As a freelancer, you will need to manage your time down to the last second in order to get the most out of your day. Wasted time can easily translate into wasted money, so it is vital that you are as on-point as possible when it comes to being organized.
If you are a freelancer and you are looking for great ways to streamline your work processes, then you might want to invest in some gadgets.
How can gadgets help?
Gadgets are now a part of life for many people, and the number of gadgets in use is constantly increasing. According to DW, the number of smartphone subscriptions taken out across the globe could increase to 9.9 billion by 2018, up from 6.6 billion in 2012.
By design, gadgets are supposed to make our lives easier, and so by implementing them into your routine you could save yourself a considerable amount of time.
Smartphones, tablet PCs and other gadgets come with all kinds of apps that you can download to help you with recording your workload, keeping your calendar in order, and getting to grips with all of your contacts, so they are definitely worth the investment.
Smartphones
Smartphones can have the following benefits for freelancers:
- Instant access to 3G and Wi-Fi, so you can work on the go.
- Keep your contacts all in one place – on some smartphones you can sync your contacts with your Facebook friends to stay connected in a range of ways.
- You can sync your smartphone with could computing programs to ensure you never lose your files.
- Input all of your important meetings and deadlines into the smartphone’s calendar and set up reminders, so you never miss a thing.
- Send and receive emails via your smartphone no matter where you are.
- Download apps that can assist greatly.
- Create professional invoices from your smartphone.
- Track your time spent on individual projects to make sure you’re getting paid the right amount for your level of quality.
- Organize every aspect of your life on a mobile database.
Tablets
Tablet computers have many of the benefits of smartphones, along with:
- A larger screen that can allow you to comfortably type long documents, work on detailed projects and complete artwork. This could be especially useful for freelance graphic designers, website designers and interior designers.
- Keep all of your important documents on your tablet, which means you can then take your tablet into meetings without the need for a USB drive.
- Take notes and save them onto your tablet. This means you never have to search through piles of paper to find a certain document again.
Dictaphone
It might seem like quite an old gadget nowadays, but the Dictaphone is still a vital piece of kit for all freelancers. Here’s why:
- Take notes without having to write them down. This can allow you to verbally brainstorm ideas and removes the barrier of pen and paper, or even smartphone or tablet.
- Instant written notes – a lot of newer Dictaphones come with speech recognition software that can automatically translate your spoken words into written ones. All you have to do is plug it into your PC and activate the system.
Portable printer/scanners
Every freelancer needs instant access to a printer, and scanners can come in very handy as well. If you have to travel about a lot or if you just want the freedom of movement, a portable printer/scanner may be ideal for these reasons:
- Take your slim-line printer/scanner to meetings with clients, to your office, or to your local café while you work.
- Scan documents, images and other files in absolutely any setting.
- Connect to your printer or scanner without any cables – perfect for those that want to travel light.
In this day and age, freelancers would do best to use the latest gadgets and devices to ensure they’re working at maximum capacity.
This post was written by Nixon Williams IT contractor accountants, a UK-based company providing complete accountancy packages.
