Embracing Continuous Training and Personal Growth
The pursuit of continuous training and professional development aligns seamlessly with personal improvement and a healthy lifestyle. This synergy results in heightened energy levels, improved decision-making, and increased overall productivity.
That’s why this article covers aspects related to both professional and personal development.
I-As a Linguist
Language Training
Reading
I engage in daily reading in both my primary languages, English, French, and my target language, Arabic. I delve into ebooks and articles using the Evie app for ebooks, the Pocket app for articles, and apps like Podcast Addict and Radio France for podcasts.
The Evie and Pocket apps boast a Text-to-Speech (TTS) feature, enhancing my reading speed by audibly presenting documents. This technology not only makes reading more efficient but also enjoyable, supporting multiple languages, including English, French, and Arabic.
Driven by curiosity, my reading extends beyond my translation specialties in medicine and technology. I explore diverse topics such as botany, gardening, cooking, marketing, business, fishing, psychology, and health. I’m even considering adding a new translation specialty related to one of these varied interests.
Learning a New Language: Japanese
During my time at the Bourguiba School of Modern Languages, I studied two levels of Japanese language studies through evening courses. However, upon relocating from the capital to my hometown, Nabeul, where Japanese courses were unavailable, I transitioned to online and mobile tools for learning.
Over the past two years, my daily Japanese studies have predominantly focused on listening skills, grammar, Kana, and Kanji. I employ shadowing techniques and have joined a pen pal site to connect with native Japanese speakers. This exchange allows me to teach them a language I’m proficient in while they reciprocate by teaching me Japanese.
This experience is not only a fantastic journey in merging business with pleasure but also an opportunity to forge new international friendships, explore a different culture, and learn a language vastly distinct from those I already know.
Marketing
Negotiation
In my negotiations with Language Service Providers (LSPs), I successfully increased my net income. Gaining confidence in my skills, I meticulously reviewed numerous documents, uncovering basic inaccuracies by other linguists that left me perplexed and more aware of my competencies. Upholding strict work ethics, I consistently met deadlines and only accepted tasks I could execute proficiently and punctually. These principles fostered enduring relationships with several LSPs, built on trust, facilitating smoother negotiations.
Guided by the insights from the free book “LinkedIn Riches,” I revamped my LinkedIn profile, with plans for an upcoming video. The author John Nemo affirmed its value, assuring a favorable return on investment. In the coming year, I intend to create a video showcasing my remote language services. Additionally, I established a LinkedIn business page for my freelance business, contemplating updates and additional content. Evaluating the time investment, I’m considering the pros and cons of dedicating more time to LinkedIn versus my website or other marketing strategies.
Website Redesign:
This year, I updated my website (https://www.fakhriazzouz.com/) using the user-friendly WordPress platform, drawing on my six-plus years of experience. Originally a blog, my site now features detailed services, testimonials, a contact form, and a new logo. While it still requires some fine-tuning, the ongoing enhancement is a continual process. Google Search Console provides automatic alerts about issues to address. Other tools like Lighthouse and WordPress Health Checker aid in the optimization.
Writing
Despite not writing as much as desired, I’m contemplating experimenting with shorter blog posts on my website, even if they are less than 300 words. To enhance my writing process, I employ voice recording for note-taking. Additionally, I use Speech-to-Text (STT) technology, where spoken words are transformed into text, a feature readily available for free on Google Docs and Android phones.
Advancing My Technological Skills
Open source contribution
In my pursuit of enhancing my technological expertise, I engaged in open-source contributions, focusing on WordPress documentation and translation this year. However, the journey encountered some bumps along the way. The project manager for documentation proved challenging to reach, impeding my contributions. Nevertheless, my role as a translator editor in WordPress was enjoyable, and the Arabic language general manager provided valuable insights that significantly improved my localization skills for technology.
It’s essential to acknowledge that WordPress is an open-source project, and the managers contribute in their free time, which means their availability may vary due to other commitments.
Years ago, I initiated my coding journey with a particular emphasis on WordPress. While I didn’t transition into a WordPress developer, I gained a foundational understanding of web development and computer programming basics. However, I faced challenges in finding adequate resources for a seamless grasp of this relatively older technology.
Learning a new technology Dart / Flutter
A glance at GitHub metrics revealed a substantial difference in popularity, with around 18k stars for WordPress compared to an impressive 160k stars for Flutter. This observation prompted a shift in focus towards Flutter and Dart, creations of the tech giant Google. This transition opened the doors to a wealth of documentation and training resources, providing a robust foundation for advancing my skills in Dart programming language and the Flutter UI framework.
Dedicating a minimum of 10 hours per week to learning Dart and Flutter, I’ve found their modern features intriguing in comparison to WordPress. Flutter’s cross-platform capabilities, enabling developers to target various platforms with a single code base, caught my attention.
The decision to shift to Flutter and Dart was driven by the vast opportunities they offer.
As I delve into this refreshing experience, I anticipate exploring how creating mobile apps is not only more lucrative than developing WordPress plugins or themes but also more practical. Mastering a single programming language for various applications is a goal I aspire to achieve, making the entire process increasingly seamless. Having completed challenges in the Dart Apprentice book, I’m currently engrossed in exploring both Dart Apprentice Beyond the Basics and the Flutter Cookbook second edition, marking an exciting phase in this technological journey.
Putting My Computer Skills to Work
In my overall pursuit of becoming more business-savvy and enhancing my entrepreneurial skills, I am concentrating on the development of a mobile app. I already have a couple of ideas in mind, and to avoid falling prey to Parkinson’s Law, I am establishing a timeframe to commence building the app using Dart and Flutter.
The key is to strike a balance between theory and practice. Consequently, I have planned to embark on app development after seven months of training on this new technology. This timeframe is deemed sufficient to consolidate the theoretical knowledge acquired.
II-Personal growth
Turning to personal development, I adhere to a routine that encompasses various aspects of maintaining both my mind and body. This includes activities such as walking, home exercising, prioritizing good sleep hygiene, daily reading, spiritual evolution, and a growing interest in healthy cooking.
In terms of exercising
I incorporate longer walks, arm and upper body strengthening exercises, and regular stretching into my routine. During the summer, swimming becomes a daily activity, sometimes even three times a day.
Sleep
To enhance efficiency and reclaim up to three hours daily, I’ve adopted the practice of starting work before sunrise. The time saved is utilized for productive activities such as going to the market, or the bank or engaging in leisure pursuits like fishing, cooking, or listening to podcasts and audiobooks.
Reading
Reading plays a pivotal role in my daily life, with a focus on nonfiction ebooks for at least three hours daily. Engaging with authors associated with high culture through reading contributes to enhancing strategic thinking and wisdom. Exploring psychology books with a focus on cognitive biases has been particularly enlightening, fostering personal development and improving decision-making abilities.
Diet
Adopting a healthy eating and cooking approach, I follow the Seignalet diet, which is very similar to the Asian diet that is, avoiding gluten and dairy and emphasizing steaming food. Besides, when cooking I should not exceed 100 Degree Celsius.
Minimalism
The practice of minimalism translates into buying less and maximizing the use of existing possessions, contributing to a clutter-free and cost-effective lifestyle.
Gardening
In the realm of gardening, I’ve undertaken activities like planting succulents, mints, caring for a jasmine tree, and cultivating a citrus tree for regular mojito mocktails. Reading about home gardening has not only prevented basic mistakes but also deepened my understanding of composting and how to enhance the well-being of plants and trees.
The main tools I use
For productivity, I heavily rely on software tools such as Text-to-Speech, Speech-to-Text, Google Docs, WordPress, and Ubuntu. Reading ebooks and articles is facilitated by TTS apps like Evie and Pocket by Mozilla. Combining TTS with Google Docs expedites my writing process, with the added convenience of voice-typing integrated into Google Docs.
WordPress remains my preferred CMS for building websites, a platform I’ve been using since 2017. For development and translation work, I turn to Ubuntu, especially when cloud-based or OmegaT-supported translation tasks are involved, given its faster performance compared to Windows 10.
Conclusion
Essentially, this expedition serves as evidence of the seamless integration of professional ambitions and personal flourishing. As the dedication to perpetual learning and advancement evolves, it vividly illustrates a comprehensive strategy toward mastery—a journey that welcomes challenges and nurtures a flourishing life.