Episode 34: Smart Habits for Making Movement and Exercise a Priority With Eva Stabenow

 
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At the beginning of the new year, it’s common for people to set new goals, including those related to health and lifestyle. You may be thinking of increasing your exercise and movement, fighting stress, or preventing some work-related aches and pains that are typical in our line of work. In Episode 6, we shared some of our smart habits related to nutrition and exercise and heard from many listeners how much this topic resonated with our colleagues.

We all struggle with staying on track with our health-related goals from time to time, so it’s important to remind yourself why movement is so crucial if you have a mostly sedentary lifestyle.

So, in this episode, we invited a special guest who’s not only a fellow translator but is also qualified to share exercise-related advice!

Eva Stabenow is an ATA-certified English<>German translator focused on translating, writing, and adapting consumer-facing medical and health content. She holds a graduate degree in Conference Interpreting and has served the American Translators Association in various roles ranging from division administrator to mentor to certification exam grader. She is also a past president of the Southeast Chapter of the American Medical Writers Association.

If you’re an ATA member, you may also know Eva from attending the Mindful Movement sessions during the Annual ATA conference or from her presentations on healthy desk habits and “movement snacks.” Eva was also was a guest on the Speaking of Translation podcast in 2019. Look for the episode entitled “Staying Healthy When You Work at a Desk All Day.”

Eva is a comprehensively trained, nationally certified Pilates teacher for fitness, rehabilitation, and neurological conditions. In 2018, she opened Sunroom Pilates, where she teaches group classes and 1-on-1 sessions to help others move better, feel better and live better. Since the pandemic, she has offered daily online classes to build not only sustainable health and fitness while having fun, but also create a sense of community. In addition to fitness-based Pilates classes, Sunroom Pilates offers affordable 30-minute classes in Back Care, Mindful Movement, Balance and Functional Mobility.

Here’s a summary of our conversation with Eva:

  • How and when she started her freelance translation career, how it has evolved over time, and how she started teaching Pilates

  • What her typical workday looks like, managing both her translation business and Pilates studio

  • What smart habits help Eva draw boundaries between work and personal life

  • What smart habits have been crucial in her career

  • What aches and strains are common for translators and how to avoid or prevent them

  • How to consistently make time for healthy movement during the workday

  • How to consistently care for ourselves without feeling guilty about what we “ought to be doing” instead

  • Tips for freelancer parents who may struggle to find time for exercise and self-care

  • What “movement snacks” translators should consistently do each day

Resources we mentioned in this episode:

 

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