I'm a Translator Who Works Weekends

I am a translator, and I work weekends.
 
When I first started my business, I took work any day of the week, while I gained experience and built a reputation. In fact, at that time, it came naturally because a decade of being a barista in various coffee shops had accustomed me to it.
 
After a year or two as a weekend translator, I thought, “Hey, there must be something to this Monday through Friday business. I’ll give it a try.” I found that it made me look forward to two days in a row off, and that planning to spend time with friends was much easier. The downside was that I was missing out on quality jobs over the weekend.
 
You see, translation agencies will churn out a large number of projects on Thursday or Friday with Monday deadlines. (I imagine this is because project managers and anyone else at the translation agency like to have the weekend off, too.)
 
Well, I decided to make an exception once. A favorite client contacted me with a job I couldn’t refuse. So, I worked Friday through Sunday, being sure to relax in the evenings like any weekend, then I took Monday off and got my chores and errands done that day.
 
It turns out the schedule wasn’t so bad. The next thing I knew, I had slipped back into the routine of accepting work over the weekend and spacing my days out across the week. 
 
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that, as a freelance translator, it’s best to work whatever schedule suits you and your needs. There’s no pressure to work Monday through Friday 9 to 5 just because that’s the loudest drum society marches to.  Remember, thousands of people work overnight, Sundays, even holidays and four 12-hour shifts/week. There is no one calendar to follow.
 
When you choose to be a freelancer, you’re also choosing to schedule your own life without a boss telling you where to be and when. You learn to recognize and set boundaries appropriately. I like to remind myself of that when I start to doubt my freelancer life. I know what works best for me.
 
So, yes, I am a translator, and I work weekends.

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