There are 53 million Americans who work as freelancers, and the most successful among them have four traits in common: they’re self-motivated, good with time management, great multi-taskers, and extremely organized. Luckily, there are countless resources available to help bring out these qualities in those of us who struggle to find them naturally.
In support of the brilliant freelancers who work at Launch Workplaces, we have curated a list of 8 handy apps and online tools that can help you be more productive, juggle more tasks, and become the most fabulous freelancer you can be!
1. Harvest
Most freelancers are responsible for tracking their hours. This can be a pain, especially when you work for numerous clients. Harvest is a convenient time management tool that compiles detailed reports to help you see the distribution of your work. It even allows you to create and send invoices.
2. Dropbox
Dropbox is essential for all freelancers—all professionals, really. It’s a smart cloud storage solution to keep your work secure, accessible, and shareable from anywhere. Dropbox is perfect for graphic designers who need quick access to various images and files.
3. Google Hangouts
Many freelancers participate in daily meetings or check-ins with their clients. Google Hangouts is a great alternative to physically meeting with clients. You can have one-on-one or group calls through voice and video messaging. You can also participate across devices, making it easier to keep the conversation going wherever you go.
4. Evernote
Evernote is the ultimate note-taking app. It enables users to take notes in writing or by voice, clip web pages, and even digitalize documents. It’s ideal for freelancers who need a platform to capture inspiration they find online. The app utilizes simplistic search tools and tags so you can easily go back and find important notes from the past.
5. Freelancer Mobile App
Sometimes freelancers are so busy with their current clients and projects that they don’t have the time to network, which is a vital part of being a successful freelancer. The Freelancer Mobile App makes it easy to search for new jobs, bid on projects, and get more work! Make the most out of your freetime by roaming this app for more opportunities.
6. Wunderlist
Toss the notebook filled with scribbled to-do lists, and download the task management tool Wunderlist. This app allows freelancers to share their daily to-do lists, create due dates, prioritize tasks, and add reminder alarms. It also lets you assign tasks to other users, making the app great for teams.
7. Trello
Trello is an online tool that allows freelancers to organize all of their projects into individual boards. The platform is designed to help you visualize, organize, and complete your work. It’s ideal for any kind of work, whether it be writing, development, consulting or graphic design.
8. Focus Booster
Having trouble focusing? Focus Booster is exactly what you would expect: a tool to boost your focus levels. The app uses the Pomodoro Technique, a time management method created by Francesco Cirillo. The technique divides work into 25-minute sections that are separated by five-minute breaks. If you find yourself easily distracted this app may help you concentrate and minimize distractions.
Which productivity tools do you find most helpful? Let us know in the comments!
