Sometimes 15-20 hrs, sometimes 0, as far as translation goes, but I am that kind of a person.I always wrote my term papers two days before the deadline, working 22 hours a day and surviving on peanuts. As far as interpreting, I think I could go on for 48 hrs, with some breaks every two three hours and then rest for two or three days.   The most I did, however was 10-12 hrs, with one one hour break.    

This is an interesting issue.  I agree with John that this is focused/concentrated work and that it is not equivalent to interactive office work.  I liken it to graduate research - in fact, research of any kind.

I divide my work day into 3 three or four hour blocks.  Ideally, I do three hours of translation in the morning and three to five in the afternoon.  However, I am at my computer by 06:00 as the mornings often involve a flurry of e-mail exchanges. My average weekly concentration of translating itself (including all phases of the translation process) is 52 hours, divided up over seven days (8X6 plus 4 on Sundays) but, I am at the computer on other work-related tasks (marketing, billing, setting up work, negotiating, etc).for 60 hours or more every single week except in  "arid" months.

How do others block out their time and also, deal with the interruptions that work-related e-mails cause throughout the day?  I keep track of my time on every job, which in the construction industry is called "job costing", so I know exactly what I am making on every kind of job (and thus what to avoid/pursue).

In the past, I avoided working on Sundays but that seems to be impossible, so there are months at a time when I work for all or most of seven days each week.

Not having a commute and all the wasted time involved in an onsite job has meant greater productivity and the temptation to work too much.

Originally written by John Bunch on September 9, 2009 7:15 PM . I think I have worked almost every day since July 12, but June was very slow for me. One thing I really would mention is that 1 hour of translation, at least for me, is not the same as 1 hour at some corporate job. Most people doing office jobs don't work as focused and as detailed as we translators do. I personally think that 5 hours of what I do is worth 8 hours of the typical office job. I also work on most weekends. I actually am kind of a ruthless boss, now that I work for myself !

Yes, I absolutely agree: one hour of translation is worth about 4 hours of corporate jobs, in my opinion.  Corporate office jobs.  

Originally written by Elizabeth Lyons on September 10, 2009 1:58 AM   ... there are months at a time when I work for all or most of seven days each week.

How do you do it?

I just refused a long-term job that I really wanted to do because the deadline changed such that I would have had to work seven days a week without fail and twelve hour days for a month. The eight weeks I had negotiated suddenly became preferably less than five weeks.

Without help for cleaning, shopping, cooking (special diet) and laundry, not to forget walking the BIG dog (not a job for a school girl), I simply cannot work such hours for longer than two weeks. I can plan for two weeks but beyond that my life becomes a total misery.

Nanna

Originally written by Nanna Mercer on September 10, 2009 11:35 AM ...I would have had to work seven days a week without fail and twelve hour days for a month.

That would be against human physiology. In other words, it could damage your health. Not worth it.

Originally written by John Bunch on September 9, 2009 7:15 PM 5 hours of what I do is worth 8 hours of the typical office job

You have pinpointed the quality limit accurately. It`s 5 hours a day for quality translation. 2 to 3 hours plus make a slight but already noticeable  difference, and anything more than that makes really bad difference. This is for translation, not interpreting; I`m no expert at interpreting, but I think interpreters must tire out even sooner. Yet I suspect many of us do work for much longer than 5 hours a day...

Originally written by Nanna Mercer on September 10, 2009 2:35 AM     How do you do it?   I just refused a long-term job that I really wanted to do because the deadline changed such that I would have had to work seven days a week without fail and twelve hour days for a month. ... I simply cannot work such hours for longer than two weeks. I can plan for two weeks but beyond that my life becomes a total misery. Nanna

Nanna, I agree - it is tiring sometimes.  One thing - I work only 4 to 5 hours on Sunday.  And, there are times when I have a day off.  But, a greater percentage of jobs offering lower fees  this year as compared to recent years and the fact that California is an expensive place to live, make longer hours a necessity.  I try to take projects that I enjoy, rejecting tedious ones to mitigate the schedule.  I would be curious to hear what other people who live in the States are doing. 

Originally written by Elizabeth Lyons on September 10, 2009 2:36 PM Originally written by Nanna Mercer on September 10, 2009 2:35 AM ... I can plan [long hours, long days] for two weeks but beyond that my life becomes a total misery. ... - it is tiring sometimes.

Of course it is, I am aware of that. Years ago, when I was much younger (a sweet 36), I worked twelve hour days for part of the week and attended a full semester's worth of classes (undergraduate) with an incredible amount of tests and homework the rest of the time. 

I would come home, exhausted, heat some canned soup and eat it from the pot while standing by the kitchen sink so a) it wouldn't drip and b) I wouldn't have any dishes to clean. The dog, her name was Fregne, gik for lud og koldt vand, was totally neglected.

Although someone who cannot sleep on trains and planes, I can still recall falling asleep, sitting up, during an evening class that I really enjoyed. I woke up, with my mouth open and a crick in my neck, and the professor staring at me. I didn't ask if I had been snoring...

Nanna