Shakespeare in Love. In this movie, we see the great playwright get stuck, and unable to write anything at all. We don't know if Shakespeare ever experienced writer's block in his life, but no one can deny it exists..
The buzz is around writer’s struggle - what about translator’s block? It easily slips through the cracks in a world where people still argue for the invisibility of translators.
You know what they say - it fell to our lot. Get your tips and beat the translator's block.
1. Take a day off
Or just an evening. It’s so difficult not to worry about the approaching deadlines when pages of documents and hours of videos are hovering all around you. You think you can’t afford to take even a short break, let alone an evening or day off. But what’s the point if you’re dragging your poor self around the house, not being able to make any progress but just moaning, “I have so much to do. I cannot take breaks.” 🔋🚀💪🏾
When you decide to take a break, make sure you don’t spend all your time stressing about the job or feeling guilty, though. Find ways to disconnect from your work. Need suggestions? Do yoga, move your body gently, take a little stroll, chat with a beloved friend, or treat yourself to a cup of coffee and a yummy cake. 🕯🍵🍹🍨
What seems like a loss initially will turn into a gain the next day or even a couple of hours later when you sit at your computer with a refreshed mind and body.
Hear From a Translator and Interpreter:
“For me, a translator's block is usually a necessary nightmare. As translators, we are very used to working with tight deadlines, which makes us forget to take the much-needed breaks we need from our computers. I’m no different, sometimes I might be working for hours when I get struck by a translator's block. That’s when I know it's time to stop and take a much-needed break to refresh my mind.
If it’s a short break, I avoid with all my strength looking at screens, no matter how big the temptation to check my social media is. During this time, I normally try to catch some fresh air, call dear ones, check on my cats, or grab a snack. If it’s a long break, cooking or taking a bath feels like therapy. Still, before taking a break, I always try to establish the amount of free time I have. That way, there’s no risk of compromising any deadline.”
2. Don’t kill your brain with multi-tasking The chief culprit of getting stuck with your translation may be the habit of multitasking. As we discussed earlier here, the smartest thing to do is to replace “multi-tasking” with “single-tasking” and motivate yourself by thinking that you can achieve “enough” with a more focused and concentrated brain. 🧠🎆😌
Setting realistic goals, saying no to demands that seem unmanageable for you, and prioritizing your tasks, and updating them every working day help you “unlearn” multitasking - the unproductive and draining way of working and studying.
3. Good and Great News: Technology
You are a language professional and translator - try to approach dystopian stories such as Blank from a different perspective and not take for granted the idea that technology has to be a reason for our unhappiness.
💻Now, if you’re one of Ollang’s registered translators, it means you’ve been using Olabs for a while and have already discovered how AI-powered technology can simplify your workflows. I’m asking you, dear reader: Is Ollang’s AI scary? Have you been let down because you trusted it? Of course, technology has limitations, and we occasionally come across issues. Our development team is here to solve them and improve Olabs with each passing day to help you work more efficiently and productively. 🦾
Have you scheduled your week on Olabs, yet? Every day, exciting translation projects are uploaded to Olabs. No doubt some are right up your alley:) 🗓️💥🎯
What would you want to see at Olabs as a new feature? Send an email to support@ollang.com and leave the rest to us.