Smart Habits for Translators (Veronika Demichelis and Madalena Sánchez Zampaulo)

Welcome to Smart Habits for Translators! We are excited to bring you our podcast on October 1, 2019.

We are shaking things up with a special episode by answering your questions this week! Thank you to everyone who sent us questions.

Before we jump in, we would like to share our support and solidarity with our colleagues who are experiencing a setback in their freelance businesses because of what’s going on right now with the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of recording this, we know that many interpreters have lost work, and while some translators are seeing an uptick in documents related to information on the virus, there are still many who are not receiving work because their clients are hitting the “pause” button.

In addition, some of us are having to take care of kids or other family members while still trying to work.

We’re thinking of you, and we know how challenging it can be for your business and your mental health. We’re sending you our love and support.

And now… Here are the questions that we answered in this episode:
- How do you feel you've grown as translators over the years?⁠ ⁠
- What keeps you on track in the rough weeks? Which habits do you jettison and what stays no matter what?⁠
- What do your tracking systems look like?⁠ ⁠
- What are your tips for young translators?⁠ ⁠
- What are some clever ways to market remotely (besides the usual warm e-mails, etc.)? ⁠ ⁠
- What are your tips and tricks for dealing with worst-case scenarios? ⁠ ⁠
- Any tips on how to automate as much as possible? What and how to improve productivity?⁠ ⁠
- I’m a freelance interpreter getting ready to move to a new city. Any tips for how I can approach new colleagues and smoothly integrate myself into the market? ⁠ ⁠
- How did you decide to do a podcast together on the topic of habits? Do you have all the topics planned out in advance?⁠

For more details and resources, head to our show notes page at https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/13

It has been a strange few weeks, hasn’t it? The global COVID-19 pandemic turned our whole world upside down. It's impossible not to be affected by it in some way.
That's why we decided to record this special episode. We are so grateful to our guest for meeting with us virtually and sharing some great advice on how to come out of this experience feeling stronger.

Sara Maria Hasbun is the founder of Meridian Linguistics, a language services agency providing translation, language data collection, language data analysis, and linguistic annotation services to technology companies. She also blogs about her adventures in "extreme language learning" at misslinguistic.com.
Sara Maria currently lives in Beijing and has been practicing social isolation for more than two months as a result of COVID-19. We found her tips and encouragement very uplifting, and we hope that you'll feel the same way after listening to this episode.
Here is a summary of we discussed in this episode:
• What Sara Maria’s experience with social isolation has been like
• How her social life and mental health have been throughout this experience ⁠ ⁠
• What she did to stay busy
• How to overcome the feeling of uncertainty over what comes next
• How to deal with fear related to the health of your loved ones
• How to stay in touch with friends and family during this time
• How to deal with the disruption to your daily routine
• How to overcome anxiety and the inability to focus
• What to do if you’re worried for your financial future and the future of our profession
• Tips for those who are living and working in a foreign country—far from their family and home—during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Our smart habit hacks (as well as one from a listener!) during this time of social distancing and home confinement

For more details and resources, visit our show notes at https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/14

This topic may be one that hits particularly close to home for a lot of us, especially in times of uncertainty and stress.

We all know how important sleep is for our physical and mental health, but it can also be one of the hardest habits to maintain. Many of us can relate to this during the current COVID-19 crisis, when our usual daily routine is disrupted, our financial stability is affected, and we are overwhelmed with heavy news. That’s why we felt it was particularly important to talk about smart sleep habits and how to maintain them, even in these turbulent times.

Here is a summary of we discussed in this episode:

- How to plan to get enough sleep, and what you need to have in place to succeed with this habit
- How to establish a solid bedtime routine
- Why it is important to limit the time you spend with screens and digital devices before bedtime
- Why quality may be more important than quantity when it comes to sleep
- How to create your ideal sleep environment
- Why healthy sleep habits are so important for translators and interpreters in the work we do
- What happens when we don’t get enough sleep on a consistent basis
- How nutrition affects our sleep habits
- Our smart habit hacks for quieting our mind before bedtime

For more details and resources, visit our show notes at https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/15

While everything about business looks a bit different than usual for most people right now, we can still be thinking about smart habits to put in place to market our businesses moving forward. Does it feel strange to think about marketing your services these days? You’re not alone!

That’s why we’re excited to share our interview with our colleague and friend, Tess Whitty.

A disclaimer: we recorded this interview about a month before the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world. However, the content of our conversation is still relevant, and we hope that you find some ideas useful. Now, back to our guest.

Tess Whitty is an English-Swedish freelance translator specializing in corporate communications, software and IT. She has a M.Sc. in Economics and a M.A. in marketing and previously worked as a marketing manager.

Tess shares her knowledge and experience in marketing and business as an award winning speaker, trainer, consultant, author and podcaster. For more information, or to connect, go to www.swedishtranslationservices.com or www.marketingtipsfortranslators.com.

Here is a summary of what we discussed in this episode:

- How and when Tess started her freelance translator career

- How her typical workday looks, and how her daily routine changed and evolved over the years

- What smart habits that have been crucial in her career

- What marketing habits most freelance translators struggle with, underestimate, or overlook

- Tess’ advice to translators who are just starting out in their freelance career and who struggle with choosing what is most important to focus on first

- Tess’ marketing tips for mid-career professionals who are looking to grow their business

For more details and resources, visit our show notes at https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/16

This topic was a request from one of our listeners, and we thought it would likely apply to the current situation when many of us are feeling a lull in our work—or maybe even some patchy spots when work is busy for a week and then completely quiet the next—because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the global economy.

We’ll also talk about other situations when you might experience a quiet work period, like holidays, summer vacation, or those times when you have unresponsive clients.

So, today, we’ll share our perspective and tips on how to get through these quiet work periods successfully by employing some smart habits.

Here is a summary of our conversation:

- Why it’s important not to overreact, but instead, to think about the situation in a calm, constructive manner

- What you can do when work slows down or dries up in emergency situations (like the current COVID-19 crisis)

- How to “nudge” existing clients and contact new ones in a graceful and respectful way

- How to go about expanding your service offerings, looking at other areas where your clients may need you—maybe pivoting

- How to create meaningful professional partnerships with colleagues

- What you can do to incorporate professional development into your schedule

- Why you may want to use the quiet work periods to volunteer with professional associations or become a mentor

- What you can do to improve your website and marketing materials

- How to contact unresponsive clients and not looks “salesy”

- How to plan for those times of year when work tends to slow down

- Why it’s so important to keep some perspective during slow work times

For more details and resources, visit our show notes at https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/17

As the name of our podcast suggests, we’re always on the lookout for new smart habits that can be helpful in our work and personal life. We have been long-time admirers of the approach that today's guest takes to create work/life clarity and find freedom in freelancing. Our friend and colleague, Matt Baird, is joining us to share how he transitioned to a four-day work week.

A necessary caveat: Like most of us, Matt’s reality is quite different these days (during the COVID-19 pandemic). However, his goal is to return to a four-day work week as soon as possible, as it helps him find some much-needed time for himself and his family.

About our guest:

Matt Baird is an ATA-certified German-to-English translator, editor, and copywriter specializing in marketing and communications. He is also an active member of the American Translators Association, currently serving as an ATA PR writer and host of the ATA Podcast.

Matt has a BA in German and International Affairs from the University of Colorado at Boulder. After studying at Georgetown University and working in Washington, DC, Matt broke out of the Beltway and fled back to Colorado, where he traded his suit for sweatpants and launched a successful freelance translation business. Now based in Germany near the banks of the Rhine River, Matt is at his best crafting copy in his quiet office, but happiest playing with his wife and two kids in the great outdoors.

Here is a summary of our conversation with Matt:
- How and when he started his freelance translator career
- How his typical workday looked before the COVID-19 pandemic, how it looks now, and how his daily routine has changed and evolved over the years
- When and why he made the switch to a four-day work week and how he made that transition
- What habits and strategies he had to adopt to make it happen
- How he set reasonable expectations and boundaries for his work and volunteer commitments
- How he typically organizes his work week
- What smart habits he recommends to colleagues who would like to have a successful week

For more details and resources, visit our show notes at https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/18

To learn more about Susie Jackson's group mentoring program "Charge with Confidence", visit her website: https://www.susiejackson.co.uk/charge-with-confidence

We hope that the topic of today’s episode is relevant not just for translators or interpreters, but for all freelancers! While we are used to working from home, we know that it's been an especially stressful time during the COVID-19 pandemic to delineate between work and personal time.

In this episode, we talk about different ways to delineate your work day—not in a general sense of setting boundaries, like we discussed in Episode 1 on Work/Life Balance, but specifically how to signal to yourself that your work day has come to an end— and how to shift from work mode to after-work mode, your time to rest and recharge.

This topic was a request from our listener and colleague Emily Safrin, who also happens to be the winner of our giveaway! A huge thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to Emily on winning a one-on-one financial mentoring session with Susie Jackson. We hope to do more fun events like this in the future to thank you, our listeners, for your support.

Back to the topic of delineating your work day… Since the pandemic began, many of us have had to deal with a disrupted schedule, care for kids or other family members, and work different hours than we’re used to working. It's more important than ever to think about different ways to draw the line between work and personal time, ways to end the work day and decompress.

Here is a summary of our conversation:

- Our own struggles related to delineating when the work day starts and when it ends

- What you can do at the end of your work day to set yourself up for success for the following day

- Why clearing your office space, desk, or computer from clutter may be helpful

- How you can use the timer method recommended by Matt Baird in Episode 18

- Mindful ways to transition from work mode to rest mode with the help of exercise, reading, music, or creative hobbies

- Our thoughts on the Workday Shutdown Ritual in the Full Focus Planner

- Why visual cues can be helpful in establishing your own Workday Shutdown Ritual

- What you can change about your physical environment to relax and get ready to rest

- Why self-reflection, acts of kindness, or help offered to colleagues or clients can be the perfect way to end the day on a high note

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Amanda Calvin’s website and Instagram account

Episode 1: Work/Life Clarity

Episode 17: Coping With Quiet Work Periods

Episode 18: Creating a Four-Day Work Week with Matt Baird

Full Focus Planner

Episode 14: Smart Habits during Social Isolation: A Special Episode with Sara Maria Hasbun

How to post a podcast review on Apple Podcasts

On June 9th, we’ll be sending our email subscribers a summary of this episode with a link to the show notes so you can quickly find all the resources that we mentioned.

Our next episode will be available on June 16th. Our colleague Corinne McKay will be talking about smart habits for creating professional partnerships, and we can’t wait to share this episode with you!

In today’s episode, we’re talking with our friend and colleague Corinne McKay about creating professional partnerships with colleagues. Many of you have surely heard of Corinne, but if you haven’t, here’s a quick introduction:

Corinne McKay is an ATA-certified French to English translator and Colorado court-certified French interpreter based in Boulder, Colorado. She has been a full-time freelancer since 2002, and since 2005 has written books and taught courses for other freelance translators in addition to her own translation and interpreting work. Corinne's book How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator has sold over 12,000 copies and is a go-to reference for freelancers and for university-level translation and interpreting programs.

After serving for seven years on the Board of the American Translators Association, including as ATA president from 2017-2019, Corinne now focuses on her own work, translating in the areas of international development, corporate communications, and non-fiction books, and interpreting in the Colorado courts and for private law firms. Together with Eve Bodeux, Corinne also co-hosts the podcast Speaking of Translation.

Here is a summary of our conversation with Corinne:
• How and when she started her freelance translation career
• How her typical workday looked before the COVID-19 pandemic, how it looks now, and how her daily routine has changed and evolved over the years
• What smart habits have been crucial in her career
• How to determine the types of professional partnerships you want to create/build
• Whether or not to create some structure around the partnership
• How to make sure that the partnership is a mutually beneficial relationship
• What habits are important for keeping partnerships going and making them successful
• How to know if/when it's time to end a partnership
• Corinne’s advice for freelance translators who want to build partnerships with colleagues
books and resources we mentioned in this episode:
• Corinne McKay’s blog and online training platform Training for Translators
• Corinne McKay’s Twitter account
• How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator by Corinne McKay
• Speaking of Translation: podcast by Corinne McKay and Eve Bodeux
• Madalena’s blog post: “How to Care for the Health of Your Translation or Interpreting Business during the COVID-19 Pandemic”
• Global Reads Book Club for Translators by Eve Bodeux
• Interpretrain: online interpreter training platform
• The Translator: A Novel by Nina Schuyler
• Wolf Hall Trilogy by Hilary Mantel
• Pesquisa FAPESP in Portuguese and English
• Maintaining Your Second Language by Eve Bodeux
• You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
• HabitShare app
• Gemini app

For more information and links to all the resources for this episode, please visit our show notes page:
https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/20

As freelancers, most of us have to deal with some degree of burnout at one time or another.
We work remotely, but that means that we don’t have colleagues nearby who we can vent to or have a quick work break with. We work flexible hours, but we work for ourselves, which means that we can easily choose to work extended hours or devote evenings and weekends to work.
We are trying to achieve our financial goals while being constantly reminded about the need to market ourselves, develop professionally, stay up-to-date with relevant tools and resources, understand our clients better, and run a full business operation, most of the time with only one staff member.
The current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic adds other factors to the equation: for many it has meant a loss of business, financial uncertainty, homeschooling kids, co-working with family members, and, of course, protecting our own and our family’s health and safety. The list goes on and on…
Just talking about it can make you feel overwhelmed! We’ve all been there, and we’ve talked to several colleagues who feel this way right now.
So, we thought this would be an important topic to discuss, and we hope that this episode will give you some ideas on how to prevent burnout or how to overcome it if you’re starting to feel that you've already reached a state of burnout.
Here is a summary of our conversation:
• Our own experiences with burnout
• How to recognize the symptoms of burnout
• Why it’s important to admit to yourself how you’re feeling and allow yourself to rest and recharge
• How open and honest conversations with your family and friends can help you reflect on the factors that led to burnout
• Why you need to analyze the reasons you are experiencing burnout
• What changes you may need to make in order to overcome burnout and prevent it from happening again
• Why it’s important to overcome feelings of guilt, self-criticism, and the fear of embarrassment and being judged by others when you decide to make necessary changes
• Why setting boundaries, making time for your personal interests and projects, prioritizing rest, staying social, and outsourcing some personal and professional tasks are among the most important things you can do to prevent burnout

Books and resources we mentioned in this episode:
• Full Focus Planner: original, pocket-sized, and kids’ version
• Episode 18: Creating a Four-Day Work Week with Matt Baird
• Episode 1: Work/Life Clarity
• Using the Downtime function on your iPhone and iPad
• An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Col. Chris Hadfield
• Small Fry: A Memoir by Lisa Brennan-Jobs

On July 7, we’ll be sending our email subscribers a summary of this episode with a link to the show notes so you can quickly find and save all the resources that we mentioned.
Our next episode will be available on July 14. We will welcome a special guest that we are very excited about and talk about another topic that is relevant for many of us right now. If you follow our podcast on social media or receive our email newsletters, you will be the first to hear about the topic of our next episode and our special guest!

For more information and links to all the resources for this episode, please visit our show notes page:
https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/21

Back in May, we asked our listeners what topic we should discuss on our podcast, and the response was overwhelming: anxiety.

We believe that this response is definitely a reflection of the time we’re all in, but it is also something many freelancers struggle with from time to time—both anxiety in general and social anxiety in particular.

We are very grateful to our guest, Sadie Hall, for joining us in this episode and sharing her experience with managing anxiety, social anxiety, and perfectionism.

Sadie is a freelance translator and editor living in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. She completed an honours bachelor of arts with a specialization in French-to-English translation at the University of Ottawa from 2010 to 2012. Her previous degree, also from the University of Ottawa, was a general bachelor of arts with a minor in linguistics. In 2012, she launched her freelance career, building on her network of contacts from the university.

She worked full-time on her freelance business until her first child was born in 2015. Since then, she has been doing the parenting and freelancing balancing act with varying degrees of success, depending on the month. She also speaks candidly on her blog and Instagram account about her experiences with motherhood and mental health issues, particularly recovering from social anxiety and perfectionism.

She hopes that sharing her mental health journey can raise awareness and help others feel less alone, and she is planning to write a mental health memoir soon.

Here is a summary of our conversation with Sadie:

• How and when she started her freelance translation career

• How her journey in dealing with anxiety, and social anxiety in particular, started

• How she realized that anxiety was affecting her and what she did to manage this condition

• What role her support system has played in the process

• What social anxiety is and how it might affect someone’s work

• What some of the symptoms of social anxiety are and how to know if you should talk to someone or seek help

• How perfectionism can affect translators and become a contributing factor to anxiety, and, more importantly, what you can do to manage it

• How to manage stress and the challenges that come with owning a freelance business

• How stress and anxiety can play into the balance of family and work life and how to navigate these priorities while dealing with anxiety

• What smart habits can help you manage anxiety, social anxiety, and perfectionism

• Sadie’s advice to freelance translators who suspect they may be suffering from anxiety

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Sadie’s Instagram account and anxiety blog

• Sadie’s freelance business site

• Mood tracker

• Bonkers: A Real Mum's Hilariously Honest Tales of Motherhood, Mayhem and Mental Health by Olivia Siegl

• The Joy of Missing Out: Live More by Doing Less by Tonya Dalton

• The Genius Life: Heal Your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Become Extraordinary by Max Lugavere

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, know that there are resources and professionals who can help. Reach out to your physician, your local mental health hotline, or someone you trust and let them know you need help.

We’ll be sending our email subscribers a summary of today’s episode with a link to the show notes so you can quickly find all the resources that we mentioned today.

Sadie has also kindly offered to share a free resource with our listeners. You will find it in our next subscriber email that will go out on July 21. If you’d like to receive it, please sign up for our emails below.

Our next episode will be available on July 29th. If you want to hear about the topics of our upcoming episodes before they’re released, be sure to subscribe to our emails and follow us on social media!

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/22

We all know that professional development is extremely important for both translators and interpreters, but it can sometimes be a challenge to prioritize it over paid work, marketing, or establishing and growing your business.

Especially these days, with so many learning and training opportunities available, it can be overwhelming to pick the right one.

In this episode, we share our own experiences and thoughts on the topic of professional development for language professionals: how to choose, plan, and schedule it, as well as how to implement what you’ve learned.

Here is a summary of our conversation:

• How to choose from the multitude of professional development options that exist for translators and interpreters

• What mistakes we've made (and have heard other translators say they've made) when it comes to professional development

• Why planning your professional development is better than taking an ad hoc approach

• How to budget for professional development and find affordable (or free) high-quality training

• How to find the balance between working on your translation or interpreting skills, improving your knowledge in the area of your specialization, or learning more about the business side of freelancing: marketing, admin, business development, etc.

• How to find time for professional development

• Where translators and interpreters can look for professional development opportunities

• Why it's important to implement what you learned and how to do it effectively

• How to incorporate professional development into your business planning/review process (for example, the business retreat exercise that we talked about in Episode 8!)

• How to make the best of all the online training courses, conferences, workshops, and webinars that are available now during the COVID-19 pandemic

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 8: Setting Goals for the New Year

• Madalena’s blog post: “Simple Ways to Budget for That BIG-Ticket Professional T&I Conference or Course”

• Madalena’s blog post: “Learning vs. Implementing: A Simple Strategy to Start Taking Action in Your Freelance Business during the COVID-19 Pandemic”

• MOOCs: Coursera, Udemy, EdX, LinkedIn Learning

• MasterClass

• MasterClass: The Art of Negotiation by Chris Voss

• Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss

• Headspace

• Calm

• Book of the Month

• Genius Scan

• One Tab

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/23

No matter how well you plan ahead, there are times when things happen that are out of your control. We're all experiencing this right now as a result of this year's events.

Perhaps the world health and economic crisis threw a wrench in your business plans this year. Or maybe your career had to take a back seat due to family obligations or parenting responsibilities. Or perhaps you've experienced an uptick in work (in which case, congratulations!).

Normally, this summer, we would do a mid-year business review and set goals for the next 6 months, but it’s not so easy to do that this year.

We hear you! That's why this episode is a conversation about correcting course and setting new goals for your translation or interpreting business for the rest of 2020 (and maybe the start of 2021).

Here is a summary of our conversation:

• Which tips from our previous episode about planning a solo business retreat (here it is in case you missed that one!) are still relevant for business review/business planning in times of uncertainty

• How to lay out the goals for your business retreat and decide what aspects of your business and life you will be planning

• Why it is important to decide where and when you will do your business retreat and schedule some uninterrupted time to complete it

• Why you might want to do a virtual business retreat with a colleague and how to organize it

• Examples of topics to cover during your business retreat, including:

o Tasks that you dislike or don’t have time for, things that you could outsource, delegate, or cross off your list

o Peak productivity hours and tasks that you do best in the morning or the afternoon (and how the current reality has affected this)

o How the global pandemic and current economy have affected your business and if you need to consider changing course, diversifying, or pivoting your business

o Parenting responsibilities and how they affect your availability

o Various aspects related to your workspace, especially if you are share it with other family members

o Goals related to health, lifestyle, and hobbies

• Next steps after you've completed your business retreat

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 8: Setting Goals for the New Year

• ACES: The Society for Editing

• IABC: International Association of Business Communicators

• The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper

• Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

• List of translated editions of Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

• Full Focus Planner

• Book of the Month

On August 4th we'll be sending our email subscribers a summary of today’s episode with a link to all the resources that we mentioned today. If you’d like to receive it, please sign up for our emails below.

We’ll also be taking a short break for the rest of the month of August to recharge and spend some time with our families. Our next episode will be released on September 8th. Talk to you then!

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/24

Online security seems to be more important than ever these days. Since technology has become so ingrained in our daily lives, especially as a result of the pandemic, it's essential to do what we can to stay safe online.

But how much do you know about staying safe online? And more importantly, do you implement all those recommended precautions, like smart password management?

We wanted to get a refresher on this topic and encourage fellow translators and interpreters to take the necessary steps to protect their identities and personal information, as well as any confidential client data.

The exciting news is that this episode features not one, but two special (and tech-savvy!) guests: Alexander Drechsel and Josh Goldsmith, co-founders of techforword, an online training platform for modern wordsmiths.

Alex and Josh joined us to talk about productivity and technology, online security, and smart habits that help them in their own work, professional partnership, and personal lives.

Alexander Drechsel works as a conference interpreter at the European Commission. His love of languages and communication with people is only matched by his affection for mobile devices of all shapes and sizes: Alexander has been an iPad user since day one and also knows a thing or two about Android tablets. As Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of techforword, Alexander shares his knowledge in courses, on Twitter, and on his website. An avid podcaster, he writes and produces two podcasts for language professionals, LangFM and Troublesome Terps.

Josh Goldsmith is a UN and EU accredited translator and interpreter working from Spanish, French, Italian and Catalan into English. He splits his time between interpreting, translating, and working as a trainer and researcher focusing on the intersection between interpreting, technology and education. As Co-Founder and Chief Educational Officer of techforword, Josh shares tips about technology, translation and interpreting in conferences and workshops, academic articles, and on Twitter.

If you have ever heard Alex and Josh via one of their webinars, podcasts, or any talks, you know that they are very energetic and fun. This interview is no exception! We really enjoyed talking to them and would love to welcome them again to the podcast in the future.

We hope their tips will help you stay safe, organized, and productive while you work on various projects and collaborate with colleagues. If you have any colleagues who might find this episode interesting, we hope you'll send them the link or encourage them to subscribe to the podcast!

Here is a summary of our conversation with Alex and Josh:

• How and when they started their career

• How their typical work day looks and what changes they had to make due to the COVID-19 pandemic

• What they think about work/life clarity and how they set boundaries between their work and personal life

• What smart habits have been crucial in their career

• How their professional partnership as co-founders and instructors of techforword started

• What habits have been important for keeping this partnership going and making it successful

• What smart habits they recommend to all translators and interpreters to stay safe online

• What we can do to protect our own identities, personal information, and data

• How to protect our clients' data when using cloud-based storage and back-up tools

• Other tips and tricks for translators and interpreters related to organized and safe online collaboration

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 1: Work/Life Clarity

• techforword website, courses, and webinar series

• techforword’s Productivity Powerhouse course: get 20$ off with the discount code SMARTHABITS or by using this direct link http://xl8.link/smarthabits until September 20, 2020

• techforword’s free webinar: Staying Safe Online

• techforword’s free mini-course: iPads for Wordsmiths: Five tried and tested tips to boost your productivity

• techforword’s free mini-course: Androids for Wordsmiths: Five tried and tested tips to boost your productivity

• Follow techforword on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube

• Behind the scenes: The tech behind techforword

• Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen

• 1Password: Password Manager

• Meeter app: Calls and meetings in one place

• Alex and Josh’s favorite VPN apps: TunnelBear and Encrypt.me

• iPad by Apple

• Logitech Ergo K860 Wireless Ergonomic Keyboard

• Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse

• Massage ball kit for myofascial trigger point release

• Ember: Temperature-controlled smart mug

On September 15th, we'll be sending our email subscribers a summary of today’s episode with a link to all the resources that we mentioned today. If you’d like to receive it, please sign up for our emails below.

Our next episode will be released on September 22nd. If you want to hear about the topics of our episodes before they’re released, be sure to subscribe to our emails and follow us on social media!

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/25

You might remember that we talked about smart habits for attending conferences last year, in Episode 3. We shared tips about the things you can do before, during, and after a conference to make it worth the investment of your time, your energy, and your money. In fact, this is our most popular episode since we launched the podcast last year, and we are so glad that our colleagues are still finding these tips useful. But, as so many things have moved online this year, we realized that we needed to share an update on this topic.

As we all know, most in-person events were cancelled this year. And here in the US, there are no signs of them resuming in the near future. However, many conferences have gone virtual, and we think that this new format will continue even when we are able to meet in person again.

We can all agree that online conferences are very different from in-person events. But there are good sides to this “new normal,” and there are different ways to make the best of this virtual learning and networking experience.

So, we thought that we should share some smart habits for attending online conferences.

We hope that you find this episode useful and that our tips will help you overcome any sense of overwhelm and hesitation about attending online conferences. We think that there is a positive side to many translation and interpreting events going virtual this year, and we hope that you will make the best of your virtual conference experiences.

Here is a summary of our conversation:

- What virtual conferences we attended in 2020 and what you, our listeners, shared with us on social media about how you feel about online events

- Why it’s important to budget for conferences, whether they take place online or in-person

- How to choose an online conference that is the right fit for you and your professional goals

- How to avoid decision fatigue when so many professional development and networking events have become more accessible and affordable

- Why you might want to review your objectives for attending an online conference

- Why having a conference “buddy” may help you bring your virtual conference experience closer to real life

- How to prepare for an online conference and make it as stress-free as possible

- What techniques you could try to stay focused and retain information

- What things we recommend doing after a virtual conference

- How to make time to watch conference sessions (live or recorded) and start implementing what you learned

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Episode 3: Conference Habits

Where to find information about upcoming conferences and events in the translation and interpreting industry: ATA calendar of T&I events ITI calendar of events

Memory hacks for retaining information

The Savvy Writer's Guide to Productivity: How to Work Less, Finish Writing Your Story or Book, and Find the Success You Deserve by Bryan Collins

An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten

Why is it so hard to sit and read a book these days? The science behind why it’s so hard to read a book right now Why it’s so hard to read a book right now, explained by a neuroscientist

Eve Bodeux’s Global Reads Book Club

On September 29th, we'll be sending our email subscribers a summary of today’s episode, including a free downloadable checklist for making the best of your online conference experience. If you’d like to receive it, please sign up for our emails below.

Our next episode will be released on October 6th. This will be a special episode to celebrate our first podcast-i-versary, and we will be answering questions that we’ve received from our listeners, so stay tuned for that!

If you want to hear about the topics of our episodes before they’re released, be sure to subscribe to our emails and follow us on social media!

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/26

The Smart Habits for Translators podcast is 1 year old!

To celebrate our podcastiversary, we recorded another Ask Us Anything episode, answering questions that we received from our listeners and colleagues via social media.

Here’s a summary of our conversation:

• Our thoughts on the unwritten rule that translators should only translate into their native language and not into their second language

• What it's like being freelancers and moms during this very atypical time

• How we battle Zoom fatigue

• Whether we were nervous before our first episode and if the nerves have gone away, especially when we interview guests

• What translation specializations are in demand right now

• Whether we have any little quirks or weird habits we practice for good luck before starting on a specific work task

• How many hours a day we usually work (pre-pandemic) and how we organize our time between translation and administrative tasks

• The details of our giveaway to celebrate 1 year of Smart Habits for Translators: how you can enter and what we're giving away

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our previous Ask Us Anything episode

• Episode 22: Smart Habits for Managing Social Anxiety and Perfectionism with Sadie Hall

• Sadie Hall’s podcast: Anxious Creators Unite!

• Jost Zetzsche’s website and his Twitter account, where he asked translators what market segments they've seen growing during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Nimdzi’s report on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the interpreting market and what areas of business are booming

• Nimdzi’s assessment of the segments of the language services industry that have experienced a negative, positive, or neutral impact of the pandemic

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/27

As many of you may know, October is international breast cancer awareness month. So, it seemed like the perfect time for a very important conversation: dealing with (and overcoming) serious illness, as well as some smart habits that can be helpful if you or someone you know is dealing with something similar right now (or in the future).

We are very grateful to our colleague and friend, Meghan Konkol, for discussing this important topic with us.

Here’s a summary of our conversation with Meghan:

- How and when she started her freelance translation career

- What her typical work day looks like and what changes she made because of the COVID-19 pandemic

- How she protects the boundaries between her work and personal life

- What smart habits have been crucial in her career

- How her battle with breast cancer affected her work/life priorities

- What role her support system played in the process

- What habits she has found most helpful during her battle with cancer and what continues to be important for her, now that she is cancer-free

- Her advice for other freelancers who are in a similar situation or would like to take some preventative steps

- What you can do if you would like to help someone you know who is battling cancer, or if you would like to support breast cancer organizations

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Episode 27: A Special Episode to Celebrate Our First Podcastiversary

Meghan’s website and Twitter account

Episode 15: Smart Sleep Habits

Episode 2: Impostor Syndrome

The Todoist app

1 Second Everyday

Episode 14: Smart Habits during Social Isolation: A Special Episode with Sara Maria Hasbun

Drops app for language learning

Voxer app: a walkie talkie messenger

Slack app for team communication

Breast cancer organizations that Meghan recommends supporting:

- Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation

- Young Survival Coalition

- Breast Cancer Research Foundation

- METAvivor

- Living Beyond Breast Cancer

- After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/28

We are excited to announce this special joint episode with our colleagues, friends, and superstar-podcasters Corinne McKay and Eve Bodeux!

Corinne and Eve are co-hosts of the popular podcast, Speaking of Translation, which we have both been enjoying since before we even thought about launching our own.

When Corinne and Eve asked if we would like to record a collaborative episode together, we didn't even hesitate to say yes. These ladies are wonderful to talk to, and we highly recommend that you subscribe to their podcast!

Since we only have a few weeks left until the end of the year, we thought it would be a good idea to discuss a topic that is, or soon will be, on all of our minds: how to handle the winter holidays as a freelancer.

Here’s what we talked about:

• How we usually handle the end-of-year holidays, specifically Christmas and New Year’s Eve

• What ideas we have for beginning freelance translators and how they might use the holidays to their advantage

• How we determine when we need to take some time off and how we make sure we don’t sneak off to work a little bit now and then

• What we send clients and colleagues as holiday gifts

• How we let our clients and colleagues know about our time off and what we do to prepare for this break

• What ideas we have for post-holiday marketing

• How we like to wrap up the year and get ready for the new one

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Speaking of Translation podcast

• Eve Bodeux’s website and Global Reads book club

• Corinne McKay’s website and Training for Translators courses

• Madalena’s T&I Website Blueprint Course

• ATA61 virtual conference

• ATA Back to Business Basics webinar: Handling the Holidays as a Freelancer

• BoxFox

• Zazzle

• Asana

• Todoist

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/29

In today’s episode we’re excited to welcome our friend and colleague, Eve Bodeux.

Eve Lindemuth Bodeux is a 20+-year veteran of the language services industry and has worn many hats. She is an ATA-certified French to English translator focusing on the translation of corporate communications, market research and international development content. She is also the owner of Bodeux International LLC, offering multilingual project management to clients worldwide.

Eve is co-host of the long-running Speaking of Translation podcast and author of Maintaining Your Second Language: practical and productive strategies for translators, teachers, interpreters and other language lovers. She sponsors an online book club for translators called the Global Reads Book Club that focuses on books in translation. She is currently serving a term on the Board of Directors of the American Translators Association through 2021.

Here’s what we talked about with Eve:

• How to consistently work on maintaining your second-language skills

• How to make language practice fun

• How to get out of a "rut" when it comes to improving/maintaining your second language

• What strategies you can use when raising bilingual kids

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Eve Bodeux’s website and Twitter account

• Eve’s Global Reads Book Club

• Speaking of Translation podcast

• Speaking of Translation episodes: “Maintaining your second (third, etc.) language” and “Raising bilingual children”

• Maintaining Your Second Language by Eve Bodeux:

o Purchase Eve's book on Apple Books

o Purchase Eve's book Amazon (Kindle or print)

o Purchase Eve's book directly from her by contacting her at eve@bodeuxinternational.com

• American Translators Association (ATA)

• Eve’s interview with English into Italian translator and author Jenny McPhee

• Eve’s interview with Nina Schuyler, the author of The Translator: A Novel

• Marleen Seegers of 2 Seas Agency interviews Eve on the Make Books Travel podcast

• Bose SoundLink around-ear wireless headphones II

• WONDERBOOM portable waterproof bluetooth speaker

• Asana

• Selfie ring light with an extendable tripod stand and flexible phone holder

• Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A true (as told to me) story by Bess Kalb

• Organized Enough: The Anti-Perfectionist's Guide to Getting—and Staying—Organized by Amanda Sullivan

• Watching You: A Novel by Lisa Jewell

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/30

We all know that marketing is necessary to run any business well. And while sometimes marketing can feel tedious or overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can very much create some good habits around marketing your business that will leave you feeling more in control of the future of your business and with more work/life clarity.

In this episode, we're sharing about something that has worked well for us and that, we hope, will be helpful to you: smart habits for marketing in unexpected ways. Be sure to stay tuned until the end of this episode. We’re announcing a new project we’ve been working on that is related to this topic and that you can take part in, too!

Here’s what we cover in this episode:

• Our thoughts and personal experiences related to marketing our services

• Some places and opportunities where you might have a chance to talk about your services and connect with potential clients:

o Interactions with people in specific groups or communities you belong to, like school parent groups, sports and hobbies, church groups, community volunteer meet-ups, etc.

o Online events and informal meetings, including those held by non-T&I associations

o Various forums and social media groups, both related to our profession and to your own special interests

o Facebook Groups, LinkedIn InMail and Groups, Twitter, and Instagram

o Places where people often look for information or advice, like Google, Yelp, and Nextdoor

o Comments that you leave on other people’s/client’s blog posts or social media posts

o Conversations with and referrals from colleagues

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our webinar on marketing in unexpected ways on January 22, 2021 ((join our email list to get a discount code!): https://www.madalenazampaulo.com/products/smart-habits-for-marketing-your-business-in-unexpected-ways

• Madalena’s blog post: “Should I Market My Translation or Interpreting Services on Social Media?”

• Madalena’s blog post: “These Simple Tweaks to Your LinkedIn Settings Could Help You Get More Translation or Interpreting Work”

• Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

• Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

• Global Reads Book Club, hosted by Eve Bodeux

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/31

If you listened to our popular episode on conference habits (Episode 3 at the very beginning of our podcasting journey), you may remember that we mentioned a book called The Introvert’s Edge: How the Quiet and Shy Can Outsell Anyone. We both really enjoyed this book and often recommend it to friends and colleagues who may struggle with introvert tendencies.

Now, in Episode 32, we’re excited to welcome a special guest: the author of The Introvert’s Edge, Matthew Pollard.

Matthew Pollard is responsible for five multi-million-dollar business success stories, all before the age of 30. His humble beginnings, the adversities he faced, and his epic rise to success show that anyone, with the right motivation and the right strategies, can achieve anything they set their mind to.

Today, Forbes calls him “the real deal,” Global Gurus lists him as a Top 30 Sales Professional, Top Sales World Magazine named him a Top 50 Speaker, and BigSpeak lists him as an international Top 10 Sales Trainer. He’s also the bestselling author of The Introvert’s Edge, which hit the Amazon charts as the 8th Most-Sold Book of the Week, appears on HubSpot’s list of the “Most Highly-Rated Sales Books of All Time,” and was selected by BookAuthority as the #2 “Best Introvert Book of All Time.”

His soon-to-be-released second book, The Introvert’s Edge to Networking, has already received endorsements from Harvard, Princeton, Neil Patel, Michael Gerber, Dr. Ivan Misner, and Marshall Goldsmith.

Here’s a summary of our conversation with Matthew:

His journey from daily rejection as a young salesperson to being the #1 salesperson at the company and then becoming an internationally-recognized consultant and entrepreneur

What smart habits have been crucial in his career

How his first book, The Introvert’s Edge, came to be and what he'd advise introverts to implement today

How storytelling can help you connect with potential customers

How introverts can learn to sell well

What you can do to keep impostor syndrome at bay

How introverted freelancers can connect with clients, gain their trust, and ask the right questions, especially these days when we have had to shift to mostly online interactions due to the pandemic

How many languages The Introvert’s Edge has been translated into and how a translator helped get his book published in Vietnamese

What smart habits help Matthew prevent overwhelm and draw boundaries between work and personal life

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Our webinar on marketing in unexpected ways on January 22, 2021 (join our email list below to get a discount code!)

More about Matthew Pollard and discover how to differentiate yourself from your competition and craft a unified message that intrigues potential clients to want to know more

Matthew’s books: The Introvert’s Edge and The Introvert’s Edge to Networking

The first chapter of The Introvert’s Edge (free)

The first chapter of the Introvert’s Edge to Networking (free)

NaturalReader: Text-to-Speech

How to Use the iPhone Text-to-Speech Feature

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/32

It’s very common at the end of a calendar year to analyze how things went and what you would like to do differently in the coming year. So, we thought it appropriate to talk about productivity, organization, time management, and priorities for this last episode of the year.

We’re excited to welcome a very special guest, colleague and fellow translator Dorothee Racette.

Dorothee is a Certified Translator and a Certified Productivity Coach.

She brings together her expertise from decades of working as a freelance translator with her experience as a certified productivity coach. She specializes in helping clients move out of procrastination to maximize their business potential and live a more enjoyable life.

Dorothee served in leadership roles within ATA for 17 years, including as ATA President from 2011 to 2013. She started her own productivity consulting firm, Take Back My Day, in 2014 to explore methods for improving creativity and workflow. She now divides her time between coaching, translating and teaching. Her book, Complete What You Started, is coming out soon.

Here’s a summary of our conversation with Dorothee:

• How and when she started her freelance translation career and how it has evolved over time

• What her typical workday looks like

• What smart habits help her draw boundaries between work and personal life

• What advice she'd offer to fellow freelancers who struggle with overwhelm and productivity

• How to set priorities when you have a lot on your plate and how to balance paid work, volunteer work, and any other responsibilities you have

• What smart habits can help you keep your physical and digital workspace organized

• How to deal with projects that you didn’t manage to accomplish this year and how to set realistic goals for the new year

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our webinar on marketing in unexpected ways on January 22, 2021 (join our email list below to get a discount code!)

• Dorothee’s productivity coaching business and blog: Take Back My Day

• ATA 61st Annual Conference where Dorothee presented “Freelancing in a World of Distractions” (conference attendees have access to all the session recordings for at least 6 months)

• ATA’s Mastermind Program

• Dorothee’s webinar for ATA: “Managing the Stages of Your Small Business”

• Dorothee’s interview on the Marketing Tips for Translators podcast: How to Conquer Distractions and Move Your Freelance Business Forward

• Password managers: 1Password and LastPass

• How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back from Your Next Raise, Promotion, or Job by Sally Helgesen

• Speaking American: How Y’all, Youse, and You Guys Talk: A Visual Guide by Josh Katz

• The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

• Dorothee’s course in early 2021 with Training for Translators: Complete What You Started: A 2021 Kick-Off Challenge

• Join our email list to get Dorothee’s downloadable productivity checklist for long-term business health!

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/33

In this episode, we invited a special guest who’s not only a fellow translator but is also qualified to share exercise-related advice!

Eva Stabenow is an ATA-certified English<>German translator focused on translating, writing, and adapting consumer-facing medical and health content. She holds a graduate degree in Conference Interpreting and has served the American Translators Association in various roles ranging from division administrator to mentor to certification exam grader. She is also a past president of the Southeast Chapter of the American Medical Writers Association.

If you’re an ATA member, you may also know Eva from attending the Mindful Movement sessions during the Annual ATA conference or from her presentations on healthy desk habits and “movement snacks.” Eva was also was a guest on the Speaking of Translation podcast in 2019. Look for the episode entitled “Staying Healthy When You Work at a Desk All Day.”

Eva is a comprehensively trained, nationally certified Pilates teacher for fitness, rehabilitation, and neurological conditions. In 2018, she opened Sunroom Pilates, where she teaches group classes and 1-on-1 sessions to help others move better, feel better and live better. Since the pandemic, she has offered daily online classes to build not only sustainable health and fitness while having fun, but also create a sense of community. In addition to fitness-based Pilates classes, Sunroom Pilates offers affordable 30-minute classes in Back Care, Mindful Movement, Balance and Functional Mobility.

Here’s a summary of our conversation with Eva:

• How and when she started her freelance translation career, how it has evolved over time, and how she started teaching Pilates

• What her typical workday looks like, managing both her translation business and Pilates studio

• What smart habits help Eva draw boundaries between work and personal life

• What smart habits have been crucial in her career

• What aches and strains are common for translators and how to avoid or prevent them

• How to consistently make time for healthy movement during the workday

• How to consistently care for ourselves without feeling guilty about what we “ought to be doing” instead

• Tips for freelancer parents who may struggle to find time for exercise and self-care

• What “movement snacks” translators should consistently do each day

• Our webinar on marketing in unexpected ways on January 22, 2021 (join our email list below to get a discount code!)

• Eva’s translation business: Wordplay Translations

• Eva’s Pilates studio: Sunroom Pilates

o Follow Sunroom Pilates on Facebook and Instagram

o Schedule Pilates classes with Eva

• Eva’s interview on the Speaking of Translation podcast: “Staying Healthy When You Work at a Desk All Day”

• Our popular Episode 6: Healthy Exercise and Nutrition Habits for Translators

• Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor

• Overball: Pilates exercise ball

• Plexus Chirp Wheel

• Our email subscribers will receive Eva’s downloadable PDF with some sample exercises and a code for a free online class with her

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/34

This episode is another collaboration with our colleagues Corinne McKay and Eve Bodeux, co-hosts of the popular podcast, Speaking of Translation.

We’ve already had the pleasure of speaking with them before—Corinne was our guest in Episode 20 and shared about creating professional partnerships, Eve joined us in Episode 30 to talk about maintaining your second language, and we discussed handling the winter holidays with Corinne and Eve in Episode 29.

In this episode, we invited them to discuss a topic that many of us often struggle with: maintaining healthy boundaries between work and personal life.

Here’s what we talked about:

How we manage difficult situations that arise in our professional lives, specifically paid work and interactions with clients: late payments, low offers, lack of communication, or negative feedback

Our thoughts on managing difficult situations in volunteer settings

What we do to maintain calm and not let difficult situations affect our self-confidence or spill over into our personal lives

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Speaking of Translation podcast

Eve Bodeux’s website and Global Reads Book Club

Corinne McKay’s website and Training for Translators courses

Madalena’s course for Training for Translators: The T&I Professional’s Online Presence Roadmap

ATA62 Call for Proposals

Translation Scammers Directory

Madalena’s blog posts: Three Ways to Follow Up with Clients on Overdue Payments and Five Ways to Ensure Clients Pay on Time

Corinne’s blog post: Five Ways to Minimize the Risk of Not Getting Paid

Ed Gandia’s podcast and blog

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/35

In today’s episode, we’ll talk about something that, as freelancers, we all aspire to achieve: building lasting relationships with our clients and leveraging those relationships to build our referral networks.

To discuss this topic, we invited a special guest to join us. She’s not a translator or an interpreter, but she works in a creative field, and we think it’s extremely valuable to look outside our profession and see what other freelancers are doing so we can learn from their approach.

We’re excited to welcome Amanda Calvin, an experienced graphic designer and business owner.

We have experienced Amanda’s work firsthand (she designed our podcast logo for us!) and have been impressed with her thorough and positive approach.

We know you'll learn some great tips from Amanda that will help you create positive experiences for clients so they’re eager to come back and refer other translation and interpreting clients to you!

Here’s what we talked about:

• • What services Amanda offers, what kind of clients she works with, and what her typical workday looks like

• How she started her freelance business and how her career has evolved

• What her client onboarding process looks like and how she builds her clients’ trust in her expertise and the solutions she offers

• What she does to understand her clients’ needs and priorities and how she creates an ongoing dialogue with them

• How she set up her project delivery process and what she does to invite clients to share feedback on their experience working with her

• How she expands her client network through referrals

• How she protects her boundaries between work and personal life

• What smart habits have been crucial in her career

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• • Amanda’s website: A.Calvin Design and her design services for translators and interpreters

• Connect with Amanda Calvin on Twitter and LinkedIn

• Motion graphics developed for American Translators Association in honor of International Translation Day in 2019 and 2020

• ODISTAR Desktop Vacuum Cleaner

• The Secret Rooms: A True Story of a Haunted Castle, a Plotting Duchess, and a Family Secret by Catherine Bailey

• Join our email list to receive Amanda’s e-book called “Designing for Your Business (A Guide for Non-Designers)”

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/36

In today’s episode, we’ll talk about one of the most important tasks in our workflow. Whether you’re a translator, an interpreter, a copywriter, or if you offer any other language-related services, you have to do your fair share of research. In fact, when we don’t do our research, it shows in the final product.

So, today we’ve invited a colleague to join us. She really impressed us at the last two ATA conferences with her knowledge and smart tips on improving your online research.

Elizabeth Adams graduated with a degree in Russian in 1998 and moved to Moscow. It was an interesting time and place to be looking for work as a translator, and she ended up translating and editing for a wide range of companies, reading constantly, and learning on the job. Twenty-two years and three children later, her translation business focuses on plain English translations of Russian legal texts, from laws and court rulings to contracts and discovery documents.

Here’s a summary of our conversation with Elizabeth:

How and when Elizabeth started her freelance translation career, how it has evolved over time

What her typical workday looks like and what changes she had to make due to the COVID-19 pandemic

What smart habits help Elizabeth draw boundaries between work and personal life

What other smart habits have been helpful in her career

How to ask clients the right questions when it comes to the research you need to do for a translation

What steps translators should take when it comes to analyzing our translation projects to guide our research strategy better

How to decide what tools and resources to use for our research

What to do if you lack the time to conduct proper research for your translation projects

Elizabeth’s tips, tricks, and favorite tools for better online research

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Elizabeth’s website

Connect with Elizabeth on LinkedIn, Twitter, and ProZ

How to set up a Google alert

PerfectIt: editing and proofreading tool

WordRake: editing for clarity

Copernic: desktop search solution

Join our email list to receive a free guide from Elizabeth Adams: “Search Tips for Translators”

For a full list of resources, visit the show notes page for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/37

In today’s episode, we’re having a conversation on the topic that we briefly discussed in several previous episodes and that many of our listeners often ask about: being a parent and a freelancer.

Those of us who have kids know that parenting is a full-time job. But running your own freelance business can also take a lot of time and energy. So, how do you combine the two without crashing and burning in the process? We don’t have all the answers, but we’ll share our experience and what has worked for us.

Here’s a summary of our conversation:

• How old our kids are and how old they were when we started freelancing

• What we did to prepare and set ourselves up for success in that first year with a baby, how much time off we took before and after birth, and how we transitioned back to work after that

• How we manage to take care of our kids and run a freelance business, whether we have help, and how our typical day looks, considering our family’s schedule and needs as well as our work and other commitments

• How we prepare for and deal with sick days, half-days at school, school holidays, and emergencies

• How we handle long holidays and extended periods of time when our kids have to stay home while we work

• Our tips for overcoming family vs work guilt

• What our kids say about our work as translators and what they think we do all day

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our on-demand webinar Smart Habits for Marketing Your Business in Unexpected Ways (Don't forget to use the code SMARTHABITS at checkout for $10 off!)

• Madalena’s course with Training for Translators: Copywriting for Translators: Identifying and Targeting Your Copywriting Market

• Madalena’s T&I Website Blueprint course

• ATA’s virtual workshop “Interpreting Idioms and Cultural References” (in Russian; March 13, 2021)

• Episode 7: Overcoming Family vs. Work Guilt

• Outschool: Virtual classes for kids

• Podcast episode by Speaking of Translation: Self-care and mental health in the pandemic

• The app we use for meditation: Calm

• Elizabeth Gilbert on distinguishing between hobbies, jobs, careers, and vocation

• Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/38

In today’s episode, we’ll talk about the mindset shift and strategies that are necessary when you’re ready to take your freelance translation or interpreting business to the next level. Whether you aspire to make more money as a freelancer or you simply want to reach the stage where you’re only working on ideal projects for ideal clients at ideal rates, you may find yourself with more questions than answers on how to get there.

When possible, we like to step outside of our professional bubble and talk to colleagues in other fields, especially creative ones, to get their perspectives and advice.

So, to discuss this topic with us today, we’ve invited a special guest: a six-figure freelance writer, coach, author, and fellow podcaster, Laura Briggs.

Laura Briggs is a teacher turned entrepreneur. She has coached over 11,000 freelancers and is the author of How to Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business (2019) and The Six-Figure Freelancer (2020.) Her third and fourth books will be released in 2022.

Here’s a summary of our conversation with Laura:

• How Laura started her freelance career and how her business evolved over time

• Who she serves and what services she offers

• What her typical workday looks like and what changes she had to make due to the COVID-19 pandemic

• How her books and her podcast came about and the topics she covers

• Laura’s tips for freelancers on how to manage imposter syndrome, especially when you try to grow your business

• How one plans for growth in their freelance business, and more importantly, how one actually implements those plans

• Strategies for dealing with variable income and the lack of stability that freelancers often struggle with

• Laura’s advice on specializing and choosing a niche

• How Laura protects boundaries between work and personal life

• What other smart habits have been crucial in her career

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Learn more about Laura’s freelance coach business: Better Biz Academy

• Connect with Laura on LinkedIn

• Join Laura’s Facebook group: Mastering Your Freelance Life with Laura: Becoming A Six Figure Freelancer

• Get a free copy of the first two chapters of Laura’s book, The Six-Figure Freelancer

• The Deliberate Freelancer podcast by Melanie Padgett Powers

• ClickUp: A project management tool

• Focus@Will: Personalized focus music to help you get stuff done

• Boomerang: A productivity app for your inbox

• Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself by Mike Michalowicz

Get a full list of links and resources for this episode:

https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/39

Managing finances is one area of business that all freelancers and small business owners have to deal with on a regular basis, and translators and interpreters are no exception. Owning a small business often means that you wear many hats, and, let’s face it, the role of CFO, or Chief Financial Officer, is one that a lot of us struggle with or even dread. We often hear colleagues ask questions about managing the financial side of their business and financial planning, and we’re interested in these topics too. And because the financial side of a business is so vital to get right, it’s always best to ask a professional.

So, to discuss this topic with us today, we’ve invited a special guest: Certified Financial Planner and Accredited Financial Counselor Pamela Capalad.

Pamela has been in the financial services industry since 2008. She founded Brunch & Budget to help people who felt ashamed or embarrassed about money have a safe and friendly place to talk about it and make real financial progress. Her mission is to make financial planning as affordable as possible for the communities who need it most.

She co-hosts the Brunch & Budget podcast and co-founded the Race & Wealth Podcast Network. She also runs a group financial planning program called See Change, specifically designed for People of Color. Pam has been featured in the Washington Post, Teen Vogue, Huffington Post, Vice Magazine, and other places you’ve heard of. She was named in New York Magazine’s Best of New York 2019 and has brunched with over 400 people and counting.

Here’s a summary of our conversation with Pam:

• Who she serves and what services she offers

• How Pam started Brunch & Budget and how her business evolved over time

• What her typical workday looks like and what changes she had to make due to the COVID-19 pandemic

• What mindset shifts or changes she typically sees her freelance clients go through

• What mistakes freelancers usually make when it comes to financial habits and how to avoid them

• Pam’s tips on responsible spending for freelancers, saving up for big-ticket items, and planning for retirement

• What questions freelancers should ask when they are looking for a financial planner

• How Pam protects boundaries between her work and personal life

• What other smart habits have been crucial in her career

RESOURCES WE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Learn more about Brunch & Budget

• Listen to the Brunch & Budget podcast and the Race & Wealth podcast

• Follow Brunch & Budget on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook

• Take Charge of Your Finances: Pamela’s interview on the Deliberate Freelancer podcast

• Episode 18: Creating a Four-Day Work Week With Matt Baird

• Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown

Get a full list of links and resources for this episode:

https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/40

Today’s episode is all about using technology in your work. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Even though many translators and interpreters like putting pen to paper, we depend on technology and tools to make us more productive and maintain our work's high quality.

This is also a controversial topic, especially the debate surrounding the advances in machine translation (MT), how this technology affects our work, and what lies ahead.

We also often get questions from listeners on the beginner end of the spectrum about translation environment tools or CAT tools: which ones are best and how to choose the right ones when you’re starting out. We’re no experts on this topic, but when we discussed who to invite as a guest, our decision was easy! And we’re thrilled that he said yes to our invitation.

We’re excited to welcome our colleague Jost Zetzsche today!

Jost Zetzsche is a translation industry and translation technology consultant, a widely published author on various aspects of translation and localization, and an ATA-certified English-to-German technical translator. In 1999 Jost co-founded International Writers' Group, LLC, on the Oregon coast. Originally from Hamburg, Germany, he earned a Ph.D. in the field of Chinese translation history and linguistics at the University of Hamburg. He sits on the editorial board for MultiLingual Magazine, the Journal of Internationalisation and Localisation, and the ATA Chronicle. In 2018 he was awarded an honorary membership to American Translators Association (ATA). Since 2016 he has been contracting with United Bible Societies to help create and maintain the Translation Insights and Perspectives tool.

Here’s a summary of our conversation with Jost:

• When and how he started his freelance career and how it evolved over time

• What his typical workday looks like and what changes he had to make due to the COVID-19 pandemic

• How Jost protects boundaries between his work and personal life

• What smart habits have been crucial in his career

• What his thoughts are on using technology in our work as translators and interpreters

• How to choose the right tools and technology for your job

• How to stay informed and be aware of the technological changes and developments that concern translation

• How to overcome the fear that technology will make human translators’ jobs redundant

• What 3 tools Jost would recommend all translators to try

RESOURCES WE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Learn more about Jost Zetzsche and his work

• Learn more about The Translator’s Tool Box and The Tool Box Journal

• Follow Jost on Twitter

• Check our Jost Zetzsche’s books: Characters With Character: 50 Ways to Rekindle Your Love Affair with Language and Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World (co-authored with Nataly Kelly)

• Discover the Translation Insights and Perspectives tool

• The ATA Chronicle

• IntelliWebSearch: a terminology research tool

• ABBYY FineReader PDF

Get a full list of links and resources for this episode:

https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/41

In this episode, we’re having a conversation about finding time for unpaid work and projects. You know, those things we truly enjoy doing—whether for our own development or personal fulfillment or as a volunteer in an organization—but that can be difficult to make time for during busy days filled with paid work.

Like most of our translator and interpreter colleagues, it comes as no surprise that we love the work we do and we sometimes can’t believe that we get paid to do it. But there are also other projects and goals we have that we want to devote time to that we don’t actually earn any money doing. These are things that will help you grow but that are so easy to push aside for a "quieter" day.

For example, maybe you have a blog you write, a special project or area of study you’re trying to develop, a hobby you want to lean into, or maybe you volunteer for an organization that means a lot to you. Whatever the project or goal you’re working toward, it can sometimes be hard to find time to work on these things that don’t pay the bills but are fulfilling.

So, how do we make time for these projects and goals? We don’t have a secret recipe for success but we’re happy to share our approach and learn what others are doing.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

• What projects we spend time on and why we try to make time for them

• How to decide how much time you can devote to unpaid projects and how often you can work on them

• How to handle those times when a certain project takes more time than you expected

• How to make time for hobbies and overcome that sense of guilt that comes with devoting time to something fun instead of working longer hours or earning more money

• How to respond to requests or proposals to work on something that is completely unpaid and that may take up a good bit of your time

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Madalena’s website, courses, and blog

• American Translators Association

• No-Fail Communication: 13 Workplace Communication Problems and How to Fix Them by Michael Hyatt

• No-Fail Meetings: 5 Steps to Orchestrate Productive Meetings (and Avoid all the Rest) by Michael Hyatt

• Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews

See the full list of links and resources for this episode:

https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/42

In this episode, we’re sharing a conversation about finding mentors and surrounding yourself with people who encourage you and push you to be better at your craft.

This can feel like a difficult thing to do, especially in a profession where we are used to working alone and behind the scenes.

It can be especially daunting if you’re a new translator or interpreter. It’s not that easy to know where to start, and finding someone who will guide and encourage you can feel nearly impossible.

So, how do you go about finding mentors and a community of people who help you grow and develop?

Here’s a summary of our discussion:

• How getting involved in the T&I community can help you surround yourself with people who encourage and push you to be better at your craft

• How to figure out what you want in a mentor or someone you look up to who makes you want to be better at your work

• Why it's important to be aware of but tune out what isn’t in your best interest

• Who can be a mentor from afar and how they can inspire and encourage you even if you don’t know them personally

• How timing can impact what you're looking for in a mentor and why your mentors can be different at different stages of your career

• How to make the mentoring experience rewarding not just for yourself but for your mentor too

• How people who surround you can encourage and push you (in a good way!) to be better

• Why those you surround yourself with don’t necessarily have to be in the same field or industry

RESOURCES WE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Madalena’s website, courses, and blog

• ATA 62nd Annual Conference website

• Episode 2: Impostor Syndrome

• Episode 37: Smart Habits for Improving Your Online Research with Elizabeth Adams

• The Entrepreneurial Linguist: The Business-School Approach to Freelance Translation by Judy Jenner and Dagmar Jenner

• Boomerang app

• Likewise app

• WONDERBOOM Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

See the full list of links and resources for this episode:

https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/43

While it’s definitely important to master your craft and hone your skills, we also think that offering more than one type of service or working with various types of clients can be a safeguard for your business.

After all, you never know when things might shift, and when they do, it tends to happen when you least expect it. Or maybe you’re just ready for a change.

There are so many reasons to diversify your translation or interpreting business! In this episode, we want to share some ways to do that, along with some smart habits you might try to implement, too.

Here’s a summary of our discussion:

• Our experience with diversifying our business and why we believe it’s a good idea

• How you can look at diversification from a variety of perspectives in your business

• Why taking an inventory of your past experience, skills, and interests can be a helpful start when you start thinking about diversifying your business

• Some ideas on ways to diversify

• How you can take circumstances that change beyond your control and use them as motivation to diversify

• Our thoughts on diversifying our businesses further in the future

• Smart habits that can help you diversify your business

• Our new segment “Smart Habit Tip,” where we share a tip related to a smart habit that we recently learned or were reminded of

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Madalena’s website, courses, and blog

• The Deliberate Freelancer podcast: Episode 84: My 2020 Business Audit & Lessons for 2021

• The Daily: The New York Times podcast

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/44

We’ve all heard how important it is to specialize as professional translators and interpreters. But not everyone agrees with this. There are many who believe that specializing is not necessary and that you can get enough work as a generalist to make a good living.

We’re not here to argue that you can’t, of course, but we do feel that specializing is an excellent way to stand out as a professional, gain better clients, and open more doors for future opportunities in an area you already know well.

Choosing a specialization can feel daunting when you’re just starting out as a translator or interpreter, and even years into your career, it can be easy to overlook the importance of diving deeper into your subject area.

So, in this episode, we’re sharing some smart habits for specializing and keeping up with your specialization!

Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode:

• What our specializations are and why we picked them

• How to get started in a specific specialization

• Why it’s important to choose a specialization that you feel good about

• How to continue growing in your subject area and keep up with your specialization

• How to not let professional development fall by the wayside when you get busy

• How we plan professional development in our areas of specialization

RESOURCES WE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Madalena’s website, courses, and blog

• Episode 44: Smart Habits for Diversifying Your Translation Business

• American Translators Association

• American Medical Writers Association

• ACES: The Society for Editing

• ATA’s webinar on back-translation

• IPIECA: the global oil and gas industry association for advancing environmental and social performance

• SHRM: The Society for Human Resource Management

• ATA’s Back to Business Basics webinar on choosing and building a specialization

• Inside Specialization series on the ATA Podcast

• Eve Bodeux’s Global Reads Book Club

• Bright by Duanwad Pimwana

• Persuasive Copywriting: Cut Through the Noise and Communicate With Impact by Andy Maslen

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/45

Having a freelance business means that you’re always looking for new clients. Even if you have some regular clients, all freelance translators and interpreters should be planning ahead and marketing their services or responding to inquiries from potential new clients.

But just as you’re not always the right fit for a particular project or client, they might also not be the right fit for you. This goes back to the goals and aspirations you have for your business, your specializations, or your particular schedule or personal circumstances.

But how do you determine if a particular client is the right fit for you? This can be especially hard if you’re just starting out and have little to no experience. It can also be difficult if you’ve never thought along these lines before and if you’re used to saying “yes” to every project.

So, in this episode, we’re sharing some smart habits for determining who the right clients are for you.

Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode:

• Why it is healthier for your business and work/life clarity to determine who the right clients are for you

• How to decide on the right kind of clients for you and your business

• How to take into account the expectations that our clients may have of us and our expectations of them

• Our thoughts on the so-called client avatar or client profile and what characteristics/features to include in it

• How to find information about your ideal clients

• How your client avatar can help you set goals for your business

• Why the definition of the right clients for you changes along with your business

• Some smart habits related to finding the right clients for you

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Madalena’s website, courses, and blog

• Madalena’s master class on LinkedIn for translators and interpreters

• Madalena’s blog posts:

o How to Create an Ideal T&I Client Profile to Market Your Services

o How to Determine and Attract Your Ideal Client

• Characters with Character: 50 Ways to Rekindle Your Love Affair with Language by Jost Zetzsche: order a signed copy from Jost or through Amazon

• The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/46

As most translators (and many interpreters) work remotely, it’s important to think about how we can reach and engage with our clients from a distance. With technology at our fingertips, there’s no excuse for not engaging with our clients online.

And yet… it can feel overwhelming, intimidating, and for some, even anxiety-inducing.

We don’t say this lightly. We know a lot of people deal with anxiety when it comes to their business and trying to market to potential clients.

So, in this episode, we share our thoughts on engaging with clients online. We hope you will find some of the tips we share helpful.

Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode:

• How to research your options and choose online venues that will be the most effective

• How to learn what features of online platforms work for you and how to make the most of them

• How to make a plan for online engagement with clients

• How to plan your time when it comes to online engagement and networking

• How to engage in conversations with your clients consistently and not feel like a salesperson

• Our own smart habits and strategies for engaging with clients online

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• OSTI (Oregon Society of Translators and Interpreters) 2021 Conference

• ATA (American Translators Association) 62nd Annual Conference

• Madalena’s master class: Write Better Copy for Your Freelance Website

• Madalena’s 4-week course: LinkedIn for Translators and Interpreters

• Episode 46: Smart Habits for Finding the Right Clients for You

• How to Reach Out to Potential Translation or Interpreting Clients on LinkedIn

• Episode 5: Reading More When You're Not Working

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/47

We all know that first impressions count, and this applies to all interactions you have with other people–both online and in person. When you run your own business, it’s even more important that you come across as a reliable, trustworthy professional, someone who clients and colleagues can trust and value.

After all, this is how we often choose service providers ourselves. Whether we need a graphic designer or an accountant, or when we’re looking for colleagues to collaborate with, we want to find someone who portrays themself as a professional from the start.

But since so many of our interactions with the outside world are online these days (and most of us are used to working alone), it can be easy to forget how other people may perceive us.

So, what strategies and smart habits can help you maintain a professional image?

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

- What to keep in mind when you have email and phone interactions with clients and colleagues

- How to elevate your professional image online: in directories for translators and interpreters and on your website

- How social media presence can influence your professional image

- How your behavior impacts people’s willingness to work with you

- Our own reflections and tips on maintaining a professional image toward colleagues and clients

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Madalena’s master class: Write Better Copy for Your Freelance Website

• Madalena’s 4-week course: LinkedIn for Translators and Interpreters

• Madalena’s blog posts:

o How to Maximize Your Email Signature As a Professional Translator or Interpreter

o How to Maximize Your Email Signature - Updated with More Strategies

o 8 More Ways to Maximize Your Email Signature As a Professional Translator or Interpreter

o 3 Ways to Use Testimonials When You Have NDAs

• OSTI (Oregon Society of Translators and Interpreters) 2021 Conference

• ATA (American Translators Association) 62nd Annual Conference

• ATA Back to Business Basics webinars on the topic of professional image for translators and interpreters:

o Personal Branding Basics

o Phone and Email Etiquette for Freelancers

o Getting and Incorporating Feedback

o Building a Network

• ATA webinar: Personal Branding 101 for Translators and Interpreters

• Grammarly: grammar, tone, and style checker

• TextAloud: Text to Speech Software for Windows

• Speaking of Translation episode “Tools that keep us productive and happy”

• FREE webinar on protecting yourself against scammers: Don’t Fall for It! Scams Targeting Language Professionals

• The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

• The Talented Miss Farwell by Emily Gray Tedrowe

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/48

We often talk about small business owners, in particular freelancers, having to wear many hats: we’re our own boss, bookkeeper, marketing team, tech support person, administrative assistant, and more!

But how often do you really sit down and think about all these areas of your business?

In this episode of Smart Habits for Translators, we are having a conversation about conducting a business audit: why it’s important to check in with your translation or interpreting business regularly, what areas to look at, and, most importantly, how often.

This is an area that is often overlooked by many freelancers: we can get so much into the day-to-day needs of our business that we forget to take a holistic look at the bigger picture. So, we thought that sharing a sort of roadmap today might be helpful.

A business audit is a great starting point that will help you get ready for a business retreat. Spoiler alert: in this episode, we are announcing our very first Virtual Business Retreat! Check the episode for more details.

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

• Why it is important to review various areas of your translation or interpreting business regularly

• What areas of your business to review during a business audit

• How a business audit can help you set or modify your business goals and create a solid action plan

• Details of the first-ever Smart Habits for Translators virtual business retreat and how you can join

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Details and registration for our Virtual Business Retreat

• Episode 8: Setting Goals for the New Year

• Episode 24: Course-Correction for Your Business During Times of Uncertainty

• Atomic Habits by James Clear

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/49

In this episode, we’re piggybacking on the topic of Episode 49 about conducting a business audit.  

Before you start reviewing the different areas of your business and identifying or updating your business goals, it’s important to keep in mind what your vision is for your business.

As we said in Episode 49, we want you to put your CEO hat on and think about what you would like to get out of your business and whether it’s changed from what you originally thought your business would be.

Forming a vision for your business is like creating a roadmap. You’re basically laying out the path you want to take and deciding what you want to get out of your freelance business and what it means to you.

You’ll need to answer some really big questions that may seem daunting at first and may take you a while to figure out.

Not to worry—we’re sharing some advice in this episode about what you might want to consider when you think about the vision for your freelance business.

This is a perfect start to a business retreat that you can do on your own, with a trusted colleague, or with us, at our Smart Habits for Translators virtual business retreat!

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

- Why it’s important to think about the vision for your freelance business and how often you should do so

- What to consider when you reflect on what you would like to get out of your business

- Why it’s okay to admit that your vision has changed from what you originally thought it would be

- What other questions are worth considering as you reflect on the vision for your business

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Episode 49: Smart Habits for Conducting a Business Audit

Details and registration for our Virtual Business Retreat

Innovation in Translation Summit

See which T&I events we are attending or speaking at this fall

The ATA Podcast “Inside Specialization” series: an interview with Abigail Dahlberg about translating sustainability

Savvy Diversification Series – Don’t be scared! How to Add Ghostwriting to Your Portfolio of Services

Savvy Diversification Series – From text translator to film subtitler in just a few months

ATA’s The Savvy Newcomer Diversification series

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/50

Surprise! This is another joint episode of Smart Habits for Translators and Speaking of Translation.

Corinne McKay and Eve Bodeux, co-hosts of the legendary Speaking of Translation podcast, recently announced, after 13 years they pressed pause on their podcast, but all of their past episodes are still there. We have already recorded two joint episodes (Episodes 29 and 35), and we’re excited that they agreed to join us again and record this special episode!

In this episode, we’ll be discussing a topic that many of us are faced with (yet again!) this fall as many of our favorite conferences are going virtual or hybrid. As much as we look forward to returning to fully in-person events, unfortunately, we’re not quite there yet because of the pandemic and travel restrictions. And hybrid conferences aren’t quite the same thing as an in-person event or a virtual event.

So, how can attendees and speakers prepare for hybrid conferences?

Here’s what we discuss in this episode:

• What we think will be different when attending a hybrid conference vs. a fully in-person one or a virtual one

• What smart habits for attending a regular conference still come in handy when preparing to attend a hybrid one

• What in-person and virtual attendees should keep in mind when attending a hybrid conference

• What speakers should be mindful of when they present in a hybrid format

• What factors do we personally take into consideration when planning which conferences to attend next year

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Speaking of Translation podcast

• Training for Translators

• Corinne McKay’s website

• Eve Bodeux’s website and Global Reads Book Club

• Madalena Sánchez Zampaulo’s website and blog

• Veronika Demichelis’ website

• Madalena’s Master class for Training for Translators: LinkedIn for translators and interpreters

• ATA’s 62nd Annual Conference

• Innovation in Translation Summit

• Trados Elevate Conference

• LocWorld conference

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/51

This 52nd episode of Smart Habits for Translators marks the second anniversary of our podcast! It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since we launched Smart Habits for Translators. More than ever, we are grateful to you all, our listeners and colleagues, and it makes us so happy to hear that you enjoy our episodes!

Last year, we celebrated our first “podcastiversary” by recording an “Ask Us Anything” episode, so we’re making it a tradition by doing the same this year! We’ve been gathering questions from our listeners for a while, and we want to thank those of you who wrote to us by email, through our website, and on social media to submit your questions. There were so many of them that we had to group them into several categories to make sure we could answer as many of them as possible.

Listen in to hear our thoughts on:

• What advice we'd give to a beginner translator starting their online business

• How to pick a name for your business and find your first clients

• How to kickstart your online presence, and how to create a website with little experience under your belt

• What we think a freelance translator should aim to achieve in their first year

• How to prioritize when you feel a bit scattered and overwhelmed with all the things you should be doing as a new freelance translator

• Our advice on being a freelance translator and a parent and how to succeed at both

• How to find your community online and connect with colleagues

• What CAT tools and CRM tools we use and how we suggest choosing which tools to invest in

• What some of our "nerdy moments" are in everyday life

• How we develop new podcast episodes, divide responsibilities, choose topics, and if we ever argue over episode content

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our next Virtual Business Retreat

• Madalena’s interview on the Deliberate Freelancer podcast

• Our Facebook group for translator moms

• Asana

• Streak

• HoneyBook

• Eve Bodeux’s Global Reads Book Club

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/52

Today, we want to share an important discussion that we don’t tend to hear a lot of honest conversations about, at least not in a public forum. Freelancers and business owners know that the feast and famine cycle can really take a toll, especially if you’re unprepared to handle times of famine.

If you’ve ever been in the middle of a famine in your business, you know how unsettling it can be . . . waiting for that next project, wondering how you’re going to make it to the next big check. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

The feast and famine cycle doesn’t have to be on repeat in your translation or interpreting business. There is another way to run a freelance business, and that’s what we want to share with you in this conversation.

We’re excited to welcome our colleague, Yulia Tsybysheva, to join us today!

Yulia is a Russian marketing translator based in the UK. Originally from Russia, she’s lived in the UK for over 10 years and has worked in the translation industry for over 15. She works with clients in the fashion, beauty, jewelry, and travel industries and specializes in web and app localization, as well as transcreation.

Recently, Yulia also started a new role as a Russian Language Lead at Flo Health app.

Listen in to hear our conversation with Yulia on:

• When and how she started her freelance career, what services she offers, and how her translation business evolved over time

• What smart habits have been crucial in her career

• Advice for fellow translators who find themselves in a famine cycle

• How to maintain a level head about your business when you’re in a famine cycle

• Tips for navigating the feast/famine cycle and finding long-term ways to overcome it

• What marketing methods work best for Yulia, and how she finds time to fit them into her schedule

• Smart habit tips to create more times of feast than famine while not falling into a state of burnout

• Yulia’s tips and tricks on enjoying a freelance career and parenthood, and how she protects boundaries between her work and personal life

RESOURCES WE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Our next Virtual Business Retreat

• Yulia’s website

• Connect with Yulia on LinkedIn and Twitter

• Yulia’s blog post for the ATA’s Slavic Languages Division blog: Localizing digital products into Russian: what is it like?

• Yulia’s interview for Slovo, the ATA Slavic Languages Division podcast

• The Freelance Bible: Everything You Need to Go Solo in Any Industry by Alison Grade

• Freelancer Magazine

• Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Denny Penman

• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/53

In today’s episode, we have a thought-provoking conversation about the importance of treating your translation or interpreting business as a business—in particular, thinking like a business owner.

This sounds like such a simple thing, but many freelance translators and interpreters fail to do this and consider themselves “just freelancers.” This mindset can have a negative impact on your interactions with clients, your pricing, and many other elements of your business.

We have talked about this in many of our previous episodes, but today we’ve invited a special guest to join us in this conversation.

We’re excited to welcome Sarah Townsend to the podcast!

As a freelance copywriter for more than 20 years, Sarah helps purpose-led businesses discover the power of persuasive copy. In 2020, she published Survival Skills for Freelancers to help business owners around the globe tackle the day-to-day challenges of self-employment. Described as “better than a business coach”, the Amazon #1 bestseller busts the myths about being your own boss to help you ace self-employment without burnout. It distills 20 years of experience – plus quotes from over 100 freelancers – into 200 unputdownable pages. Since then, Sarah has combined her copywriting work with delivering mentoring, training, and events to help the self-employed community tackle the ups and downs of freelance life.

Listen in to hear our conversation on:

• When and how Sarah started her freelance career, what services she offers, and how her business evolved over time

• What some smart habits have been crucial in her career

• Why her book, Survival Skills for Freelancers, is so popular among freelance translators and interpreters

• What top three things freelancers usually struggle with

• How freelancers can educate themselves to maintain a business-owner mindset

• Sarah’s tips for valuing yourself and your expertise and charging appropriately

• Her thoughts on the benefits of having a community as a solo worker and finding the right community for you

• Sarah’s favorite tools or resources that can help freelancers feel more professional, efficient, and productive

• How she tries to protect the boundaries between her work and personal life

RESOURCES WE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Smart Habits for Translators Virtual Business Retreat

• Pomodoro technique

• Sarah Townsend’s copywriting website

• Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram

• Sarah’s book Survival Skills for Freelancers

• Free sample of the first chapter of Survival Skills for Freelancers

• Deliberate Freelancer episode: Freelancer Survival Skills + a Pep Talk about Boundaries with Sarah Townsend

• Calendly

• Canva

• Trello

• FocusKeeper

• Text Expander

• Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by

Brené Brown

• On Writing by Stephen King

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/54

Today’s episode is all about the importance of checking and improving our work as translators. We all know that this is a crucial step in maintaining the high quality of our work. But not all of us enjoy the editing and proofreading step or have a systematic and efficient approach to the process.

So, we invited two of our colleagues, Eve Bodeux and Emily Safrin, to discuss this topic with us. Eve and Emily are both excellent translators and talented editors.

We’re excited to welcome Eve Bodeux and Emily Safrin to the podcast!

Listen in to hear our conversation on:

• When and how Eve and Emily started their freelance careers, what services they offer, and how their businesses have evolved over time

• What smart habits have been crucial in their careers

• Why they decided to present “Proofread Like a Pro and Ship It Express: Effective and Efficient Quality Control for the Time-Strapped Language Professional” at the 2021 ATA Annual Conference

• Why translators usually struggle with checking and improving their own texts as well as editing other people’s work

• How to give objective and constructive feedback as well as receive and respond to the feedback others offer you

• What tools and resources can help translators with quality control of their work

• What they do to maintain work/life clarity and protect the boundaries between work and personal life

RESOURCES WE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Eve Bodeux’s website and Twitter account

• Eve’s book, Maintaining Your Second Language: practical and productive strategies for translators, teachers, interpreters and other language lovers

• Eve’s Global Reads Book Club, a book club for translators

• Emily Safrin’s website

• Emily’s article for the ATA Savvy Newcomer blog on ergonomics for ATA’s certification exam

• American Translators Association

• ACES: The Society for Editing

• PerfectIt: Proofreading software

• Do Pause: You Are Not a To Do List by Robert Poynton

• Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

We'll send our email subscribers a summary of this episode, including links to all the mentioned resources, including Eve’s 10 Tips for an Ergonomic Office and Emily’s guide on how translators can add copyediting to their services.

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/55

Smart Habits for Caring for Your Mental Health with Dr. Elizabeth Miller

There is a lot of responsibility and uncertainty that comes with being a freelancer and a small business owner. Many of us often struggle with feelings of overwhelm and anxiety, and the pandemic has certainly exacerbated this to such an extent that some people could barely function due to constantly feeling worried and not knowing what to expect. Our worlds have been turned upside down, and many people have been feeling guilty that they don’t seem to be able to function the same way they did before.

We’ve been talking about discussing the topic of caring for your mental health on the podcast for a long time, but let’s be honest, we’re not experts on this topic. So, we decided to find someone who is, and we’re thrilled to welcome today’s guest, Dr. Elizabeth Miller, who will help us normalize this topic and offer some helpful advice.

Elizabeth is a psychotherapist, researcher, speaker, and mom of two, who specializes in women’s mental health, chronic illness, and compassion-focused trauma recovery. She opened her private clinical practice, Elizabeth Miller Therapy, after identifying a need for an integrative and holistic approach to healing. She provides support for women, teenagers, couples, and families, who are looking for a mind-body approach to mental health. Elizabeth merges modern neuroscience with research-based mind-body techniques to help her clients obtain optimal health. Please visit www.ElizabethMillerTherapy.com for more information. Elizabeth also founded a company called Well Mind Body to provide educational resources to help people live their lives to the fullest by helping connect mind body and spirit.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• Elizabeth’s clinical practice and what areas she specializes in

• What solopreneurs and freelancers can do to manage feelings of stress, pressure, and uncertainty in a healthy way

• How to handle feeling isolated and how to manage introvert tendencies and social anxiety

• Elizabeth’s tips on managing perfectionism and overcoming the feeling of not being good enough

• How solopreneurs and small business owners can overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome and start valuing their own work

• Elizabeth’s advice for parents who, especially after the last couple of years, feel drained and don’t feel like their normal selves

• What resources, tools, and strategies are often overlooked or used inconsistently when it comes to supporting mental health

• What smart habits have been crucial for Elizabeth in her life and career and how she protects the boundaries between her work and personal life

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Elizabeth Miller’s website

Follow Elizabeth on Instagram and Facebook

Follow Well Mind Body on Instagram

Look Ma’, No Hands podcast by Laura Max Rose: episodes with Elizabeth on social isolation and the feeling of shame during the pandemic and navigating stress and life transitions with kids

Stress Less, Accomplish More: Meditation for Extraordinary Performance by Emily Fletcher

Harmoni necklace: Use discount code WELLMINDBODY

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, know that there are resources and professionals who can help. Reach out to your physician, your local mental health hotline, or someone you trust and let them know you need help.

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/56

Smart Habits for Caring for Managing Your Inbox

Having a freelance translation or interpreting business means that you depend quite a bit on your email inbox. At least, we know we do!

You probably correspond with most of your clients via email, as well as colleagues and others who need to reach you or send you important information.

But it’s really easy to let your inbox take over your work-life (and perhaps your home-life, too!). We know that we have felt this way on and off through the years, especially as email quickly took over as the main form of communication.

So, today we want to share our thoughts and tips on managing your inbox so it doesn’t manage you!

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

- Why it’s healthier for your business and work/life clarity to set yourself up for success with your inbox

- Why it’s important to do a quick audit of what you receive and send on a regular basis and determine if it’s all truly necessary

What filing systems we use in our inboxes

- How we handle incoming emails that we haven’t yet seen or replied to

- What we do with emails that seem to have a lot of back-and-forth

- Our thoughts on when and how often to check your email

- How to set boundaries around emails on evenings and weekends

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

- SEO Translation course by Teresa Sousa

- Boomerang for Gmail

- Streak for Gmail

- Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam Grant

- Money Mindset by Canna Campbell

- Enhanced Productivity with Text Expansion by Nora Diaz for ATA’s Next Level blog

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/57

Smart Habits for Caring for Growing Your Online Network

We all hear about the importance of having a strong network for our business. And in some of our previous episodes, we've talked about ways to network at in-person events. Today, we thought it would be great to chat about growing your network online and some dos and don’ts that we personally subscribe to.

Networking can be equally daunting whether you’re just getting started in the profession or you’re already an established translator or interpreter. You can feel uncertain about meeting clients on their turf, attending online events, or using email or social media platforms to connect with clients and colleagues. And of course, if you sometimes struggle with imposter syndrome or consider yourself an introvert, you may dread the very idea of networking.

And then there are all kinds of other things to consider: where to find networking opportunities online, whether to network with clients only or to also think about networking with colleagues, what you can bring to the table and how you can utilize your network efficiently, etc.

So, today we're sharing our thoughts and tips on this topic with the hope of helping you grow your online network as well.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

Why it’s important to have an online network and what some benefits are for your freelance business

Where to go to establish or grow an online network

What platforms or ways of connecting with people you should be thinking about

Our thoughts on limiting your online network to clients vs having colleagues in your online network as well

How to grow your network in a consistent and strategic way

Good strategies for connecting with new people online and creating new professional relationships

What are some dos and don’ts in maintaining your existing network and leveraging it

Our tips for those who feel nervous about connecting with new people for various reasons: maybe you find it difficult to step out of your comfort zone or maybe you feel that you don’t have much to bring to the table

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Registration for our Virtual Business Retreat on March 17, 2022

• Madalena’s master class on Google Ads for Training for Translators

• ATA webinars related to building your online network:

o Building a Network

o The Power of Social Media: Key Strategies for Marketing Your Interpreting and Translation Services

• One Line a Day journal

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/58

Smart Habits for Maintaining Your Website

Maintaining a website is something so many freelancers find overwhelming. We get it. There’s a lot to think about, which can leave you feeling like you don't know where to start.

Our goal with this episode is to dispel the myth that maintaining your website is as tedious, hard, or time-consuming as so many people think.

Your website is the only digital asset you can really control, one that gives clients a better idea of who you are, what makes you unique, and what it’s like to work with you. Few people talk about the importance of maintaining your site once you have one, so we wanted to share some tips and smart habits that help us keep our websites up-to-date.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

- Why it’s important to maintain your website and what some benefits of doing this are for your freelance business

- What you need to consider about your website design

- What to consider when you update your website copy

- What to consider when you update content on the individual pages of your site

- What website sections need to be updated regularly

- What other elements of your website you might need to update behind the scenes

- Some dos/don’ts for leading clients to your website

- Our tips for those who feel overwhelmed about maintaining their website

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

- Registration for our Virtual Business Retreat on March 17, 2022

- Madalena’s master class on Google Ads for Training for Translators

- Madalena’s Copywriting course for Training for Translators

- MICATA Annual Conference

- ITI Conference 2022

- Madalena’s T&I Website Blueprint Course

- Broken Link Checker

- Page Speed Checker

- Madalena’s blog post: 10 Simple Ways to Boost Your Translation or Interpreting Website's SEO

- Episode 33: Smart Habits for Setting Priorities and Getting Things Done With Dorothee Racette

- Dorothee Racette’s coaching practice and blog: Take Back My Day

- Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab

- Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/59

Smart Habits for Taking Time Off

We all know that time off is important, yet it’s not something independent translators and interpreters allow themselves to do very often—or consistently.

Freelancers often feel guilty about taking time off because they feel like they’re neglecting their businesses.

• “What if an important client needs something?”

• “What if there’s no work when I return?”

• “I can’t afford to take time off!”

Sound familiar?

We think it’s important to discuss the topic of taking time off, so we're dedicating this episode to doing just that. You'll hear us talk about how we do it as freelance translators, how you can prepare for time off, how to come back to work without feeling overwhelmed, and most importantly, why it sometimes feels so difficult to take time off (and how to change that).

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• Whether we generally succeed with taking time off and whether the pandemic or other factors have made it more or less difficult for us to take time off

• How time off affects your energy, mood, creativity, and other aspects of your work and personal life

• How often we take time off and how we plan for it

• Our tips, dos, and don’ts when it comes to sticking to the plan and not working during your scheduled time off

• Our tips for coming back to work after a break

• Why it can be difficult to allow yourself to take time off and some ideas for how to overcome those barriers

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Registration for our Asana workshop on March 24, 2022

• Registration for our Virtual Business Retreat on March 17, 2022

• Madalena’s master class on Google Ads for Training for Translators

• Madalena’s Copywriting course for Training for Translators

• Madalena’s blog posts on email signatures:

o How to Maximize Your Email Signature As a Professional Translator or Interpreter

o How to Maximize Your Email Signature - Updated with More Strategies

o 8 More Ways to Maximize Your Email Signature As a Professional Translator or Interpreter

• Corinne McKay’s blog post: How to take a vacation

• Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

• A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/60

Episode 61: Smart Habits for Drumming Up New Business with Melanie Padgett Powers

So many of us have experienced the ups and downs of freelancing, which have felt magnified over the last two years as a result of the pandemic. We’ve heard from many of you that you’d like more ideas for ways to grow your business and get more recurring work from clients. Well, our guest today happens to have some excellent advice on this topic, and we’re thrilled she agreed to join us.

In today’s episode, we get to talk to a fellow freelancer, podcaster, and word person! We think you’ll love hearing her insights on a topic we all want to learn more about: drumming up new business! We’re happy to welcome Melanie Padgett Powers to the podcast.

Melanie is the owner of MelEdits and lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. She is a freelance writer and managing editor for health care membership associations and regularly writes about public health, COVID-19, health care, and issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has a journalism degree and was previously a newspaper reporter in her home state of Indiana. Melanie is also the creator and host of the Deliberate Freelancer podcast and the new Deliberate Freelancer Facebook group, which focuses on the business side of freelancing.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

When and how Melanie started her freelance career, what services she offers, and how her business has evolved over time

What smart habits have been crucial in her career

Her thoughts on work/life clarity for freelancers and how she tries to protect the boundaries between work and personal life

How she drums up new business and what’s worked well for her

Her tips for navigating the feast/famine cycle and finding long-term ways to overcome it

What marketing methods work best for her, and how she finds time to fit them into her schedule

Melanie’s smart habit tips on how to create more times of feast than famine while avoiding burnout

How a regular business audit helps her as a professional and what she would suggest to people who want to start doing regular business audits

What kinds of tasks her virtual assistant (VA) does for her and how working with a VA benefits her business

Melanie’s tips on growing your freelance business deliberately

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Registration for our Asana workshop on March 24, 2022

Registration for our next Virtual Business Retreat on March 17, 2022

Melanie’s podcast: The Deliberate Freelancer

The Facebook group for Deliberate Freelancer listeners: please listen to the podcast first and then join!

Subscribe to the free Deliberate Freelancer newsletter and receive two email templates Melanie used to secure $30,000 (per email!) in new work

Follow Melanie on Twitter

One of Melanie’s favorites: Book tracker: Reading List

 See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/61

Episode 62: Smart Habits for Following Up With Clients

It’s been said many times that it’s easier (and less expensive) to retain clients than it is to find new ones. But we know of so many freelance translators and interpreters who say that following up with clients is just really hard for them. They don’t want to bother anyone or come across as annoying or desperate for work.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about the importance of following up with your translation or interpreting clients and how to make this process less awkward and time-consuming than it often seems.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• Our experience of following up with our clients and what works for us

• Some ways in which you could follow up with current clients

• How to prepare yourself ahead of time to make it easier to follow up with clients regularly

• What’s stopping freelancers from following up with clients and why we often make it into a bigger deal (emotionally) than it really is—and how to overcome this feeling

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Registration for our next Virtual Business Retreat on June 21, 2022

• Corinne McKay’s blog post on following up on marketing contacts

• Episode 2: Impostor Syndrome

• Time-tracker: Toggl

• Madalena’s favorite stand-up desk and under-desk treadmill

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/62

Episode 63: Smart Habits for Aligning Your Business With Your Values and Goals with Marina Ilari

In today’s episode, we’re joined by a colleague, fellow podcaster, and fellow working parent, who will help us explore the topic of staying organized and focused when you have a lot on your plate. So many of us can relate to the feeling of being overwhelmed and scattered when we have an endless list of responsibilities, projects, and goals.

We’re very excited to welcome Marina Ilari to the podcast.

Marina is an ATA certified English>Spanish translator with over 16 years of experience in the translation industry. She has worked as a translator, editor, and quality assurance specialist for many companies around the world with a special focus on creative translations and video game localization. She is the chief executive officer of Terra Translations and co-host of the podcast about translation, En Pantuflas.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• When and how Marina started her freelance career, what services she offers, when and how she started her career in translation and localization, and how her business has evolved over time

• What smart habits have been crucial in her career

• How she manages her many tasks and roles, and what systems, processes, and habits help her stay organized

• Her advice for people who juggle several different projects and responsibilities—how to stay focused on what's important right now and overcome the feeling of being scattered

• Her tips on how to find time for the things that make you feel happy and fulfilled

• Her approach to investing in your career while being an engaged parent

• Marina’s thoughts on work/life clarity for freelancers and how she tries to protect the boundaries between work and personal life

• Her advice for our listeners about growing their translation or interpreting business

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Connect with Marina Ilari on LinkedIn

• The En Pantuflas podcast

• Marina’s company, Terra Translations

• Pocket app

• Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport

• The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy to Grow a Remarkable Business in Any Field by Mike Michalowicz

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/63

Episode 64: Smart Habits for Overcoming Limiting Beliefs

In this episode, we are having a conversation about limiting beliefs—what they are, how they can affect the work that we do as translators and interpreters, and how to challenge or overcome them.

Limiting beliefs are like deeply ingrained stories we tell ourselves about why we can or can't make progress in a given area. We all have limiting beliefs about something in our freelance translation or interpreting businesses. Some are related to how much money we believe we can earn, while others might be related to our professional development, productivity, language skills, or specializations.

It is important to note that limiting beliefs can affect any area of our lives, not just our work. You might have limiting beliefs about a personal goal you want to achieve or your ability to do something you’ve always wanted to do or change.

But today we’re going to focus on those limiting beliefs that rear their ugly heads in our work lives.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• Our own experiences with limiting beliefs that were holding us back

• How limiting beliefs can affect translators and interpreters at various stages of their career

• How to identify limiting beliefs in our professional work

• Ways to overcome or challenge your limiting beliefs

• How to recognize when your limiting beliefs are creeping in and what to do about it

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Book Talk, etc.: A conversational podcast about books and more

• One Line a Day: A Five Year Journal

• The Five-Minute Journal

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/64

Episode 65: Smart Habits for Overcoming an All-or-Nothing Mindset with Nora Díaz

In today’s episode, we are joined by a colleague who is an expert on tools and technology for translators and interpreters. She is one of the organizers of the popular Innovation in Translation and Innovation in Interpreting Summits, and she is very active in our profession. We always enjoy following her work and are in awe of how she handles all her projects and responsibilities. We know she has a lot to share on the topic of smart habits, so we are excited she agreed to join us today!

We’re very excited to welcome Nora Díaz to the podcast.

Nora is a Mexican conference interpreter and translator who enjoys working for clients from around the world on a wide variety of topics, including healthcare, marketing, technical and general texts, and leading teams of linguists, including translators, editors, and proofreaders from Mexico, South America, and Spain working together on large projects. Her interest in productivity has led to a constant exploration of technology to boost productivity, such as CAT tools, speech recognition, computer automation, and custom macros. On her blog, Nora Díaz on Translation, Teaching and Other Stuff, she shares what she has learned with translators and interpreters from around the globe.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

When and how Nora started her freelance career in translation and interpreting and how her business has evolved over time

What smart habits have been crucial in her career

What systems, processes, and habits help her stay organized

Nora’s tips on finding the balance between paid work and professional development

How she accomplishes big goals while working full-time and being a parent

Nora’s advice to colleagues who want to make a big idea happen but feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start

Her thoughts on how to stay up-to-date with technology and pick the best tool for the job

Nora’s top tips on embracing and leveraging technology in your work as a translator or interpreter

Her thoughts on work/life clarity for freelancers and how she tries to protect the boundaries between work and personal life

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Nora’s blog: Nora Díaz on Translation, Teaching, and Other Stuff

Nora’s training courses: Academia CLP

Connect with Nora on LinkedIn and Twitter

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Trados Business Manager

Microsoft OneNote

Google Tasks

Innovation in Translation Summit

Innovation in Interpreting Summit

The Deliberate Freelancer podcast

Write It Down, Make It Happen: Knowing What You Want And Getting It by Henriette Anne Klauser

Buy audio narration for your Kindle books

How to read and listen to a book in the Kindle app

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/65

Episode 66: Smart Habits for Maintaining a Sustainable Business with Rafa Lombardino

We are excited to welcome a wonderful colleague to join us in today's episode. She is a translator, teacher, fellow podcaster, and expert on audiovisual translation and tools and technology for translators. She has been working as a translator for over 20 years and has grown and diversified her business during that time. We enjoyed hearing from her about ways to grow a sustainable business while doing what you enjoy.

We’re very happy to welcome Rafa Lombardino to the podcast.

Rafa was born in Brazil and has been living in California since 2002. She became a professional translator in 1997. She is certified by the American Translators Association (ATA) in both English-to-Portuguese and Portuguese-to-English translations and has a Professional Certificate in ES>EN translations from UC San Diego Extension, where she started teaching translation classes in 2010, including “Tools and Technology in Translation,” which was also released in book format. Rafa is the President & CEO of Word Awareness, hosts the Translation Confessional podcast, and specializes in technology, marketing, HR, EH&S, education, health & wellness, audiovisual, and literature.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

When and how Rafa started her freelance career in translation and how her business has evolved over time

What smart habits have been crucial in her career

What systems, processes, and habits she uses to stay organized and how she manages all the tasks on her plate

How she decides which aspects of her business needs more attention and how she sets priorities

What boundaries she sets in her professional life and how she maintains them

Rafa’s thoughts on diversification for translators, and what tips she has for translators who are thinking of diversifying

Her thoughts on how to stay up-to-date with tools and technology, issues in our profession, and your clients' needs

Her thoughts on work/life clarity for freelancers and how she tries to protect the boundaries between work and personal life

RESOURCES WE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Rafa’s website

Rafa’s company: Word Awareness

Rafa’s podcast: Translation Confessional

Rafa’s book: Tools and Technology in Translation

Tools and Technology in Translation at UC San Diego

Translators101

The Audio Technica microphone Rafa uses for teaching, podcasting, and voice-over recording

The wireless Bose headset Rafa uses for audio editing, subtitling, and listening to audiobooks

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/66

Episode 67: Tools for Organization and Follow-Through

As professional translators and business owners, we have to stay organized to make sure our businesses run efficiently. And there are so many things that can be organized: finances, client projects and information, plans for our business, marketing campaigns, and so much more.

Keeping your systems in check by using tools that help you stay organized and follow through on your projects and communications is vital to the overall health of your business. And it can also be vital to your own health!

Being disorganized can cause stress, anxiety, worry, and a general sense of feeling bad about yourself.

So, today we’d like to talk about our favorite tools for organization and follow-through.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• How systems and tools can bring us a sense of calm and peace in our businesses

• Where tools can come in handy for staying organized in your translation or interpreting business

• Examples of what freelancers tend to need to organize and which tools can be helpful

• Tools we use and love and how we use them in our businesses

• Tools we would recommend in everyday life

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Yasmin AlKashef’s LinkedIn post about the one-touch rule

• Episode 57: Smart Habits for Managing Your Inbox

• Asana

• OneTab extension for Chrome

• How to group and arrange tabs in Chrome

• QuickBooks

• How to create email templates in Gmail

• Reading list in Chrome

• OneNote

• Create, view, and edit bookmarks in Chrome

• LastPass password manager

• Genius Scan PDF scanner

• Slack

• Airtable

• Full Focus Planner

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/67

Episode 68: Our Favorite Books About Habits

In this episode, we’re chatting about what is probably our favorite topic ever—books! And not just any books… but our favorite books about habits. It’s no secret that we love reading about smart habits and discussing how to adopt them in our businesses and personal lives—so much so that we started this podcast! That's why we thought we should dedicate an entire episode to this topic.

Tune in to hear our conversation about some of our favorite books on creating new habits and how they apply to translators and interpreters.

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Atomic Habits by James Clear

• James Clear’s website and newsletter

• Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

• Marie Forleo’s podcast and MarieTV series

• Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab

• Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by BJ Fogg

• The Tiny Habits website and mailing list

• No-Fail Habits by Michael Hyatt

• Maintaining Your Second Language: practical and productive strategies for translators, teachers, interpreters, and other language lovers by Eve Bodeux

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/68

Episode 69: Smart Habits for Negotiating with Clients with Susie Jackson

In today’s episode, we’re happy to welcome back a colleague who joined us on the podcast two years ago! She is a translator and a mentor for freelancers who need help figuring out their pricing and getting their business finances in order. We love learning from her through the various courses she teaches and her blog, and we’re sure that she has a lot to share on today’s topic: negotiating with clients.

Susie Jackson is a Spanish-to-English translator and copy editor specializing in academic texts for the social sciences. She also mentors freelancers on pricing and business finances to help them figure out how much they should be charging and how to manage the financial side of their business so they can earn a decent living doing what they love. You can connect with Susie on Instagram or check out her free resources for help with pricing and finances on her website.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• How Susie’s business is going, and the smart habits she adopted since our last conversation

• What finance-related habits freelancers tend to struggle with

• Why it’s hard for many freelancers to negotiate and the challenges that usually come up when negotiating with clients

• What strategies freelance translators and interpreters can apply when negotiating with clients

• What pricing mistakes translators and interpreters usually make

• When and how to raise your rates

• How we can take the emotion out of communicating our prices to clients

• Susie’s top tips on how to approach negotiations with clients

RESOURCES WE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Smart Habits for Translators workshop with Susie: Smart Habits for Pricing and Negotiation on September 6, 2022

• Episode 12: Financial Habits for a Healthy Business with Susie Jackson

• Susie’s website and Instagram profile

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/69

Episode 70: Our Favorite Podcasts About Habits

Before we dive into this episode, we have some news to share!

We are excited to announce that Susie Jackson, our guest from Episode 69 on Smart Habits for Negotiating with Clients, will be a guest speaker at our upcoming virtual business retreat on September 20, 2022.

So, if you need help making an action plan for 2023 to keep working toward your goals and let go of what's not working for you, we hope you'll join us! Susie will kick off our virtual business retreat with a short presentation on pricing and negotiating with clients with confidence.

Our virtual business retreats are a safe, friendly space for you to review various areas of your business and discuss plans, ambitions, and aspirations for your business and work/life clarity with a small group of colleagues—and us. We organize these retreats every quarter, and we love hearing that people find them helpful and motivating.

Join us on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, from 1 pm to 4 pm US Eastern Time!

And now back to today’s episode.

We really enjoyed discussing our favorite books about habits in Episode 68, so we thought we would dedicate an episode to our favorite podcasts on habits, too! There are so many great podcasts out there, and we always love sharing what we like and hearing about podcasts that are new to us.

Of course, there are many wonderful podcasts produced by our colleagues specifically for translators and interpreters, but today we're chatting about podcasts that are not directly related to our field of work. We find it helpful to look for advice and inspiration from people in other fields from time to time, too.

So, tune in to hear our conversation about some of our favorite podcasts on creating and maintaining smart habits, and how they apply to translators and interpreters.

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our Virtual Business Retreat on September 20, 2022, with guest speaker, Susie Jackson

• Episode 68: Our Favorite Books About Habits

• Episode 69: Smart Habits for Negotiating with Clients with Susie Jackson

• Focus on This podcast

o Episode 148: Rethink Your Evening Ritual to Power Your Days

o Episode 139: Four Reasons You Must Record Your Wins

o Episode 153: Four Tools to Defeat Distractions and Interruptions

• Full Focus Planner

• Best Laid Plans podcast by Sarah Hart-Unger

o Episode 108: Back to School Energy

• Deliberate Freelancer podcast by Melanie Padgett Powers

o Episode 134: My Q1 Audit—A Slow Start & 4 Big Decisions

o Episode 123: My 2021 Business Review and Questions to Help You

o Episode 117: My Time Tracking, Money and Client Audit for Q3

• Before Breakfast podcast by Laura Vanderkam

o How to Help Yourself Relax

• Do Pause: You Are Not a To-Do List by Robert Poynton

• The Best Today podcast by Shunta Grant

o Episode 73: 12 Examples of Everyday Routines

• High-Income Business Writing podcast by Ed Gandia

o Episode 299: How to Make Smarter Decisions About Which Clients to Keep or Let Go

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/70

Episode 71: Smart Habits for Attending In-Person Conferences

We’re recording this episode a week after our quarterly virtual business retreat, and we wanted to thank all of our colleagues who participated. We’ve been holding these quarterly business retreats for over a year now, and this was our best one yet—we had great conversations and a guest speaker who we all enjoyed. It’s never easy to find uninterrupted time to sit down and review how various areas of your business are going and what you would like to focus on. Our virtual business retreats are an opportunity to identify areas of improvement and commit to specific actions you will take to achieve your goals—not to mention the perk of brainstorming with colleagues.

We’re really excited about our next retreat, which will be on December 14. We will have a guest speaker again to kick things off, and then we’ll focus on discussing our business goals for the first quarter of 2023.

And now back to the topic of this episode: smart habits for attending a conference after what’s been two years of having very few in-person events to attend.

We have already recorded three episodes about smart conference habits in the past, and they are among some of our most popular episodes. If you haven’t listened to them yet, we recommend that you check them out:

• Episode 3: Conference Habits

• Episode 26: Smart Habits for Attending Online Conferences

• Episode 51: Tips and Tricks for Attending Hybrid Conferences, a Surprise Joint Episode with Speaking of Translation

We recorded the last two episodes to respond to the changes in the conference landscape due to the pandemic. Since the situation is different now and more people are attending in-person conferences again, we figured it was time to discuss what you might want to take into account when attending your next in-person conference.

Of course, we still think that much of the advice we shared in Episode 3 and Episode 26 is still relevant. We’ll also share what we think has changed and some new factors to consider when attending conferences these days.

So, tune in to hear our conversation; we hope this helps you plan for an upcoming translation and interpreting event!

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our next virtual business retreat on December 14, 2022

• Episode 3: Conference Habits

• Episode 26: Smart Habits for Attending Online Conferences

• Episode 51: Tips and Tricks for Attending Hybrid Conferences, a Surprise Joint Episode with Speaking of Translation

• The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark

• An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten

• Eve Bodeux’s Global Reads Book Club

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/71

Episode 72: Smart Habits for Diversifying in a Niche Specialization with Abigail Dahlberg

Today, we’re really excited to be joined by a colleague we both admire very much. She is a translator, content writer, mom, and expert in environmental issues and sustainability. She has been working as a translator for over 20 years and has grown and diversified her business within a very niche specialization. In fact, her success in this area has even earned her the nickname “Trash Girl,” believe it or not!

We are thrilled to be joined by our colleague and friend, Abigail Dahlberg.

Abigail is a German to English translator and copywriter specializing in sustainability issues. After completing an MA in translation and interpreting at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh in 2001, she worked as a staff translator in Germany for several years before relocating to Kansas City and launching her freelance business in 2005. Over the past 15 years, Abigail has helped dozens of direct clients in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland communicate with an international audience via her business, Greener Words.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• When and how Abigail started her freelance career in translation and how her business has evolved over time

• What smart habits have been crucial in her career

• What systems, processes, and habits she uses to stay organized and how she manages all the tasks on her plate

• How she decides which aspects of her business need more attention at certain times and how she sets priorities

• What boundaries she sets in her professional life and how she maintains them

• Why she decided to diversify her service offerings and how she went about it

• Abigail’s advice for specializing in a niche field or market and diversifying your services

• Her thoughts on work/life clarity for freelancers and how she tries to protect the boundaries between work and personal life

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Abigail’s website

• Follow Abigail on Twitter and LinkedIn

• ATA Inside Specialization podcast episode: Translating Sustainability

• Let the Story Do the Work: The Art of Storytelling for Business Success by Esther K. Choy

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/72

Episode 73: Smart Habits for Setting Boundaries in Your Business

Before we jump into the topic of Episode 73, we want to remind you about our next quarterly virtual business retreat, which will be on December 14. We’re excited that our colleague and podcast guest Dorothee Racette has agreed to be our guest speaker this time! She will kick off our retreat with some tips and wisdom on how to set reasonable and realistic goals for the new year, and then we’ll focus on discussing our business goals for the first quarter of 2023.

If you’d like to join us, you can sign up at smarthabitsfortranslators.com/retreat. Space is limited to 25 participants, so don’t wait!

In today’s episode, we chat about smart habits for setting boundaries in your business. What do we mean by this? Well, setting boundaries in your business could take on a lot of forms, but the main idea is to determine what you will and won’t do based on what is best for your business and what is best for you as the owner. This could look like setting boundaries around the hours you work, the types of projects you take on, and even who you want to work with.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• Why boundaries are important for translators and interpreters

• Our thoughts on helpful boundaries for your business

• What boundaries we set in our professional lives and how we maintain them

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our next virtual business retreat with a special guest, Dorothee Racette

• Episode 33: Smart Habits for Setting Priorities and Getting Things Done With Dorothee Racette

• Episode 35: Maintaining Healthy Boundaries Between Work and Personal Life: Another Joint Episode With Speaking of Translation

• Episode 69: Smart Habits for Negotiating with Clients with Susie Jackson

• Susie Jackson’s blog on financial habits for freelancers

• Episode 60: Smart Habits for Taking Time Off

• Intelligent Change: Mindful Affirmation Cards

• Anti-Fatigue Cushioned Standing Desk Mat

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/73

Episode 74: Smart Habits for Your Social Media Presence with Kelsey Frick

In our latest episode, we’re talking about some smart habits related to developing and maintaining a social media presence for your business. Besides coming up with ideas for content, it can be hard to stay consistent when it comes to marketing your business on social media. That’s why we invited a colleague who we think has great insights to share on this topic to join this conversation, and we’re excited to hear her tips.

We are thrilled to be joined by Kelsey Frick.

Kelsey is a freelance translation account manager, French-to-English subtitler, and social media consultant. After working as a project manager in the T&I industry for 5 years, Kelsey went freelance in the middle of the pandemic and found success by marketing herself on LinkedIn with TikTok-style content and outreach to other translators.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• What services Kelsey offers and how her freelance career has evolved over time

• What smart habits have been crucial in her career, and how she decides which aspect of her business needs more attention right now

• What boundaries she sets in her professional life and how she maintains them

• What social media platforms Kelsey focuses on, and how she built her expertise in this field

• Why she thinks it’s important for freelance translators and interpreters to have a social media presence

• How she feels about posting for and connecting with colleagues versus communicating with clients

• How she stays on top of social media marketing without letting it take over her day

• What translators and interpreters tend to do well when it comes to social media, in addition to common mistakes

• The myths or misconceptions about social media presence that Kelsey would like to set straight

• What smart habits freelance translators and interpreters can apply to have a consistent and authentic social media presence

• Kelsey’s top tips for social media presence

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our next virtual business retreat with a special guest, Dorothee Racette

• Follow Kelsey on LinkedIn and Instagram

• Canva

• To get Kelsey’s downloadable list of 30 social media content ideas for our listeners, sign up for our emails on our website!

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/74

Episode 75: Smart Habits for Forming and Maintaining a Translator Collective

Today, we’re thrilled to share with you a concept that we know is something our colleagues are interested in. In fact, we have not only one guest, but two here to tell us more about it!

We’re excited to be sharing the microphones today with our colleagues and friends, Jamie Hartz and Nathalie Reis, who are here to chat with us about translation collectives.

Jamie Hartz is an ATA-certified Spanish to English translator who specializes in legal and commercial translation and transcription. She has been a freelancer since 2013, and in 2016 Jamie helped to found the Black Squirrel Translator Collective, which currently consists of herself and three fellow alumni of Kent State University’s master’s in translation program: Mary McKee, Hannah Sampson, and Nancy Cabrera.

And Nathalie Reis is a full-time freelance translator and copywriter specializing in the creative industries (travel & tourism, art & culture, leisure & wellness, and fashion & beauty) as well as the humanitarian field (including human & social rights, women & children’s health). She runs Nathalie Reis Translations in Northwood and works from English into French. She is a Member of the CIoL, an Associate of the ITI, a Member of the Society of Authors, and acts as Publicity Officer for the ITI London Regional Group. Nathalie also co-founded the Creative Translation Hub with Carolina Casado Parras and Adriana Tortoriello, a small collective of translators focused on the creative industries and working mainly from English into French, Spanish and Italian.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• What services Jamie and Nathalie offer and how their translation businesses have evolved over time

• What smart habits have been crucial in their careers

• What systems, processes, and habits help them stay organized, and how they set priorities

• What boundaries they set in their professional lives and how they maintain them

• What translator collectives are and how they work

• Why it can be helpful for freelance translators to work together in this way

• What positive results Nathalie and Jamie have seen as well as some challenges related to being in a translator collective

• Jamie and Nathalie’s tips for freelance translators who want to form and maintain a translator collective

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our next virtual business retreat with a special guest, Dorothee Racette

• Creative Translation Hub

• Connect with the Creative Translation Hub on LinkedIn and Instagram

• Learn more about Jamie’s translation services and connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter

• Black Squirrel Translator Collective

• Pomodoro technique

• Get Fit for the Future of Transcreation: A Handbook on How to Succeed in an Undervalued Market by Nina Sattler-Hovdar

• The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way by Bill Bryson

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/75

Episode 76: Smart Habits for Preparing for an Exam or Test

December is certainly a busy season for most of us, with so much work to wrap up before the holidays and so many personal and family commitments. It’s also a time when we reflect on the accomplishments we made this year and what goals we’d like to set for the coming year. If one of your objectives next year is to take a certification exam or translation test, we think you’ll find this episode useful.

Several listeners asked us for tips on preparing for exams and tests, so we’re happy to share our experiences and advice on this topic. We both know that getting certified as a translator and/or interpreter and passing a translation test for your dream client can be a big milestone in your career, but they can also be stressful experiences. So, let’s talk about some ways to make these situations less nerve-racking and increase your chances of success.

Tune in to hear our conversation on our:

• Experiences with translation and interpreting certification exams, how we prepared for them, and how these credentials helped our business

• Tips on how to make exam day less stressful

• Approaches to taking translation tests for clients

• Advice on what to take into account when taking translation tests

You'll also get some amazing tips and advice from our colleagues—certified translators and interpreters in different languages—on how to prepare for certification exams!

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• ATA certification exam

• CCHI certification exam for healthcare interpreters

• Some helpful resources on preparing for the ATA certification exam:

o The Ins and Outs of the ATA Certification Exam

o Ergonomics for ATA's Certification Exam: Unspoken Advice with Untold Benefits

o Forming A Peer Study Group to Prepare for ATA’s Certification Exam

o Taking and Preparing for ATA’s Online Certification Exam

o 12 Extra-Linguistic Skills You Need to Master before Taking ATA's Certification Exam

o Who Wants to Fail ATA’s Certification Exam?

o Practical Tips for Taking ATA’S Certification Exam Online

o One Member’s Tips on How to Prepare for ATA’s Certification Exam

• Episode 46: Smart Habits for Finding the Right Clients for You

• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

• Habits of a Happy Brain: Retrain Your Brain to Boost Your Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin, & Endorphin Levels by Loretta Graziano Breuning

• The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/76

Episode 77: Smart Habits for Kicking Off and Wrapping Up Your Week

In June 2020 (wow, time flies!), we released an episode on delineating your workday in which we talked about some things we like to do at the beginning and end of a workday. So, for our last episode of 2022, we thought it would be good to do a follow-up episode to talk about some smart habits related to kicking off and wrapping up your workweek.

Tune in to hear our conversation on our:

• Why it’s important to kick off and wrap up your workweek in a mindful, deliberate way

• What we like to do at the beginning of the week

• How we choose to wrap up our week

• Our top tips when it comes to getting the week started on the right track and wrapping it up in a way that helps us unplug from work during the weekend

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Our 2022 end-of-year survey—open through January 10, 2023!

• Episode 19: Smart Habits for Delineating Your Workday

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/77

Episode 78: Smart Habits for Continuing Your Professional Development with Eman Abdo

We know the beginning of the year is the time when many people set their intentions and aspirations for the year, and this often includes training and development goals.

So, we thought we should dedicate our first episode of the year to professional development. We’re very happy to welcome a guest who takes continuing professional development (CPD) very seriously and openly shares her CPD journey on LinkedIn.

We are excited to be joined by Eman Abdo.

Eman is an English-to-Arabic translator specializing in localization and transcreation with a special focus on marketing, e-learning content, and game localization. She studied translation at the Faculty of Al-Alsun.

With more than five years of experience in the game localization industry, Eman has worked on the localization of AAA games, mobile games, and indie games. She is also the author of the Egypt Localization Guide and the force behind the localization of many apps and games in Arabic. She is a gamer at her core, aspiring to change how Arabic is represented globally.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• What services Eman offers, and how her freelance career has evolved over time

• What values led her to become a freelancer, and how they developed in her business

• What smart habits have been crucial in her career, and what systems, processes, or habits have helped her stay focused and organized

• What habit she had earlier in her career that she no longer practices, and why

• How Eman approaches continuing professional development (CPD): how far in advance she plans the courses or webinars she wants to attend and where she looks for them

• How she chooses which CPD events to sign up for and decides which areas of her business, skills, or services she wants to grow and develop

• How she budgets for CPD

• How she stays on track and makes time to complete the courses she signs up for

• What Eman does after she completes training courses to implement what she learned or incorporate it into her marketing activities

• Eman’s tips on how to approach CPD strategically and consistently

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Follow Eman on LinkedIn

• Eman’s webinar “Game Localization in the Arabic-Speaking World” (register by the end of January 2023 to take advantage of the discount!)

• Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/78

Episode 79: Smart Legal Habits for Translators with Nicole Fenwick

Legal protection is a must for any freelance translator. And we all know how vital it is to get this part right! But it can be overwhelming, time-consuming, and nerve-racking if we don’t know where to start or feel unsure of the legal protections we have (or should have) in place. That's why we're excited to be joined this month by a guest who can talk to us more about the legal aspects of running a freelance translation business.

But first, we want to share some legal protections of our own… As you listen to this episode, please remember that we are not attorneys, and nothing in this episode is meant to represent legal advice. The content of this episode is meant to encourage you to put legal protections in place in your freelance translation business and seek the necessary legal advice you need. If you have questions about the legal aspects of your freelance business, we encourage you to consult a qualified attorney before making any changes.

We are excited to welcome Nicole Fenwick to the podcast this month!

Nicole is an entrepreneurial French-to-English legal translator and lawyer-linguist based in Barcelona. When she’s not translating or traveling the world, she enjoys making translators’ lives easier by helping them understand their legal rights and obligations and drafting their terms of business, so they can do what they love, safe in the knowledge that they have the legal protection they need to protect their work and pay the bills, preferably on time.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• What services Nicole offers, and how her career has evolved over time

• What values led her to become a freelancer, and how they developed in her business

• What smart habits have been crucial in her career, and what systems, processes, or habits have helped her stay focused and organized

• What habit she had earlier in her career that she no longer practices, and why

• What translators should look out for when clients ask them to sign a contract

• What terms and conditions translators should consider including in their own contracts with clients

• Nicole’s thoughts on taking out professional indemnity insurance, or as many people refer to it, errors and omissions insurance

• What other ways translators can protect themselves legally

• How freelance translators can find a small business attorney to help them draft or review contracts for the type of work we do

• Other tips on how to approach the legal landscape of working as a translator

• What advice Nicole would give to her past self

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and Instagram

• Visit Nicole’s website

• Legal templates for translators

• LSP.expert

• Sign up for our newsletter below to get a free resource that Nicole graciously shared with our listeners: Top Tips for Client Contracts

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/79

Episode 80: Smart Habits for Thriving in the Premium Market with Michael Schubert

If you’ve ever heard a colleague mention working in the “premium market,” you may have thought, “Hmm… how do I tap into that area of the market?” After all, who doesn’t want to work for clients who value our work and pay premium rates, right?!

Well… we’ve found the perfect guest to share insights with us about working and thriving in the premium market! We’re excited to welcome our colleague and friend, Michael Schubert to the podcast.

Michael is an ATA-certified German-to-English translator based in San Francisco, providing premium translation services with a focus on corporate communications in the software industry. He is also an Adjunct Professor for German-to-English translation at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

Michael earned degrees in Music Performance and German Language in his native Los Angeles, including a scholarship year at the University of Heidelberg, where he studied musicology and German. Following his graduation, he worked in Germany for 10 years as an orchestral flutist. In 2000, Michael moved to San Francisco and launched his translation career. His clients have included small and medium-sized software companies in Germany as well as artists, orchestras, musicologists, and music publishers in Europe and North America. In addition to translating and teaching, Michael regularly presents at the ATA Annual Conference and elsewhere on the subject of business skills, pricing strategies, and successful client relationships.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• The services Michael offers, and how his career has evolved over time

• A habit he practiced earlier in his career… and why he let it go

• Why it’s so important for translators to consider their services premium when it comes to the clients they serve

• What translators should consider when it comes to their identity as a professional in the premium market

• Michael’s experience raising prices and providing value-based pricing, and what he has learned from sharing presentations on these topics

• What steps translators should take to enter the premium market

• What helps a translator thrive in this area of the market

• The kinds of professional development opportunities translators should look for to support the kind of work they want to do for the kinds of clients they want to work for long-term

• Other tips for translators on working in the premium market

• The advice Michael would give to his past self

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Follow Michael on LinkedIn and Twitter

• Visit Michael’s website

• Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything by David Bellos

• Michael's favorite: The Ember mug

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/80

Episode 81: Smart Habits for Cultivating Creativity with Mireya Perez

Today’s topic may seem unexpected, but we're sure it will spark some ideas for you, just as it did for us.

If you ask a translator or an interpreter what they like the most about their work, many will say they love learning new things every day and enjoy the creative process that goes into conveying a message from one language to another. Our jobs require creativity and curiosity, so we’re very excited to bring a special guest to join us in discussing how we can cultivate these qualities in our work.

We are thrilled to welcome a colleague, friend, and fellow podcaster Mireya Perez to join us on the podcast.

Mireya began her professional interpreting career after completing her interpreting studies and becoming a certified medical interpreter. She worked as a medical interpreter in both a general and children’s hospital before becoming a staff interpreter in a K-12 public education school district, where she spent nearly a decade helping to highlight the roles of trained interpreters in education. Currently, Mireya is the proud owner of Brand the Interpreter Incorporated, an up-and-coming multimedia learning platform that includes the Brand the Interpreter podcast, a show dedicated to sharing the stories of language professionals from around the world. She holds a master’s degree in communications and enjoys reading and sharing about creativity, personal branding, and strategic communication management.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

What services Mireya offers, and how her career has evolved over time

How she started her podcast Brand the Interpreter, and what she enjoys the most about being a podcast host

What values led Mireya to become an interpreter, and how they show up in her business

Smart habits that have been crucial in her career, and what habits she no longer practices and why

How she transitioned from being a school district interpreter and translator to a freelancer, and what the transition was like

What systems, processes, or habits help Mireya stay focused and organized while running her business

What she does when she doesn’t feel motivated

Mireya’s thoughts on future-proofing her career

How she cultivates creativity and curiosity

What challenges translators and interpreters run into when it comes to maintaining curiosity at various stages in their careers

How interpreters and translators can boost their creative side and find time and opportunities to engage in creative activities

The advice Mireya would give to her past self

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Follow Mireya on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn

Visit the Brand the Intepreter website

Books that Mireya recommended:

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea by Marc Randolph

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/81

Episode 82: Smart Habits for Building and Maximizing Your Network with Alicja Tokarska and Ania Marchwiak

We often discuss the importance of building and maintaining your professional network, and we’re sure you’ve heard this advice many times before. But what does it mean in practice?

Alicja Tokarska and Ania Marchwiak joined us recently to discuss ways to build and maintain your professional network, especially when you work in a less common language pair. We know our listeners based outside the US will find this topic particularly interesting. But, of course, the tips you’re about to hear will be helpful no matter where you’re based or what language combination you work in.

Alicja is a freelance translator and subtitler based in Glasgow, Scotland. She translates between English and Polish, and from Spanish and French into Polish and English. Alicja is passionate about inclusive communication and works mainly in the areas of audiovisual translation, culture and heritage, fashion, and mental health.

Ania is a freelance translator working with Polish and English. She is based in Glasgow, Scotland. Ania translates for the medical and pharmaceutical industry and has recently ventured into new specialisms, which are sustainability and mental health. On top of being a translator, she is a keen forager and yogi and has recently become a certified breathwork instructor.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• What services Alicja and Ania offer, and how their careers have evolved over time

• Smart habits that have been crucial in their careers

• Some habits they had earlier in their career that they no longer practice, and why

• Their thoughts on maintaining healthy boundaries, and what boundaries they set in their professional life

• How they approach networking, and how they maintain and utilize their network

• How they take the guesswork out of marketing their services to new and existing clients

• What habits, systems, or processes help them stay organized and consistent

• Their advice on how to make networking and marketing feel less scary

• Other tips for our listeners on building and maximizing their networks

• What advice Alicja and Ania would give to their past selves

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Get in touch with Alicja, visit her website, and connect with her on social media

• Get in touch with Ania, or connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter

• Follow Ania’s Instagram page dedicated to breathwork

• The Power of When by Michael Breus

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/82

Episode 83: Smart Habits for Saying “No” with Dagmar and Judy Jenner

Today’s episode is one you may not be expecting… or maybe if you’ve been a long-time Smart Habits listener, you understand how it aligns with what we discuss here on the podcast.

Saying “no” and doing it with confidence can be difficult in any area of life, especially in business. But saying “no” is essential to running your business with less stress and more time for what you really want to work on with the clients you really want to work with!

Today, we have the pleasure of discussing smart habits for saying “no” with two guests we know you’ll recognize! We’d like to welcome Dagmar and Judy Jenner to the podcast.

Dagmar is a German, Spanish, English, and French translator and conference interpreter based in Vienna. She grew up in Austria and Mexico City and has an advanced degree in French from the University of Salzburg and a master's degree in conference interpreting from the University of Vienna. She runs the European side of Twin Translations and is the past President of the Austrian Interpreters' and Translators' Association, UNIVERSITAS Austria. Dagmar is passionate about literature, classical music, and chess.

And Judy is a Spanish and German business and legal translator and a federally certified Spanish court interpreter and conference interpreter. She has an MBA in marketing from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, a master’s degree in conference interpreting from York University in Canada, and runs her boutique translation and interpreting business, Twin Translations, with her twin sister Dagmar. She was born in Austria and grew up in Mexico City. She is a former in-house translation department manager. Judy writes the blog Translation Times and the "Entrepreneurial Linguist" column for The ATA Chronicle, serves as one of the ATA spokespersons, and teaches interpretation at the University of California-San Diego, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and at New York University as of fall 2023. And she’s a frequent speaker at T&I conferences around the world, mostly online these days. Judy flies a lot for her interpreting assignments, and one of her special talents is memorizing airport codes.

Dagmar and Judy are the authors of The Entrepreneurial Linguist: The Business-School Approach to Freelance Translation.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• What services Dagmar and Judy offer, and how their careers have evolved over time

• Why they wrote The Entrepreneurial Linguist, and what they think is the biggest takeaway for our colleagues when it comes to their freelance businesses

• What values led them to become translators and interpreters, and how these values are reflected in their business

• What smart habits have been crucial in their careers so far

• What habits they had earlier in their careers that they no longer practice, and why

• Why they think it’s important for translators and interpreters to be able to say “no”

• Some key reasons to say “no,” and some strategies to do it with grace

• Their thoughts on whether saying “no” means losing an opportunity or future work with a client

• How we can practice saying “no” so it feels easier going forward

• In what ways saying “no” has paid off in their careers

• Other tips for our listeners on the power of saying “no”

• What advice Dagmar and Judy would give to their past selves

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Dagmar and Judy’s European website, Texterei, and their translation company, Twin Translations

• The Entrepreneurial Linguist: The Business-School Approach to Freelance Translation

• Judy and Dagmar’s blog, Translation Times

• Connect with Judy and Dagmar on Twitter

• The Remarkable tablet and the Rocketbook reusable notebook that Judy recommends

• Dagmar’s YouTube channel on German orthography

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/83

Episode 84: Smart Habits for Taking a Workcation with Corinne McKay

We are excited to be back after our summer hiatus from the podcast, refreshed and recharged to bring you all new episodes and guests.

Speaking of guests… today’s episode is one we are very excited to be bringing to you, and it might be fresh on your mind if you took a vacation this summer and brought along some work with you.

You may have heard this referred to as a working vacation, or a “workcation.” And we found the perfect person to share about her recent workcation with us, and let us in on all the details about how to take one and how to make the most of it!

We’re excited to welcome Corinne McKay back to the podcast.

Corinne is an English/French conference and legal interpreter and ATA-certified French to English translator, based in Boulder, Colorado. A full-time freelancer since 2002, she served on the Board of the American Translators Association for seven years, including as ATA President from 2017-2019. She is the author of the book How to Succeed as a Freelance Translator, and runs the online professional development platform Training for Translators. After more than 15 years as a translator, Corinne caught the interpreting bug, passed the Colorado state court interpreter exams for French, and then earned a Master's in conference interpreting from Glendon College. She now divides her time between interpreting, translation, and offering business training for other freelancers.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• What it means to go on a workcation and why Corinne decided to take one this year

• How to decide to if you want to take a workcation rather than a non-working vacation

• How to prepare yourself and your business for a workcation

• What goes into choosing the location and the amount of time you plan to spend on your workcation

• What work-related factors you need to take into account when choosing a location

• Whether or not to notify clients about your workcation or just operate like business as usual

• How to enjoy the vacation aspect around your work and also set some working hours

• What you can do to prepare for issues like a poor Wi-Fi connection and other unforeseen circumstances

• What things worked well during Corinne’s recent workcation—and what she would do differently next time

• Corinne’s tips for translators and interpreters who are planning a workcation

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Corinne’s training company, Training for Translators

• The portable monitor that Corinne recommends

• The Commit30 planner

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/84

Episode 85: Smart Habits for Time Management

When you wear multiple hats, it can be challenging to manage your time, prioritize tasks, and focus on what’s important. If this sounds familiar, we feel your pain!

We have shared our approach to time management and setting priorities in previous episodes, but we thought we'd dedicate an entire episode to this topic to talk about the things that help us stay productive and avoid stress and overwhelm.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

- How our approach to time management changes during busier or slower seasons

- How we find the balance between personal priorities and external expectations and commitments

- How to know when it’s time to call it a day and how to end your day with a wind-down process

- How to manage your free time so you have more work/life clarity

- Our favorite time management tools and techniques

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

Asana

Full Focus Planner

The Todoist app

Erin Condren Life Planner

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/85

Episode 86: Smart Habits for Business Storytelling with Joachim Lepine and Ann Marie Boulanger

Have you ever thought about how the art of business storytelling can be helpful in your business? It's not just about clear communication to market your services or network with others. Not only is it important to be aware of how we translators and interpreters tend to talk about our professions and the value we offer, but it's just as vital to understanding what our clients’ experiences and expectations are. Whether you’re a seasoned translator or interpreter or someone who is just starting out, weaving a compelling narrative that resonates with your clients and helps foster your business relationships is an important part of marketing your business successfully. That's why we’re excited to discuss this topic with our guests and welcome Joe Lepine and Ann Marie Boulanger to the podcast.

Joachim (Joe) Lepine was born into a French-speaking family in Belgium and grew up in the U.S. before moving to Quebec in 2006. When he took his first translation course—on a whim—he knew he had found his calling. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in translation and a master’s degree in education. In the ensuing years, he translated for a myriad of prestigious clients in Quebec and abroad.

To share his passion for the craft, over the past 15 years, Joe has taught French-into-English translation and related courses at Université de Sherbrooke and trained for NATO, the United Nations, the European Commission, OTTIAQ, Magistrad, Editors Canada, the Translation Bureau, ITI (UK), Training for Translators (USA), and many others.

Today he is the cofounder of LION Translation Academy, which offers training to help translators and translation teams to thrive in every area of their practice.

Ann Marie Boulanger was born in Montreal, Quebec, to an anglophone mother and a francophone father. After earning a college diploma in liberal arts, she heard about an acquaintance who was studying translation… and that’s when the lightbulb went off!

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in translation from Concordia University, she was hired by start-up translation firm Traduction Proteus Inc., which she eventually bought in 2005. The business continues to thrive today. A life-long learner, Ann Marie later earned an MA in translation studies from Concordia in 2018.

Her other hats include co-founder of LION Translation Academy and part-time lecturer in translation at McGill University. When Ann Marie isn’t translating commercial texts, she can be found working on children’s books, with more than 45 translations to her credit so far. Her first literary translation, The Woman in Valencia, by Annie Perreault, was named a World Literature Today Notable Translation of 2021.

Tune in to hear our conversation on:

• What services Joe and Ann Marie offer

• How their careers have evolved over time

• What smart habits have been crucial in their careers so far

• What habits they had earlier in their careers that they no longer practice and why

• Why it is important for translators and interpreters to be aware of the stories we tell the world—and our clients—about ourselves

• What constitutes a good business story and how we can utilize it as a marketing tool

• How negative experiences can be used in business storytelling

• Other tips on how to consciously craft narratives about the value of our work

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Joe’s translation business, Traductions LION

• Ann Marie’s translation business, Traduction Proteus

• LION Translation Academy

• Connect with Joe and Ann Marie on LinkedIn

• Get the free Client Win storytelling template from Ann Marie and Joe!

• The Story Advantage: Unleash the Power of Storytelling to Engage, Inspire, and Influence by LJ Bloom

• Kindle

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/86

Episode 87: Smart Habits for Building and Changing Habits

In this last episode of 2023, we’re sharing some important news about our podcast. After four years of producing Smart Habits for Translators, we’ve decided it’s time to wrap up the podcast, so this will be our second-to-last episode. Tune in to hear the reasons for our decision (spoiler alert—there’s no drama, and we’re still great friends!) and how you can continue to listen to our previous episodes after January 2024.

We decided to round out the year by discussing the concept of Atomic Habits by James Clear—one of the topics that brought us together and served as a catalyst for starting Smart Habits for Translators! :)

Tune in to hear our conversation on our favorite tips in the Atomic Habits book and how we apply them in our businesses and personal lives!

In our next (and final episode), we will share our thoughts on work/life clarity (just like we did when we launched the podcast in 2019!) and how we apply these principles when setting goals for the new year.

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

• Atomic Habits by James Clear

• Find Your Why by Simon Sinek

• MasterClass

See the full list of links and resources for this episode: https://smarthabitsfortranslators.com/podcast-episodes/87

Episode 88: Smart Habits for Better Work/Life Clarity—Our Last Episode!

In this last episode of our podcast, we’re touching on the topic that started Smart Habits for Translators more than four years ago—work/life clarity! If you missed the news, check out our previous episode where we explain why our podcast is coming to an end and what you can expect.

The concept of work/life clarity was what brought us together as co-hosts of Smart Habits for Translators, and it’s a topic we've addressed in many episodes of our podcast. We believe that striving for work/life balance is an unattainable goal while being clear about the priorities in your current season of life and business is a better way of identifying focus areas and setting boundaries.

Tune in to our last episode to hear our conversation on:

• What work/life clarity is and how it’s different from work/life balance

• How our understanding and approach to work/life clarity has evolved since we started our podcast

• What could be some signs to take some time to consider your own work/life clarity

• How to find work/life clarity

• How to set boundaries and priorities in your life and business intentionally