| Pages in topic: [1 2 3] > | Poll: Do you get bored during your work? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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I’m rarely bored (I must say though that some pages of dense legalese might have that effect on me for a moment or two)! I always have a good look at the text before accepting it, so in general I know what is to be expected. Sure enough some projects are more interesting than others, but overall the good bits far outweigh the boring ones!
| | | | | All the time! | Nov 8, 2021 |
All the time. Translation is very boring work. Depends of course on what you're translating but seeing as most of us translate technical/legal/financial/business sort of texts, how could you not get bored?
| | | | Kay Denney 
France
Local time: 16:13
French to English
What job doesn't have a boring aspect to it? I find billing and accounting very boring, luckily I can take care of most of it in half a day a month.
The translations I take on are mostly fascinating. Even jobs that may seem relatively mundane can turn out to be interesting - right now I'm doing some stuff for the website of a firm that makes aluminium blister packs for pills. I thought it'd be terribly boring, but the page about the firm's background proved to be fascinating, with all so... See more What job doesn't have a boring aspect to it? I find billing and accounting very boring, luckily I can take care of most of it in half a day a month.
The translations I take on are mostly fascinating. Even jobs that may seem relatively mundane can turn out to be interesting - right now I'm doing some stuff for the website of a firm that makes aluminium blister packs for pills. I thought it'd be terribly boring, but the page about the firm's background proved to be fascinating, with all sorts of nuggets about local history, in an area that has inspired many novelists and film-makers, then the page about how their products are great for the environment, being both recycled and recyclable at little cost, is interesting - I will be checking their claims against what Greenpeace says about their industry, in case they're greenwashing, and I'm not sure yet what I'll do if it's the case.
I suppose it helps if you have a curious mind, and work in lines of business you find interesting.
Then again, the translations that seem pretty boring because of being repetitive with nothing new to learn about, can be done pretty quickly. They can come as a welcome change after you've wrestled with a text that has several depths of meaning and a couple of obscure literary references thrown in for good measure. ▲ Collapse
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Most of the time I'm having a blast. I've reached the point where I'm picky about the jobs I accept, but I can't ever remember actually being bored. There's always something new and interesting to learn.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:13
Member (2008)
Italian to English
| Quite the opposite | Nov 8, 2021 |
I get bored when I'm NOT working - although some particular types of document can be boring to translate.
| | | | | Not all the time | Nov 8, 2021 |
Some topics are fascinating, either the way they are presented or the contents themselves. For instance, I lately translated a text about what the police force can do to educate the public about measures that help in preventing burglary, the pros and cons of each item, be it burglar alarm, neighbourhood watch, CCTV systems, etc and how thieves react to these and it was fascinating so I did not get bored but if I am translating realms of instruction manual stuff, I cannot say I do not get bored b... See more Some topics are fascinating, either the way they are presented or the contents themselves. For instance, I lately translated a text about what the police force can do to educate the public about measures that help in preventing burglary, the pros and cons of each item, be it burglar alarm, neighbourhood watch, CCTV systems, etc and how thieves react to these and it was fascinating so I did not get bored but if I am translating realms of instruction manual stuff, I cannot say I do not get bored but then, every job has its pros and cons and that is one of them. When I am not working, I yearn to work, when I'm working, I yearn for a break, but that's life. ▲ Collapse
| | | | matt robinson
Spain
Local time: 16:13
Member (2010)
Spanish to English
Nearly all the work I do is interesting in one way or another.
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Alex Lichanow
Germany
Local time: 16:13
Member (2020)
English to German
+ ...
| Depends on the job | Nov 8, 2021 |
I mainly translate IT, automotive and video games and thus get an extremely diverse range of different texts. To be honest, one type that frequently bores me to near-sleep is IT marketing where every other sentence appears to absolutely have to use the word "experience". I'll much rather do 5k run-of-the-mill technical descriptions each day for months on end instead of this drivel trying to sound "engaging" (ah yes, yet another buzzword) and failing hard at it.
| | | | | It takes all sorts | Nov 8, 2021 |
Gerard Barry wrote:
All the time. Translation is very boring work. Depends of course on what you're translating but seeing as most of us translate technical/legal/financial/business sort of texts, how could you not get bored?
Because some people find that kind of thing interesting.
I can’t explain why I enjoy economics. I just do.
Or why translating a set of accounts doesn’t bore me to tears, whereas any kind of legal text does instantly.
We’re all different.
There must be something you find interesting. Why not translate that? Or get a job in whatever it is?
| | | | expressisverbis
Portugal
Local time: 15:13
Member (2015)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I don't feel bored of my job.
In fact, I'm delighted, and I can have a very nice feeling of accomplishment when I find the right term in my target language.
Nothing is routine here and every single project is a new and a great challenge for me.
I've always considered translation a brain activity, so there's nothing boring about our work!
On the contrary, it provides us with a considerable knowledge in various fields and gives free rein to our imagination.
I love w... See more I don't feel bored of my job.
In fact, I'm delighted, and I can have a very nice feeling of accomplishment when I find the right term in my target language.
Nothing is routine here and every single project is a new and a great challenge for me.
I've always considered translation a brain activity, so there's nothing boring about our work!
On the contrary, it provides us with a considerable knowledge in various fields and gives free rein to our imagination.
I love what I do and I've passion for it!
[Edited at 2021-11-08 18:46 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | All the time? | Nov 9, 2021 |
Gerard Barry wrote:
All the time. Translation is very boring work. Depends of course on what you're translating but seeing as most of us translate technical/legal/financial/business sort of texts, how could you not get bored?
If I ever get bored all the time for doing translation work, then I'd know it's time to look for another occupation!
[Edited at 2021-11-09 01:00 GMT]
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| Sooner or later ... | Nov 9, 2021 |
Wilsonn Perez Reyes wrote: Gerard Barry wrote:
All the time. Translation is very boring work. Depends of course on what you're translating but seeing as most of us translate technical/legal/financial/business sort of texts, how could you not get bored? If I ever get bored all the time for doing translation work, then I'd know it's time to look for another occupation!
... it will also affect the quality of your work, when you are bored from the occupation you took, no matter in what domain or industry.
| | | | Mr. Satan (X)
English to Indonesian
| In a desperate attempt to not bring too much excitement to this thread like the other one... | Nov 9, 2021 |
...how do you handle burnouts, when that happens?
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Well, given the choice, I'd rather not work, and go about my own "business".
So there is that.
Then, there's the drudgery of working on a project you've already committed to when you really don't have a mind to do it, because of an emotional state, etc.
Some content is also quite dreadful and working to make it less so isn't particularly rewarding.
Finally, there is flow. The state in which, to paraphrase Brassens, I'm bored stiff without notic... See more Well, given the choice, I'd rather not work, and go about my own "business".
So there is that.
Then, there's the drudgery of working on a project you've already committed to when you really don't have a mind to do it, because of an emotional state, etc.
Some content is also quite dreadful and working to make it less so isn't particularly rewarding.
Finally, there is flow. The state in which, to paraphrase Brassens, I'm bored stiff without noticing 🙂 ("Elle s'emmerde sans s'en apercevoir", in French).
[Edited at 2021-11-09 06:13 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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