Is it the caffeine, or just fact that I like the stuff?

2) I make a game of charting my progress, with the incentive that beating my schedule ("be on page 17 by 3:30 am") buys me some sleep time.

3) I make sure that the following day has a b
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It helps that I'm a "night person" who regularly works until 2:00 am, but I have some little tricks for those occasional all-nighters.

1) I "treat" myself, allowing myself to drink Diet Pepsi all night instead of water. Is it the caffeine, or just fact that I like the stuff?

2) I make a game of charting my progress, with the incentive that beating my schedule ("be on page 17 by 3:30 am") buys me some sleep time.

3) I make sure that the following day has a block of time when I can nap. Usually, I end up emailing the job by 6 or 7 am and sleeping till noon, at least.

4) If it's a particularly stressful situation, I plan a reward (in addition to sleep!) that I will give myself within 24 hours of finishing the job: an hour at the beach, or a small splurge of online shopping, for instance.

5) When I'm really, really tempted to give it up and fall into bed, I set my timer for 2 minutes, close my eyes, lean back in my chair, and pray for strength to keep going. The timer is back-up in case I fall asleep, but I almost always open my eyes before the time is up and feel refreshed.


Whenever I'm working, day or night, I set my timer to 50 minutes (70 as the upper limit in extreme crunches) and get up and walk around for a few minutes before starting another session.
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Jorge Payan
Jorge Payan  Identity Verified
Colombia
Local time: 03:26
Member (2002)
German to Spanish
+ ...
Drinking one cup of Coca leaves infussion! Mar 9, 2007

To use coca leaves to fight sleep and tiredness is very ancient custom not only in my country but in the regions surrounding the Andean mountain range in South America. The indians use to chew them, but recently they are commercially available in the supermarket as satchets, just as the tea.

Please don't confuse this with the addictive usage some more educated (!!!) Western societies have for the coca products!


 
Fiamma Lolli
Fiamma Lolli
Italy
Local time: 09:26
Spanish to Italian
+ ...
Other: and I share... Mar 9, 2007

I refuse jobs of this kind, usually: but even with far deadlines a moment comes when tomorrow morning means tomorrow morning.
What helps me "when tomorrow comes" is, therefore, more or less in order: a short walk (I do live in the countryside and I can have a walk all alone even in the heart of the darkest night), a short nap (half an hour or less), a shower, some meditation/deep breathing, playing with my cat, coffe or tea (it depends from the hour) and finally making and baking bread. Th
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I refuse jobs of this kind, usually: but even with far deadlines a moment comes when tomorrow morning means tomorrow morning.
What helps me "when tomorrow comes" is, therefore, more or less in order: a short walk (I do live in the countryside and I can have a walk all alone even in the heart of the darkest night), a short nap (half an hour or less), a shower, some meditation/deep breathing, playing with my cat, coffe or tea (it depends from the hour) and finally making and baking bread. The last thing is the thing that helps me more but I cannot do it if at home there is still some "old" homemade bread!!!
HIH, Fiamma
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Horacio Menendez
Horacio Menendez  Identity Verified
Local time: 05:26
English to Spanish
+ ...
Mate is the answer! Mar 9, 2007

I use to drink mate during my working sessions.
It's a drink made of Yerba Mate and hot water.

If possible, I don't accept this kind of rush translations.

Regards,


Horacio


 
Orla Ryan
Orla Ryan  Identity Verified
Ireland
Local time: 08:26
Not if I can help it Mar 9, 2007

I find I get much more work done at night, but that still doesn't mean I want to make a habit of it.

I usually go out for an hour or two for a walk, swim, coffee then come back.

I don't mind working on a small little job for the following morning (500 words +/-). Otherwise forget it.
It is not worth it and it is not like you're going to be paid any extra for working at night.


 
John Cutler
John Cutler  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 09:26
Spanish to English
+ ...
I used to but not anymore. Mar 9, 2007

Hi, I asked this question because I used to get assignment requests in the late afternoon/evening and it was always, "We need this first thing in the morning!"
I finally "saw the light" when I received a request on the evening of the 31st of December and was told they needed it by the 2nd of January (first thing in the morning, of course).
To keep the forum G rated I won't say how I responded but that was the last straw.
I still work lots of weekends but my nights are mine. So
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Hi, I asked this question because I used to get assignment requests in the late afternoon/evening and it was always, "We need this first thing in the morning!"
I finally "saw the light" when I received a request on the evening of the 31st of December and was told they needed it by the 2nd of January (first thing in the morning, of course).
To keep the forum G rated I won't say how I responded but that was the last straw.
I still work lots of weekends but my nights are mine. So how did/do I stay awake? It might sound radical but a nice glass of diet Coke liberally laced with coffee and lemon is my favorite solution. It's called a "trucker's special". It does the trick everytime!!
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ineveryl
ineveryl  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 03:26
French to English
Ale-8 Mar 9, 2007

Ale-8-1. It's a ginger ale sold regionally (Upper American South) that has so much caffine and carbonation in it that it makes the insides of your nose tingle when you swallow it. Literally. That's why their slogan is "A Late One" (get it? Ale-8-1=A Late 1).

[Edited at 2007-03-09 14:47]

[Edited at 2007-03-09 14:48]


 
638556 (X)
638556 (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:26
Spanish to English
+ ...
Sheer unadulterated PANIC! Mar 9, 2007

Yep, that's the secret of my....er....success. That, and sometimes I try to work through the document backwards if the format permits. Psychologically then I'm counting down instead of looking at all those page numbers looming in front of me!

 
Madalena Ribeiro
Madalena Ribeiro  Identity Verified
Local time: 08:26
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Coffee and music Mar 9, 2007

Coffee and music, when the subject is not very difficult.

 
Parrot
Parrot  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 09:26
Spanish to English
+ ...
Ditto Mar 9, 2007

Nikki Scott-Despaigne wrote:

I now generally simply refuse jobs of this sort.


At any rate, my surcharge usually discourages them.


 
M. Anna Kańduła
M. Anna Kańduła  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 08:26
English to Polish
No nights Mar 9, 2007

If "first thing in the morning" means I have to work at night - I decline. Night is for rest and if I'd try to work, while I should rest, it'd be trash, not translation.

If it means "tomorrow morning", but I have whole previous day for doing it - if it's a one day job, then no problem. I do it and send on the evening ("morning" for my clients is usually middle of the night for me).


Anni


 
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Poll: How do you keep awake when doing a "must be on our desk first thing in the morning translation?"






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