New tip of the week

The best laid schemes of Mice and Men
oft go awry,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!

Translated: Robert Burns, To a Mouse (Poem, November, 1785)

Scottish national poet (1759 - 1796)

Sometimes life happens at such a fast clip we are all left breathless. We do our best to stay on top of money, family, friends, business - and we forget to stay on top of our own physical and mental health.

It is important to schedule break time into the work day. Anyone who starts as soon as the day breaks and works until well after dark knows how exhausting it can be. The life of a private practice interpreter is often hit or miss, feast or famine. It is tempting to fill the schedule full while the work is available and promise oneself a good rest when the work slows.

The problem is the human body needs more recuperation time than that. Even six hours of sleep can restore the muscles that were stressed by a day of interpreting. A half an hour with one's eyes closed can help the mind process the linguistic overload of a long assignment. A short walk can stretch muscles cramped from long hours of sitting. Watching a silly something on You-tube or Hulu can lift the spirits after a hard job.

We have to learn to take care of ourselves. Most interpreters, as a care-giving profession, sacrifice themselves for their family or their community. The best and the healthiest know when to say "no." The world will still turn, the bills will still be there, the work will still come.

You will just be healthy enough to face whatever life throws at you.

Take care of you - you are the only "you" we've got.