How can simultaneous interpreters improve their skills and cope with stress and fatigue?

1 Practice regularly

The best way to improve your simultaneous interpretation skills is to practice them regularly, preferably with feedback from experienced colleagues or mentors. You can use various sources of input, such as podcasts, videos, speeches, or lectures, and try to interpret them into your target language, either aloud or silently. You can also record yourself and listen to your performance later, or compare it with other interpretations of the same source. This will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, and work on areas such as vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, delivery, and style.

2 Expand your knowledge

Another important aspect of simultaneous interpretation is having a broad and up-to-date knowledge of the topics, contexts, and cultures that you may encounter in your assignments. This means that you should constantly read, watch, and listen to relevant materials in both your source and target languages, and keep track of the latest developments and trends in your fields of expertise. You should also familiarize yourself with the terminology, jargon, acronyms, and idioms that are commonly used in different domains and situations, and create glossaries or databases that you can access easily during your preparation or performance.

4 Prevent fatigue

Simultaneous interpretation can also be exhausting, both physically and mentally, as it requires a high level of concentration, attention, and memory. Therefore, it is important that you prevent fatigue and maintain your energy and alertness throughout your assignments. Some ways to do this are: taking breaks and switching roles with your booth partner every 20-30 minutes, drinking water and eating healthy snacks, avoiding caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine, stretching and moving your body, sleeping well and resting between assignments, and engaging in hobbies or activities that you enjoy.

6 Keep improving

Finally, the most important thing to remember is that simultaneous interpretation is a lifelong learning process that requires constant improvement and adaptation. You should always be open to new ideas, methods, tools, and opportunities that can help you enhance your skills and overcome your difficulties. You should also be aware of your strengths and weaknesses, and set yourself realistic and achievable goals that can motivate you and measure your progress. You should also celebrate your successes and learn from your failures, and never stop challenging yourself and growing as a professional.