If you have ever experienced this (or still do), here are some tips for improving your concentration:

• First, remember that we can only do one thing at a time. When performing any activity, put all of your attention to it. And only to it! This may seem quite obvious, but people usually complete an activity while thinking about what comes next. I, for one, usually do three things at once… I know, this needs to be fixed.
• Move with focus. We are very used to completing a range of different activities mechanically, making movements or completing tasks without paying the least bit of attention.
• Try to get a good night’s sleep, and avoid going to bed with a full stomach or watching TV before sleeping. Only go to bed when you really feel ready to fall asleep.
• Since it’s hard to stay focused for long periods of time, take breaks. Stop whatever you are doing, get up and walk around a little bit. Eat something, read the newspaper headlines, talk to your colleagues and only then go back to work.
• Keep your work environment organized. A messy space tends to be distracting. A minimally organized desk will help you better perform your tasks and stay more focused.
• Read as an exercise to your mind. A practice frequently ignored, besides being pleasurable, it will bring you tranquility and focus.

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Computer

• Make small setting changes on your computer: adjusting the screen brightness can reduce energy consumption. Set a time for the PC to go on standby or hibernate when idle.
• Go to the Start menu on Windows, then choose Control Panel, Display, Screen Saver. There you can set energy consumption schemes.
• Do not forget to put the printer on Fast Draft in order to save ink.
• Disconnect all peripherals from the outlet when not in use. A good option is to use a multi-socket extension with an on / off switch. This prevents the computer and peripherals, such as printers and modems, from continuing to consume energy, however low it may be, when the devices are not being used.

Lighting

• Make the most of natural lighting.
• Turn off the lights when there are no people in the room.
• Use fluorescent light bulbs in environments that require more lighting (two 20-watt fluorescent lampslight more than an incandescent 100-watt).
• Use light colors for indoor painted walls and ceilings.

In the July 2011 issue of Super Interessante magazine, you can find some additional tips to the ones I mentioned. Take a look at the website (in Portuguese) and let us combine usefulness and pleasure by saving our money and the environment.

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It is a very fast dictionary. The browser does not have to reload the page after each new inquiry. Another positive feature is that, when you start typing, it automatically gives you suggestions just before you finish typing the words.

After typing the word you are searching for, you simply have to click on the link that appears below the search box and you’ll get the English definition of the word almost instantaneously.

There are another two very interesting features: “tools” and “words of the day.” When you click on “tools,” you’ll have access to instructions on how to add some Definr features on Firefox. Through the “word of the day” link, you’ll be able to learn a new word each time, including definitions and examples. (It’s been some time since the words were updated, as it is not something that occurs daily…)

Here is the link to Definr: http://www.definr.com

Go there and check it now. Happy searching!

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May the New Year give us more opportunities to join forces and make this a more beautiful and harmonious world.

The post Happy 2013! appeared first on Ccaps Translation & Localization.

As of December 21, we will have a well-deserved rest. But we will return in 2013 with the batteries recharged to face whatever the New Year will have prepared for us.

I wish you all a Happy Christmas and a super special New Year.

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A very common error is to expect clients to “prove” that they are important in some way before beginning to establish some type of relationship. You should instead consider any person as a potential client, since with respect and professionalism from the get-go, you bond with them and can strengthen your client loyalty over the long term.

The Brazilian online shop Visou recently caught the media’s attention and generated a great deal of controversy by offering a classic example of lack of preparation and respect when dealing with clients.

Journalist Nina Gazire purchased a ring at Visou and did not receive the product. She had quickly received the e-mail confirming the purchase, but the product never arrived. After waiting for two months, the journalist contacted them via the Visou fan page on Facebook, since there was no other form of contact indicated on the website.

When she questioned Visou about the delivery of the product, the journalist was answered with a series of swear words and offenses to be ultimately informed that they would not send the product. Below is a piece of the conversation captured on a screenshot taken by Nina:

Based on the amount of red ink, you can only imagine how many bad words we had to cover up…

The store eventually apologized to the journalist; their excuse was that the owners were not closely involved with the business due to “structural changes in inventory” and that they had mistakenly instructed an unprepared employee to respond to customer messages. And to put the icing on the cake, the company sent the journalist a gift card asking her to reconsider.

Conclusion: It will do no good to place a lock on the door after your house has been broken into. This customer will definitely not be back… And she even spread the case all over the Internet. Want to know my opinion? Good for her!

The post How NOT to Treat Your Client appeared first on Ccaps Translation & Localization.

Sustainability became a topic of discussion during the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm from June 5-16, 1972. There, matters related to environmental degradation and pollution were debated, since both are considered subjects affecting most countries and regions. Since then, sustainability has been exhaustively covered by the media and nowadays it is almost impossible not to hear about it. Every day, we can learn a little more on how to live a sustainable life.

Sustainability and the principle of the Rs are closely connected. Let’s have a look:

The 3 Rs stand for Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, all key elements in caring for the environment. We should Reduce consumption, Reuse materials that are no longer suitable for their original purpose, and Recycle those which are no longer useful if maintained in their current form, transforming them into other materials or objects that might make them useful once again.

The 4 Rs stand for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Reintegrate. The difference from the 3 Rs is simply the addition of the last term, which suggests the idea of returning materials to the environment, transforming them back into an integral part of nature.

The 5 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Reintegrate and Refuse) suggest that everything we use should go back to the environment in a non-aggressive manner. We should Rethink the best way to return all materials or even ponder the real need to obtain a given product in the first place — if it’s not essential, all we have to do is Refuse it.

Being an environmentally friendly person is not easy, and simply using a non-disposable supermarket bag or turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth is not enough. In order to really look after our natural resources, the first step is to be aware of your consumption, avoiding waste and unnecessary excess. In other words, awareness is the key.

Here at Ccaps, we have already adopted some sustainable practices. Among other initiatives, each employee has their own coffee mug and water bottle. We do not use disposable cups. We also reuse paper, turning it into notepads and other useful things. We try and contribute by doing our part and would like to invite you to also adopt sustainability actions so that in the future we, our children and our grandchildren will be able to live in a better world.

Not long ago, the Brazilian current affairs magazine Época published an article on how to become more sustainable at work. I was happy to know that, in some ways, I already contribute toward the construction of a better future. I think we should all be up-to-date, learn more and be aware of how we can contribute to make our planet a healthier one, both at home and at work, since our offices are nothing but an extension of our homes. So let’s contribute toward a better life!

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The event, which was very well organized by Raquel Lucas and Julia Chade, addressed all aspects of the work of translators, whether newcomers or seasoned veterans. The topics discussed were quite encompassing, allowing us to receive actual classes about the profession.

Just to give you an idea of the scope of the conference, the opening session was about ergonomics applied to translation work. Physical therapist Diana Gurgel shared tips about posture and stretching to protect our bodies – our main work tool – from harm.

Also on the first day of the conference, my personal highlights included the excellent presentation by Ricardo Souza about the translator’s behavior with relation to clients and project managers, as well as the dangers of vanity. A true masterclass. The session was so good that the first thing I did afterwards was to talk to a former college professor and suggest him to invite the speaker for a presentation. Ricardo’s lecture made my university education feel more complete, even though I had not stepped on campus for quite a long time. I recommended him because I think that graduating students could learn a thing or two from a lecture by him.

The highlights of the second day included Xosé Castro, from Spain, and Lorena Leandro, from Brazil. Xosé emphasized the importance of professionalism, passing a good impression and how we translators should think like one-person companies. A great suggestion for both beginners and veterans. Lorena’s lecture was directed at those starting in the business. She compared the skills and virtues of super heroes from movies and comics with the qualities necessary to translate effectively. We should have Mr. Fantastic’s flexibility and use our resources with Batman’s intelligence. This reawakened my young grad side again, together with the graphic novel and comics fan side.

There were still many other interesting speakers: Renato Beninatto, Daniel Bonatti, João Roque Dias, Igor Lott and Gustavo Nader were truly inspiring. It was hard to choose from the two or three sessions that sometimes occurred at the same time; unfortunately, I had to miss some that sounded interesting. But I have learned that loss is also an aspect of the translator’s work.

To finalize this post, I’d like to thank the organizers and speakers for the amazing classes they gave me. When I left the conference, it was as if I was picking up my diploma for the second time.

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And speaking of the sea, there was so much water, I almost gave up. Rain, lightening, thunder and no idea at all of where I was heading. Beginning to feel really lost, I asked some guy on the street whether he knew how to find the event’s venue, and to my utter joy, he lived on the very street where the conference was being held. Luck was smiling down on me…

I finally got there (totally soaked, but I was there!), and I can certainly say that my efforts more than paid off. Right there at the entrance, I was thrilled to see so many young people working together to ensure that the event went smoothly.

The organizers, Raquel Lucas and Julia Chade, encouraged those just starting out in this field. People like Raquel and Julia – and many others I saw there working – are a good source of inspiration for newbies, who so often feel discouraged when facing the long path ahead.

The more experienced professionals were also present and shared tips, suggestions and precious ideas. Renato Beninatto, with his humorous perspective, made us reflect on the past, present and future of translation; Xosé Castro demystified the romantic figure of the translator “isolated” from the rest of the world, sharing tips on how to stand out from the crowd and win over new clients; and João Roque Dias took us on an interesting journey (and one full of traps) through the world of technical text translation.

In the end, it was precisely this that make me feel so good: translators, interpreters and professors, of all ages and with all levels of experience, gathered together comfortably sharing what they know or what they still want to learn.

I can certainly say that they all contributed towards the growth of their fellow colleagues, who left the conference more enriched with what they had learned.

Hope to see you all in Recife for the next conference!

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Now, there is a new book out that explains what we do, but in a really fun and entertaining way. It’s a collection of stories, and takes people behind the scenes at places like Nestlé, Google, Hallmark, the United Nations… even NASA and the US State Department. The book is entertaining and thought-provoking, revealing translation as one of the essential threads that holds together the fabric of our society. It is published by a major publisher, Penguin, but was written by two colleagues of mine. It has been endorsed by Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin and leaders from Microsoft, Twitter, Facebook, National Geographic, and even the European Parliament. They all say they enjoyed it, and we think you will too.

The book, written by Nataly Kelly and Jost Zetzsche, is called Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World.

You can find it at bookstores throughout the United States or at this link.

Feel free to forward this to anyone else you think might like to know about it. We are so excited for more people to see how fun and meaningful translation really is!

And here is a fun video the authors have created with the help of translators worldwide. Enjoy!

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