A job that I can just "pick up and put down" while working on expanding my main business?

[translatorinscotland]

I know there have been a good many similar posts but a lot of the suggestions haven't really fitted my situation well.

Essentially, I am trying to get started as a freelance translator. While I am earning so little doing actual translations, I need to find another source of income.

However, If I get offered work by an agency I want to be available to take it there and then as, being new to the profession, I don't get offers very often and getting a foot in the door somewhere is essential if I ever want to get repeat business.

Is there anything I can do that doesn't require expensive training courses or huge investments of time, that I can do from home, and that I can literally "pick up and put down" as and when it suits me? Preferably something where someone else isn't telling me the hours I have to work or the amount I have to do.

Asking too much?!

Babysitting?

Virtual assistant?

this?

Avon. Betterware. Kleeneeze. Any catalogue delivery thing.
A job that pays a regular wage will require you to work regular hours or at least make a regular commitment.

Well, no, not really. Sorry. Anything you do from home will require some sort of investment, either in terms of time, skill, building up a client base, etc. I think you'd be better signing on with a temp agency tbh (if you have suitable skills) so you can do temp work while also trying to build up the translation work. And expect to be doing translation at night if you have a temp job to do during the day.

I'm also going on a reporting rampage for sales reps just so you know OP

It's not a source of income but when I was starting out in my field I signed up to do something very similar on a voluntary basis for a charity. I can do as many hours a week as I want and it's great cv/portfolio fodder.
To be honest I think that's more realistic as any paying job is going to want a certain commitment. The only thing I've ever done that didn't was function waitressing when I was doing my MSc where I just signed up to how many functions I could do each week (had to be in central london to do this).