Poll: On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your work-life balance?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Nov 22, 2017

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your work-life balance?".

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Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 02:18
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Very low (2) Nov 22, 2017

When I'm working, which is most of the time, my life is largely out of balance.

 
Elizabeth Tamblin
Elizabeth Tamblin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:18
French to English
1 Nov 22, 2017

This week, I have no work, so it's all "life".

Sometimes, my work-life balance is pretty good, as I try hard to choose projects that will not involve working all my waking hours.


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 09:18
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
2 Nov 22, 2017

It’s difficult for me to speak of balance when referring to freelance work. The reality is that I’m either flooded with work or I’ve nothing to do at all…

 
Marjolein Snippe
Marjolein Snippe  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 10:18
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
+ ...
5 Nov 22, 2017

It never rains but it pours - like all of you, I sometimes get flooded with work and sometimes have no work at all.

Even when I get flooded though, and even after a lean period, I am quite happy to reject work that would have me working outside the hours I choose (usually Monday-Friday 9-6). I make sure I have time for life, even if that means earning less. I earn enough to keep me going; the rest of my time is too valuable to spend working.
Most of my clients understand; one
... See more
It never rains but it pours - like all of you, I sometimes get flooded with work and sometimes have no work at all.

Even when I get flooded though, and even after a lean period, I am quite happy to reject work that would have me working outside the hours I choose (usually Monday-Friday 9-6). I make sure I have time for life, even if that means earning less. I earn enough to keep me going; the rest of my time is too valuable to spend working.
Most of my clients understand; one of them explicitly told me not to feel obliged to work weekends, and has her own 'sacred' activities for which work will have to make way.

I did not become a freelancer to have work take over my life!
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Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 10:18
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
5 Nov 22, 2017

I am perfectly happy with my situation, even though work seems to be the dominant factor - but I enjoy it, so why not?

Also, the last 4 years I have not had one day without anything to do, so I am able to choose my projects.

Best job ever!


 
Carina Tschaitschmann
Carina Tschaitschmann
Austria
Local time: 10:18
Member
English to German
+ ...
5 - Very happy! Nov 22, 2017

I'm very happy with my work-life balance...I live on an organic farm with horses, pigs, a dog and a cat and whenever I get stressed or a headache from staring at the computer screen for too long, I go ride one of the horses or go for a walk with my dog...of course the farm means additional work too, but it's a nice change from office work and gets your mind off other things

 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 05:18
English to Spanish
+ ...
Can we come visit you? Nov 22, 2017

Verba Magna wrote:

I'm very happy with my work-life balance...I live on an organic farm with horses, pigs, a dog and a cat and whenever I get stressed or a headache from staring at the computer screen for too long, I go ride one of the horses or go for a walk with my dog...of course the farm means additional work too, but it's a nice change from office work and gets your mind off other things


I first rode a horse (a mare, actually) in Milpitas, California, in 1997 and would love to do something like that again. Can I come visit?



 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 05:18
English to Spanish
+ ...
Work-life balance Nov 22, 2017

I'm sure our ancestors knew all about work-life balance: they called it life.



Since my work is my life, and I have assignments coming out of my ears this month, all is good!




 
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
Nikki Scott-Despaigne  Identity Verified
Local time: 10:18
French to English
Ambiguous Nov 22, 2017

5 is high, 1 is low.
If you relish in lots of work, and have lots, then 5 means you've got lots of work and you're happy with that.
If you have little work, you may be happy with that and enter a high 5 score.
Interpretation of score results confusing, but the comments section is there!


 
Eden Cope
Eden Cope
United States
Local time: 03:18
Swedish to English
+ ...
3 but I'm aiming for 5 Nov 22, 2017

Marjolein Snippe wrote:

It never rains but it pours - like all of you, I sometimes get flooded with work and sometimes have no work at all.

Even when I get flooded though, and even after a lean period, I am quite happy to reject work that would have me working outside the hours I choose (usually Monday-Friday 9-6). I make sure I have time for life, even if that means earning less. I earn enough to keep me going; the rest of my time is too valuable to spend working.
Most of my clients understand; one of them explicitly told me not to feel obliged to work weekends, and has her own 'sacred' activities for which work will have to make way.

I did not become a freelancer to have work take over my life!


I found your comment very helpful. I have been struggling to find balance while freelancing, and I have come to realize that the workflow will rarely ever come at a consistent, balanced rate. So as freelancers, we have to learn to prioritize our own time and decide what is most important to us. We have to create our own balance. The question is, how do we do this and still make sure we are making enough money?


 
Elizabeth Tamblin
Elizabeth Tamblin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:18
French to English
What I do Nov 22, 2017

Eden Cope wrote:

Marjolein Snippe wrote:

It never rains but it pours - like all of you, I sometimes get flooded with work and sometimes have no work at all.

Even when I get flooded though, and even after a lean period, I am quite happy to reject work that would have me working outside the hours I choose (usually Monday-Friday 9-6). I make sure I have time for life, even if that means earning less. I earn enough to keep me going; the rest of my time is too valuable to spend working.
Most of my clients understand; one of them explicitly told me not to feel obliged to work weekends, and has her own 'sacred' activities for which work will have to make way.

I did not become a freelancer to have work take over my life!


I found your comment very helpful. I have been struggling to find balance while freelancing, and I have come to realize that the workflow will rarely ever come at a consistent, balanced rate. So as freelancers, we have to learn to prioritize our own time and decide what is most important to us. We have to create our own balance. The question is, how do we do this and still make sure we are making enough money?


Hope you don't mind if I reply to a question you addressed to someone else.

When you have worked out how many words you can do per day, then you can negotiate with clients/agencies so that you don't have to work unreasonable hours. For instance, if someone offers you a job, and you think the deadline is too tight, tell them that you would like to help, but would it be possible to extend the deadline by x number of hours/days. This often works for me.

Having said that, I've often worked ridiculous hours at nights/weekends to get things done, but it's just not possible to carry on like that on a long-term basis.


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 06:18
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Satisfaction or Work Balance? Nov 23, 2017

Some people considered the actual work balance and answered with a very low rate, as we can't have balance (of volume of work) in our profession. We are loaded with work in a week, then spend 3 days with no work at all. I guess that's all of us.
Some people considered the actual life balance, in terms of satisfaction, and answered with very high rates, either disregarding the word "work" or the word "balance", IMO.
Considering the actual "work-life" balance, I'd say it would be prett
... See more
Some people considered the actual work balance and answered with a very low rate, as we can't have balance (of volume of work) in our profession. We are loaded with work in a week, then spend 3 days with no work at all. I guess that's all of us.
Some people considered the actual life balance, in terms of satisfaction, and answered with very high rates, either disregarding the word "work" or the word "balance", IMO.
Considering the actual "work-life" balance, I'd say it would be pretty hard to be anywhere above 4.5 or below 2.5. I still haven't decided my vote...


[Edited at 2017-11-23 00:58 GMT]
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Poll: On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your work-life balance?






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