Essential apps and tools for freelancers
A list, ladies and gents, for your reading pleasure in this trying time.
Apps.
Tools.
Apps and tools.
This is how we work now. At the most basic level all I require to do my job is a word processor, an email client and maybe a pen and paper.
But the reality is this doesn’t quite cut it.
I need things to improve productivity, focus (because I’m a member of a generation renowned for their attention-deficiency, coupled with being someone who gets distracted by their own thoughts), design skills, accounting and general admin.
Here’s a list of some great apps, tools and websites that I use regularly that all contribute to a better, more streamlined, more effective working process.
Productivity
Trello
You’ve probably heard of this but it’s worth mentioning again and pointing out some good ways to use it.
With a straightforward card-based layout, Trello is a bit like post it notes on a board but with some added features.
You can link it up to various other apps including at the most basic level, your calendar, allowing you to put deadlines on your tasks. Using the list layout, you can create your own productivity management tool and even automate them using the ‘Butler’ automation system (although annoyingly this is limited to one action per board in the free version).
The essential model is free to use and there’s a downloadable desktop app. I use the desktop version almost solely. It means I’m not relying on the browser to access it so my to do list is a separate entity.
The paid additions seem useful with things like unlimited app add-ons but as a simple task manager the free version is spot on.
See also: Asana and Notion. Haven’t tried these but I’ve heard they’re good. I figure once you’ve got a system that works why fiddle with it.
Focus
Stay Focused
This browser extension (Chrome only as far as I can tell, although there are alternatives for other browsers) is a staple for me.
It’s militant and effective and ensures I don’t wile away the day wasting time on websites that are notorious for distraction.
It works by setting a limited time each day you can spend on websites you pick. Once the timer’s up those websites are locked down and it’s pretty impossible to do anything about it unless you uninstall the app. Distractions ceased.
There’s also a nuclear option if drastic measures are required.
Bonus:
A Soft Murmur.com (White Noise)
If you like white noise/nature sounds whilst you’re working, this is a great little tool that lets you curate your own soothing background sound mixes - ASoftMurmur.com. Great for writing to.
Research
If you want to gather a load of sources but would rather keep your tabs under control, Pocket is an easy way of saving pages and also allows you to view the text in a simplified version later.
And it’s great for preventing procrastination. If you come across an article you want to read but don’t have the time now or perhaps you simply don’t have the energy to read now, save it for later. (you’ll probably forget about it, but hey, the thought’s there).
On a separate note, I usually collate my research in a notes app, like Microsoft OneNote, where I can annotate, highlight and separate into relevant folders.
See also: Pinterest – Mainly a social network and great for imagining your dream house. But it’s also great for research. In a way it’s like Google images but because it’s curated by people, I find it’s often more effective. Search something by image and get links to useful sources of info related to that image.
Design
What font?
If you do any design as part of what you do and like me, love a good font, this browser extension means you can take inspiration from anywhere. Come across a font you really like online? Click the plug in and hover over text on screen to see what the font is. Clicking this is a fun distraction but also a great design research tool.
Different image sites
Unsplash
You’ve probably heard of this but it can’t be beaten for high quality stock imagery. It’s better for certain things admittedly (If you want images of mountains, trees and the open road, go wild) but there is a lot on offer and it is user curated so you will find some unique pics that don’t scream ‘this is a stock image!’
Rawpixel
This has more of a slant towards paid for imagery but there is a large selection of free to use stuff as well. I use it for its healthy selection of vectors, illustrations and backgrounds, something Unsplash doesn’t have.
Iconfinder
This is even better for vectors and icons. Again, a lot of paid stuff but a decent selection of free icons for just about any theme.
Canva (obviously).
I probably don’t need to mention this but when something like this exists there is really no excuse for bad design. For those who would rather not pay for Adobe Illustrator or just need something simple and effective, Canva is good for the basics. The paid version is also worth it, I hear, if you’re using it regularly for your brand.
Admin
LastPass
Protecting your data is more important than ever and the best way to do that is to have different passwords for everything you do online.
But the average web user has around 200 passwords! Remembering that many unique passwords is impossible, not to mention coming up with them in the first place. LastPass solves both of those problems.
It stores everything in an encrypted vault and generates secure passwords when you want to sign up to something or change said password. So you should never forget a password either. Its free tier is more than adequate.
Quickbooks
My preference when it comes to accounting software. Most brands probably offer very similar things but I’ve had nothing to complain about so far with Quickbooks.
It’s got a super simple and easy to use interface and allows you to easily see all your personal and business incomings and outgoings.
Do all your invoicing through it, self-assessment help and track business mileage. It’s accompanying app is also really easy to use. For sole traders it’s not too pricey and they often have deals on, reducing the cost for the first few months.
Marketing
Google MyBusiness
Just wanted to mention this if you weren’t already aware of it. If you have a business, set up a MyBusiness page ASAP.
It’s easy to do and will improve your chances of getting found on Google. For local searches you’re much more likely to be found on the map which always appears higher up the page on Google searches.
If it’s linked to your website it’s much more likely Google will see you as a legitimate business and improve your ranking.
You can also easily ask for clients/customers to drop you a review which makes all the difference for people searching for your kind of business.
There’s loads of other stuff out there of course but these are just some of the things I can wholeheartedly recommend using.
I should probably get some money for all these recommendations but there we go.