| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: How many hours per day do you usually work? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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of productive work (i.e. for which I earn money).
This is what I noticed while timing actual work during a typical day with a few deadlines ahead.
As I am in front of my computer about 9-10 hours a day, I feel there is still a lot of waste (non-productive work) in my schedule. However, the many breaks I have during the day are probably necessary for me to be efficient during 6-8 hours.
Philippe
| | | | | Non-productive work? | Aug 5, 2009 |
Philippe Etienne wrote:
As I am in front of my computer about 9-10 hours a day, I feel there is still a lot of waste (non-productive work) in my schedule.
I don't quite get what you mean: what kind of activities would you are are "non-productive work"?
| | | | | Non-productive work | Aug 5, 2009 |
By 'non-productive work' Philippe is probably referring to 'distractions' and suchlike that the Internet presents us with, such as 'social' emails, administrative tasks that could wait, research on non-work-related matters, etc.
Vicky
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Interlangue (X)
Angola
Local time: 11:50
English to French
+ ...
| Non productive? | Aug 5, 2009 |
I don't consider reading reference documents (after finding them) on the Net is "non productive", even if I sometimes get carried away for several hours.
[Modifié le 2009-08-05 09:15 GMT]
| | | | Parrot 
Spain
Local time: 11:50
Spanish to English
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| Other, as in the best-laid plans of mice and men | Aug 5, 2009 |
I project for at least 6 hours of translation, but in the name of goodwill often end up doing more.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 11:50
Spanish to English
+ ...
Especially in the current economic stiuation, it depends HOW MUCH WORK THERE IS AVAILABLE.
I am usually prepared to work from 8-12 hours a day/night when the need/chance arises, as long as my fingers and eyes hold out ...
| | | | | Time is money | Aug 5, 2009 |
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
...what kind of activities would you are are "non-productive work"?
I meant "non-productive activities" such as writing this.
My "non-productive activities" also include distractions stated by Victoria and generally any task that I don't invoice (whether per hour or source word), therefore not directly related to work.
Reading a 10-page article on the Net or searching a term for 2 hours because I want to understand something work-related is productive work, because I invoice a service that needed such time.
Reading the news, compulsively browsing proz.com or learning more about a subject that is not related whatsoever to work is non-productive. This kind of task is usually more interesting than work, so I can get carried away more easily.
In my previous post, I just pointed out that my time could be used more profitably, so that I could work (because I have to) from say 8am-4pm, lunch included, at full blast and THEN enjoy life. Staring at a computer for 10 hours when I am efficient for 7 is not my idea of productivity.
See, even though I have work lined up and deadlines to meet, I just spent 15 min on this. 10 euros into thin air or 15 min of quality time away from the computer missed at the end of a shortened day. I don't even enjoy forums (no offense) more than my kids. Go figure.
Philippe
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Mary Worby
United Kingdom
Local time: 10:50
German to English
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My working hours are largely defined by childcare arrangements. So 6 hours during term-time, and up to 12 hours in an occasional day (like today) when they are staying at the Hotel Nana. The rest of the holidays, maybe 1 hour!
| | | | | About productive time | Aug 5, 2009 |
Hi Philippe,
I can relate to most of what you commented, though I have no children.
We certainly live in an age of "technological distractions", so I completely understand what you mean. Funny, just yesterday I added a couple quotations about time in my Proz.com profile.
In my case, though I chose 8-10 hours, not all of them are always "productive time", but I try to establish my daily productive time in at least 6-7 hours. Of course it all depends on many ... See more Hi Philippe,
I can relate to most of what you commented, though I have no children.
We certainly live in an age of "technological distractions", so I completely understand what you mean. Funny, just yesterday I added a couple quotations about time in my Proz.com profile.
In my case, though I chose 8-10 hours, not all of them are always "productive time", but I try to establish my daily productive time in at least 6-7 hours. Of course it all depends on many factors (deadlines, mostly).
Cheers,
Ivette
Philippe Etienne wrote:
I meant "non-productive activities" such as writing this.
My "non-productive activities" also include distractions stated by Victoria and generally any task that I don't invoice (whether per hour or source word), therefore not directly related to work.
Reading a 10-page article on the Net or searching a term for 2 hours because I want to understand something work-related is productive work, because I invoice a service that needed such time.
Reading the news, compulsively browsing proz.com or learning more about a subject that is not related whatsoever to work is non-productive. This kind of task is usually more interesting than work, so I can get carried away more easily.
In my previous post, I just pointed out that my time could be used more profitably, so that I could work (because I have to) from say 8am-4pm, lunch included, at full blast and THEN enjoy life. Staring at a computer for 10 hours when I am efficient for 7 is not my idea of productivity.
See, even though I have work lined up and deadlines to meet, I just spent 15 min on this. 10 euros into thin air or 15 min of quality time away from the computer missed at the end of a shortened day. I don't even enjoy forums (no offense) more than my kids. Go figure.
Philippe ▲ Collapse
| | | | Harald Roald
Spain
Local time: 11:50
English to Norwegian
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| 8 hours on avarage | Aug 5, 2009 |
......however it varies wildly, some days I have 1 hour work, others I have 15.
| | | | | It depends... | Aug 5, 2009 |
Some days, no work whatsoever, but others I wished days had 48 or more hours...
Cheers,
Teresa Borges
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Michael Harris
Germany
Local time: 11:50
Member (2006)
German to English
| 10 on average | Aug 5, 2009 |
It all depends on the workload. Sometimes I get so many subsequent jobs from different customers (that cant really / I do not want to turn down) that the day extends to 16 hours sometimes.
It is a long day where I usually take 1 or 2 hours for breaks. These are exceptions, but I usually have to plan with a 10 hour day.
| | | | Anthony Baldwin
United States
Local time: 05:50
Portuguese to English
+ ...
It's not uncommon for me to spend 12 hours, sometimes more, glued to my computer, working...
At least, when I have that much work available, I buckle in and do the work.
Of course, there are days in which I put in a few hours, then spend the rest of my time cleaning house, rollerskating with my daughter, painting, playing guitar, hacking software, etc.
It all depends on the workload available.
Of course, like many, I have to say that on a day I spend 12 hours glued to the... See more It's not uncommon for me to spend 12 hours, sometimes more, glued to my computer, working...
At least, when I have that much work available, I buckle in and do the work.
Of course, there are days in which I put in a few hours, then spend the rest of my time cleaning house, rollerskating with my daughter, painting, playing guitar, hacking software, etc.
It all depends on the workload available.
Of course, like many, I have to say that on a day I spend 12 hours glued to the computer, it is likely that 2 to 3 hours of that time were spent reading news articles, facebook, etc.
I always put off the administrative work...wacala... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Henry Hinds
United States
Local time: 03:50
English to Spanish
+ ...
In memoriam
When I have a lot of work, large projects, then I work up to 15 hours per day, 7 days a week until I am finished. Occasionally I will also take a bit of time off when my energy level diminishes, as there is no sense in working under such conditions. But mostly I just plow ahead. I have also found that I am much more productive when I work intensively and under pressure, mostly self-imposed. Once the work is all done and delivered, I can kick back and do occasional smaller jobs.
So m... See more When I have a lot of work, large projects, then I work up to 15 hours per day, 7 days a week until I am finished. Occasionally I will also take a bit of time off when my energy level diminishes, as there is no sense in working under such conditions. But mostly I just plow ahead. I have also found that I am much more productive when I work intensively and under pressure, mostly self-imposed. Once the work is all done and delivered, I can kick back and do occasional smaller jobs.
So my usual work days can be anywhere from 0 to 15 hours.
Concentrating my work in that fashion provides me with a lot of free time and freedom to indulge in some travel, plus just living the life of a retired man that I am supposed to be. ▲ Collapse
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