Poll: Do you postpone your personal affairs because of sudden job offers? Лице кое објавува дискусија: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you postpone your personal affairs because of sudden job offers?".
This poll was originally submitted by ulzii. View the poll results »
| | | | Mario Freitas 
Бразил
Local time: 10:09
англиски на португалски
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I guess everyone is caught by surprise every now and then, with an urgent demand. Then, sometimes, there are things you can postpone. But there are things you cannot or do not wish to. In these cases, the priorities say "I'm sorry, but I cannot take that job", which I have also done many times.
Nothing, for example, is a priority over my children or my family. Nothing is a priority over a commitment I had made earlier and promised to accomplish. A client with an urgent demand must h... See more I guess everyone is caught by surprise every now and then, with an urgent demand. Then, sometimes, there are things you can postpone. But there are things you cannot or do not wish to. In these cases, the priorities say "I'm sorry, but I cannot take that job", which I have also done many times.
Nothing, for example, is a priority over my children or my family. Nothing is a priority over a commitment I had made earlier and promised to accomplish. A client with an urgent demand must have an alternative translator if you are not available, and they usually do.
[Edited at 2015-09-16 08:38 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Between sometimes and quite often... | Sep 16, 2015 |
First of all, most of my job offers are… sudden, though I should say that a few of my long-standing customers let me know quite ahead of time that they will be sending work.
That being said, I never postpone medical appointments or the like but I couldn’t say the same about some household chores like ironing (piles tend to get higher and higher)…
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I don't schedule my personal affairs during working hours.
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neilmac
Шпанија
Local time: 15:09
шпански на англиски
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If the "personal affairs" can be rescheduled without too much fuss, and I want to take the job, then yes.
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on which "personal affairs" these may be.
Chris, you are full time in an office if I remember rightly, I am my own boss at home, and if something does creep up that needs my attention and whatever else that I was planning to do can be put-off, then yes.
[Edited at 2015-09-16 09:47 GMT]
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I became a freelancer so that the "choose your schedule" thing was an advantage and didn't turn into a "let your clients choose your schedule" thing. Try to send me a great project on Saturday morning to be delivered on Sunday evening and I will not read your e-mail or answer any phonecall until Monday morning.
In order to be a good professional, I need proper rest-and-recover time.
| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
Соединети Американски Држави
Local time: 06:09
шпански на англиски
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My biggest sacrifice was when I dropped a required course in a certificate program I was pursuing; I never went back to finish the program. It was a prestigious new client and the money was such a windfall I couldn't turn it down. It was probably a good move. I know that money isn't everything, but that client has changed my lifestyle.
As for *postponing* my personal affairs, I do that every time I accept work. Almost all work is "sudden." I recently finished a stint working 180 day... See more My biggest sacrifice was when I dropped a required course in a certificate program I was pursuing; I never went back to finish the program. It was a prestigious new client and the money was such a windfall I couldn't turn it down. It was probably a good move. I know that money isn't everything, but that client has changed my lifestyle.
As for *postponing* my personal affairs, I do that every time I accept work. Almost all work is "sudden." I recently finished a stint working 180 days without a single break on weekends. Lots of personal affairs got postponed. I'm still trying to catch up on my non-business commitments. ▲ Collapse
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| I did several times | Sep 16, 2015 |
until 2010. Then I was diagnosed with cancer.
| | | | DianeGM
Local time: 16:09
холандски на англиски
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if the job and fee are enticing and the personal affairs not pressing. I usually suggest a time frame in which I can comfortably accommodate the job, many deadlines are flexible.
Actually, I do take care of most non-delay-able personal affairs in that 1-2 hour time window in the morning before my clients in central Europe and UK have even drunk their morning coffee. There is something to be said for your time zone making you the early bird.
| | | | Thayenga
Германија
Local time: 15:09
Член (2009)
англиски на германски
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Well, if my flight is to depart the next day, then I will surely not accept any offer job regardless of how good it is. The same applies to urgent, non-postponable private issues such as weddings or funerals. Other than this I've postponed my personal affairs many times.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:09
англиски на шпански
+ ...
| 180 days around the world | Sep 16, 2015 |
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
My biggest sacrifice was when I dropped a required course in a certificate program I was pursuing; I never went back to finish the program. It was a prestigious new client and the money was such a windfall I couldn't turn it down. It was probably a good move. I know that money isn't everything, but that client has changed my lifestyle.
As for *postponing* my personal affairs, I do that every time I accept work. Almost all work is "sudden." I recently finished a stint working 180 days without a single break on weekends. Lots of personal affairs got postponed. I'm still trying to catch up on my non-business commitments.
I wish I could get those 180-day assignments, Muriel! Then again, the last personal commitment I had was with my cat, who found a new home last December.
Those who claim not to be materialistic or for whom money isn't everything aren't living in the real world…I think.
Back to makin' mo' money! ♫
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 09:09
англиски на шпански
+ ...
Mario Freitas wrote:
I guess everyone is caught by surprise every now and then, with an urgent demand. Then, sometimes, there are things you can postpone. But there are things you cannot or do not wish to. In these cases, the priorities say "I'm sorry, but I cannot take that job", which I have also done many times.
Nothing, for example, is a priority over my children or my family. Nothing is a priority over a commitment I had made earlier and promised to accomplish. A client with an urgent demand must have an alternative translator if you are not available, and they usually do.
[Edited at 2015-09-16 08:38 GMT]
My “tocayo” is right. Personal affairs depend on our personal commitments.
| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
Соединети Американски Држави
Local time: 06:09
шпански на англиски
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| I try to do both! | Sep 17, 2015 |
Mario Chavez wrote:
Mario Freitas wrote:
I guess everyone is caught by surprise every now and then, with an urgent demand. Then, sometimes, there are things you can postpone. But there are things you cannot or do not wish to. In these cases, the priorities say "I'm sorry, but I cannot take that job", which I have also done many times.
Nothing, for example, is a priority over my children or my family. Nothing is a priority over a commitment I had made earlier and promised to accomplish. A client with an urgent demand must have an alternative translator if you are not available, and they usually do.
[Edited at 2015-09-16 08:38 GMT]
My “tocayo” is right. Personal affairs depend on our personal commitments.
I don't have family, so I can afford to give my work first priority, but sometimes there are things I feel I have to do and I end up stealing time from sleep, burning the candle at both ends.
[Edited at 2015-09-17 07:55 GMT]
| | | | Mario Freitas
Бразил
Local time: 10:09
англиски на португалски
+ ...
| Everyone has commitments, even a 15 y.o. | Sep 17, 2015 |
Muriel Vasconcellos wrote:
Mario Chavez wrote:
Mario Freitas wrote:
... [Edited at 2015-09-16 08:38 GMT]
My “tocayo” is right. Personal affairs depend on our personal commitments.
I don't have family, so I can afford to give my work first priority, but sometimes there are things I feel I have to do and I end up stealing time from sleep, burning the candle at both ends. [Edited at 2015-09-17 07:55 GMT]
Family was just an example. It could be any commitment, as long as you have assumed it before the new one or that you consider it more important and not postponable. All I meant is that refusing a job is not something extraordinary. It's a regular part of the professional's routine. We can't be mercenaries to the point of jeopardizing things because of money only. A person who thinks/acts like that would probably miss a big party or a show with the ticket in their hands because of a new urgent job. I'm not a slave of money.
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