Increase your energy, not your time

I recently undertook a course with Ruth Kearns Wollmann, titled “Growing in Resilience Together”. The course has been eye-opening on many levels, but one aspect which really hit home, and which I wanted to talk about further, was the importance she gave to increasing your energy to ensure best performance, not your time.

The problem, she states, is that time is a finite resource: you can’t produce more of it. Energy, however, is completely different. Increase your energy and your productivity can reach a potential you didn’t know was possible!

The Harvard Business Review published an article some years ago by Tony Schwartz, CEO and Founder of @the-energy-project, and @catherinemccarthy Catherine McCarthy, previously COO of the-energy-project, titled “Manage Your Energy Not Your Time”. The article is very interesting – and well worth a read – not only for the fascinating viewpoint, but because it uses real data collected from two groups of Wachovia Bank employees: one control group, and the other a group of 106 employees who undertook a pilot energy management programme.

The article details how their performance was measured, not in “soft” measurements as you may expect, but through real financial performance data. The article states, “The participants outperformed the controls on a series of financial metrics, such as the value of loans they generated. They also reported substantial improvements in their customer relationships, their engagement with work, and their personal satisfaction.” 

This paragraph summarises neatly the changes that need to be made and the benefits to be gained from doing so:

To effectively reenergize their workforces, organizations need to shift their emphasis from getting more out of people to investing more in them, so they are motivated—and able—to bring more of themselves to work every day. To recharge themselves, individuals need to recognize the costs of energy-depleting behaviors and then take responsibility for changing them, regardless of the circumstances they’re facing.

It is not news that looking after yourself – by which I mean eating healthily, participating in exercise and giving your body good rest periods – will facilitate a better performance in work and personal life. But what is interesting is how much the level of improvement in performance can be if these other aspects are all included in one’s day to day life.

For me now, five months on from the start of my course, starting the day with some mindfulness exercises, journaling, taking a few walks during the day to breathe in the air and escape my desk, and limiting my consumption of processed food – ensuring instead that my diet is full of superfoods and antioxidants, have all helped to make a marked improvement in my energy levels and productivity. The changes have not taken very much time out of my day and in the main have been just small “tweaks”, but cumulatively have had an impressive effect.

I am looking forward to discovering more about this relationship between energy and productivity, it has certainly had an impact on me so far, and with my energy levels at the highest they have been for some time, the future certainly seems positive.

Needless to say, all my clients requesting Italian and English translation and interpreting services will benefit from this!

Bafta Q&A with Oscar-winning Italian film director Giuseppe Tornatore

Isn’t it brilliant when a seemingly casual email enquiry turns into an inspiring and truly wonderful assignment?

A few weeks ago, I received an email from BAFTA asking me to interpret for an interview they were recording with a film director.

I jumped at the opportunity, but in my heart, I presumed the request had been sent to many other interpreters and agencies and they wouldn’t follow up the contact.

However, to my surprise, and happiness, they did – and I was thrilled!

The interview was with the acclaimed Italian film director and screenwriter, Giuseppe Tornatore, who is perhaps most well-known for his Oscar-winning movie, Cinema Paradiso. It was to focus on Giuseppe’s recent documentary Ennio about Italian composer, Ennio Morricone.

It was a tricky interview to prepare for as the client provided no questions for me to see beforehand (well, I did receive them one minute before the interview but had no time to read them then as the recording had already commenced!), so for three days leading up to the interview I spent hours studying and devouring all possible copy and interviews online. There was so much content to read and watch.

The interview was taken by film writer Ian Haydn Smith. I loved Ian’s interview style, he was so friendly and welcoming, and Giuseppe’s answers were so long and expressive, he was truly fascinating and full of enthusiasm and joy. His passion and excitement were infectious and I took pages of notes for his extensive and vivid answers.

The positive vibe of the interview and Giuseppe and Ian’s friendliness made the whole experience so enjoyable. The time flew and I had no idea that when we finished the conversation had been over an hour long. It was such a casual and relaxed chat.

I have the recording which I will keep forever. It is so easy to be critical of yourself and ways in which jobs could have gone better – perhaps different synonyms or phrases that could have been used.

As they say, with hindsight everyone has wonderful foresight, and I think it is important for interpreters to remember that when you’re in the midst of interpreting you are truly “in the zone” and concentration levels are through the roof! You’re on standby waiting for the next question, and ready to jump into the unknown. It is on no level comparable with translation!

So, for this assignment, I decided not to be hard on myself and consider the work and the experience for what it was – a wonderful opportunity to work with a world-famous director and a globally renowned arts charity.

The comment I received from the director, Ian, straight after the interview put a huge smile on my face:

“It was a pleasure meeting you too. No feedback beyond my thinking you did a sterling job. I am always amazed at the skill in translating live. Not an easy task. I especially liked your bringing Giuseppe ‘s humour through in your conversation.”

I was also delighted to receive super feedback from Kyle, who was my initial contact for the job:

“Thank you so much Luciana for your professional and friendly service throughout the whole process from beginning to end. Your hard work and research leading up to the session was really appreciated!”

So, thank you, BAFTA, for bringing me this wonderful assignment which truly brightened up my month! What work do you have coming up, that you expect will bring a smile to your face?

A Day in the Life of an Interpreter

As an interpreter working with a broad range of clients, it is rare for any two days to be the same. I am a creative individual, and this perpetual change is one of the reasons that I really love my job! I wanted to give you an insight into what my “average” day entails. Perhaps you are thinking of becoming an interpreter, or perhaps you just have an interest in the industry. Either way, I am delighted to share what happens in my day with you…

06:00 My alarm goes off… and I press the snooze button! I admit this may continue once or twice again, but eventually I stir. I check my phone and then rise to make an espresso and complete my gratitude journal. My best friend at the start of each day is a book I highly recommend, called Five Minutes in the Morning. This superb publication gives me a chance to take a breath before the busy day commences. It offers a beautiful space to clear my head, along with creative exercises to encourage reflection and intention-setting before I head off to the office. I also like to check in on social media, especially perusing Linked In, Instagram and sometimes Twitter. For me, reading others’ posts can be inspiring and encourages me to focus on my professional aspirations. It also provides ways in which I can improve my working.

I tend to post inspiring and encouraging messages too every morning!

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new tree” Amelia Earhart

08:00 I jump on a zoom call with a new client to receive a brief on an assignment. Meeting new clients is always interesting; I love collaborating to achieve the best outcome and holding a thorough fact-finding meeting in advance of interpreting enables this to happen. Every client works differently, and I thrive on this new engagement.

10.30 After a quick cappuccino, I put my head down and complete a complex translation of Italian property purchase documents. My customer requested a quick turnaround time for these documents, which is not uncommon with this sort of document, but fortunately I have translated such documents many times before and am very familiar with the format and legal terminology. For me it is not a hugely arduous task and I complete it and return it to the customer well within their requested time-frame.

13:00 I have an interesting, and important Zoom simultaneous interpretation to undertake this afternoon. Today it is an EWC extraordinary meeting organised to appoint a member of the Steering Committee and a vice chairman to replace two members who have resigned. The client is a Swiss multinational food and processing conglomerate corporation, with headquarters in Switzerland. I spend an hour preparing for the call, making sure I have re-read all the background documents, am familiar with the names and positions of the people on the call and understand the purpose of the meeting. Being prepared and undertaking your research really is key to success as an interpreter, and, as such, I take preparation very seriously! The call goes well and the client is very satisfied with the outcome; a job well done!.

16:00 Zoom assignment is over, and it has been a busy day, so I take a little time to check in with my husband and family on the phone and head out of the office for some fresh air on a brisk walk, along with a very overdue espresso! I have lived and worked in London for many years but am still struck by the history and beauty etched in the city, and I find the time away from my screen is rejuvenating, restoring my energy for the rest of the day (or perhaps that was just the espresso!).

17:00 Time for a short boxing session – my favourite kind of workout – with my personal trainer. A training session after I’ve had a productive day in the office really works well for my psyche, although I know it’s not for everyone. (I love Aqua and Yoga too)

18:30 After clearing my emails, setting up calls for later in the week and finishing certifying a birth certificate I am ready to leave the office.

Today I have a networking event in Piccadilly with the UK Confederation by Confassociazioni, and these events are always a joy to attend. Meeting with fellow Italians guarantees a lively and spirited occasion and the energy and joy is contagious! I gain new connections on Linked In which I will follow up later in the week, and am also glad to reconnect with the many Italian colleagues and acquaintances I have made over the years.

20:30 A long day! I’m on the train home and start a conversation with a gentleman sitting opposite me who notices my badge for the networking event and by chance is also Italian! I’m never afraid to talk to people here, there, and everywhere, and as two Italians in London, we exchange QR codes for my Linked In profiles. Who knows when our businesses might overlap?

21:00 I arrive home and enjoy dining with my family around the table with a delicious meal and a glass of Barolo. We share stories from our day and enjoy a lively conversation and sometimes a bit of a debate! Spending quality time with those who are so important to me is a joy.

23.00 A late night, but there’s still time to quickly check my schedule for tomorrow, make sure there are no last-minute emergencies, and then listen to my Calm app for some relaxation and to mentally switch-off, before starting it all again tomorrow.

Translator fees, clients prep and unreasonable expectations

It has been quite an interesting month at the office as we have received more enquiries than usual, often by individuals requesting details on an urgent basis.

We have also received enquiries which have left me somewhat speechless – for example a very urgent request for a translation of a respondent’s witness statement, fifty pages long, to be completed in one day! …not to mention the limited budget!

As many of my fellow translators will agree, this sort of assignment to this timescale is simply not possible, and, if by any chance it were, then it would no doubt be completed to a less than adequate standard!

I am so proud that my work, and the work of One Stop Language Solutions, is always performed to the absolute highest standards. We work for embassies and consulates and carry out top level professional translation and interpretation services. Our reputation has been built on the quality of services we provide, and we are not interested in taking on high volumes of work, but in building strong business relationships with our clients and understanding their needs. This all takes time, research, knowledge and experience.

This is also why it is so hard to be able to give an hourly rate for a piece of work.

I have recently had new clients asking to pay for my interpreting assignments only for the time they are actually using my services, but there are so many unseen elements to working with an interpreter that this hourly rate request is simply not possible.

Whilst an actual simultaneous interpretation, for example, may last for an hour or so, what you do not see are the extra hours of preparation and research that go into making the session a success. I believe the saying goes, “fail to prepare and you prepare to fail”. This is a trap I certainly will never fall into! So, when asking for a job to be costed, we hope that our clients are aware that to perform our work to the professional level on which we pride ourselves, each job entails so much more than just the work on the day, and our rates take those important hours into consideration, too.

Our reputation is built on top quality work and presentation of documents that are translated to the highest standard. We plan to keep it this way.

Italian Mother’s Day

In Italy, Mother’s Day is celebrated in May, (May 8th this year) so as an Italian mother living in the UK, I am fortunate enough to have two celebrations a year!

On the second Sunday in May, La Festa della Mamma is an important event in Italy, as indeed it is in many countries on this day in Europe and worldwide, including the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

The Italian celebration tends to be less commercial than its counterpart in the rest of the world, with more of a family focus (rather than cards and gifts), and often including a church service, as Italy is, of course, a Catholic country.

If you are celebrating Mother’s Day this May, I hope you have a wonderful day.