The ATA Chronicle - July/August 2022 - 13

deadlines. In working with
a coach, you may discover
that the real issue is that
you're unsure about working
with direct clients. You've
always worked with agencies
and you don't know what
will be expected of you in
working directly with a
corporate client. This fear
has led you to unconsciously
avoid implementing the
strategies that would lead to
direct client work. Once you
identify this fear, there are
many ways to work through
it (e.g., talking to other
translators who work with
direct clients), but without
awareness it will continue to
trip you up.
This is just one example
of how the stories and fears
we've picked up throughout
our lives can get in our way.
Your own fears and limiting
beliefs will be unique to
you, but a coach can help
you identify and work
through them.
Time Management
and Systems
Another major element
of freelance life is how to
manage our time effectively
and find a better work-life
balance. A coach can help
shine a light on what isn't
working and where you could
be more efficient with your
time. For example, maybe
you're multitasking instead
of dropping into deep focus
mode and thus taking more
time than necessary on your
work. Or perhaps you're not
taking advantage of the time
of day when your brain is at
its sharpest to accomplish
the most critical tasks. These
little tweaks can have a
significant impact on
your productivity.
www.ata-chronicle.online
The more you develop your
business skills, emotional
intelligence, and knowledge of
what works for you and what
doesn't, the more you'll improve as
a businessperson.
Developing systems in your
business is a core component
of time management and
another way to increase your
efficiency and organization.
In James Clear's New York
Times bestseller Atomic Habits,
he recommends focusing on
systems rather than goals.
" Goals are about the results
you want to achieve. Systems
are about the processes that
lead to those results. " 5
For
instance, if your goal is to get
three new direct clients, your
system would be how you
find potential leads and make
them aware of your services.
Likewise, if your goal is to
stay up to date with invoicing
to maintain a steadier cash
flow, your system would
be how you track incoming
purchase orders and when
and how you generate the
corresponding invoice.
NOTES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Taking the time to set up
good systems will save you
time in the long run, tipping
the scale in that elusive
work-life balance. If systems
and organization don't
happen to be a strong suit of
yours, a coach can help.
Is It Worth the Cost?
The investment for coaching
can vary widely, and there
may be some sticker shock
at the higher end. I see
coaching as an investment
in yourself and your growth,
which, as a freelancer, is an
investment in your business
and its growth. The more you
develop your business skills,
emotional intelligence, and
knowledge of what works
for you and what doesn't,
the more you'll improve
as a businessperson. These
improvements will then pay
dividends for the rest of
your life.
If everything is going great
in your T&I business-you
have as much work and time
off as you want, with clients
you love who pay the rates
you ask-then you probably
don't need a coach. Consider
getting coaching if there's a
problem you need assistance
solving or if you're ready
to take your business to the
next level and are unsure
how to proceed.
I've worked with many
coaches over the past five
years, and some of the
returns I've gotten on my
investment are higher rates,
better boundaries around
work, extensive marketing
skills, an improved money
mindset, and a greater
understanding of myself and
my strengths and weaknesses.
In retrospect, I think if I
had found coaching earlier
in my career, it would have
accelerated the evolution of
my business and my income.
So, is it worth it?
Personally, I think the
answer is yes. Ultimately,
whether it's worth it to you
will depend on what's going
on in your business and
if you're ready for some
extra support.
Cehajic, Dino. " Teamwork vs. Individual Work, " inMotion (January 6, 2020).
" What Is Coaching? " (International Coaching Community).
Huebner, Tricia. " What Is Business Coaching? " (EMyth, January 25, 2022).
Manson, Mark. " How to Overcome Your Limiting Beliefs " (MM.Net, January 21, 2021).
Clear, James. Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad
Ones (Avery, 2018).
Ingrid Holm, CT is an ATA-certified Spanish>English translator in Houston, Texas,
specializing in medical and marketing translation with over 15 years of experience.
She is also a business coach focused on practical, personalized solutions for
online business strategy, marketing, and mindset issues. She writes about freelance
translation, entrepreneurship, and other topics. iholm@ingridholmtranslation.com
American Translators Association 13

https://inmotion.ba/blog/2020/01/06/teamwork-vs-individual-work/#:~:text=Two%20or%20more%20people%20are,difficult%20tasks%20and%20increasing%20creativity.&text=Working%20in%20teams%20increases%20collaboration,are%20developed%20and%20productivity%20improves https://internationalcoachingcommunity.com/what-is-coaching/ https://www.emyth.com/inside/what-is-business-coaching https://markmanson.net/limiting-beliefs https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits http://www.ata-chronicle.online

The ATA Chronicle - July/August 2022

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