If you’ve been in translation for a few years, you’ve probably heard the same types of translator tips many times, such as specialize in a certain field, use translation memory, and use voice recognition. So it was refreshing to hear tips from productivity expert Yuji Akaba at the Japan Association of Translators (JAT) Tokyo seminar on Saturday, February 21.
Here are just a few that I loved and decided to put into practice:
– Get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper, so that you’re less distracted and can think faster (Yuji’s “memogaki” technique is great for this
– Only look at emails when you have time to reply, and then reply immediately (if a response needs extra thought, draft, save, and send it later)
– Spend 30 minutes each morning and evening gathering information that can help your business (a curation tool helps with this)
– Invite friends and acquaintances of different generations to dinner to gain fresh perspectives
– Get the amount of sleep that you need to be able to function at your best
You can learn more about Yuji Akaba, his publications, and workshops here (Japanese only). And more about JAT here. If you’re in Tokyo, mark your calendar for the next Tokyo seminar on Saturday, March 14, when Beatrice Dittrich will talk about “DIY Marketing – How to show your worth.” Good stuff for translators who are serious about their business.