Becoming a freelancer is in no way taking the “easy route,” in fact, managing clients, competing with other freelancers and small businesses alike, and trying to find sustained connections you can work for are all part and parcel of this pursuit. Not to mention you may need to manage multiple clients at once, keep up on your online portfolio, and try to develop repeat customers. With the advent of AI, even those prior clients are starting to dissipate. That said, if you’re good, on the ball, and can turn around projects reliably, you deserve to make a go of it.
But a freelancer is nothing without their tools. Of course, the exact utilities you use can entirely depend on the kind of work you do and how you need to connect with clients. For example, if you’re a graphic designer, then ensuring you have an In-Plane-Switching (IPS) monitor for perfect color accuracy is essential, especially if you aim for your work to be rendered on a larger screen.
Let’s consider, then, how a freelancer should set up a work device such as a personal computer or laptop:
Considering Your Standard Software Packages
There are certain decisions to make about what kind of software packages you’ll be using as a freelancer. Some of these are obvious and simple – you might use an iMac or a Windows device. Perhaps you may even use Linux or other utilities. This will place you in a distinct software economy, although in some cases software you use is multi-platform. That said, it’s important to try and stick with suites for compatibility’s sake, for example, using the Adobe Creative Suite from start to finish is better than managing a lot of difficult apps.
In some cases, you may wish to better curate software for your own personal needs. For example, audio producers may prefer to use custom plugins for their chosen software package, and may even pay for the privilege. In addition to that, you may prefer certain software that allows you a greater deal of customizability, such as the React PDF viewer which can be tailored to your liking as you develop it from the baseline template.
You can also advertise the economy you use to clients so they know what to expect – for example, if you edit video in Premiere Pro then you might deliver the raw assembly files to your client after the fact, and they can be aware of this before commissioning you.
Choosing The Right Laptop
Of course, it’s also very wise to choose a machine capable of delivering for your needs. Now, that can be very different depending on what kind of craft you practice. Odds are that if you’re a freelance writer, you won’t need a power graphical processing unit (GPU), but a comfortable keyboard with tactile feedback (such as those on old Thinkpads or newer Macbooks) could be ideal for you.
Alternatively, if you render video then dedicated graphics cards are essential to properly process the footage you hope to upload. Of course, you can customize certain laptop requirements – many designers plug their laptops into larger monitors for expanded screen real estate. What matters is portability, speed, security, and daily use, so make sure to find a reliable brand compatible with any accessories you may use, such as graphics tablets.
Organizing Your Work Environment
Many of us use digital planners to make certain we have everything to hand, and setting up your laptop or personal device is an essential part of that process. For example, you might organize your work environment by using a calendar that syncs across every work device you use.
You may also divide your profiles between personal and work, so that you don’t pull up information related to your clients when trying to manage your personal affairs. This also has the benefit of having set hours you work and set hours you reply to clients in, so they don’t expect you to be on-call 24/7, as that’s not reasonable.
You can also set up distinct security measures on your device such as biometric logins, security keys, and two-factor authentication tokens to make sure no one can access your sensitive material. Using robust cloud services to automatically back up all of your work is essential too, as it helps you avoid losing work and having to postpone essential deadlines.
Time Management and Productivity Apps
It’s easy to think you’re going to perfectly schedule your time as a freelancer, but it’s much harder to do that in practice. Why is this? Well, because at home you have many distractions waiting for you. Even if you work in coffee shops, you have the entire outside world ready to take your attention from you.
For this reason, managing the time blocks in which you work can be ideal. These focus periods will be timed and remind you when its time to catch a break if you download worthwhile productivity apps in line with your freelance work. They may also remind you to save your progress, to hydrate (easy to forget when you’re absorbed in a brief), and when to manage personal affairs.
This way, you can leverage the best benefit of your freelance life – flexibility, while still remaining dedicated to your task and working a good amount of hours each day.
Managing Finances & Invoicing
Using a budgeting app or business management app like Quickbooks, You Need A Budget or those particular to your field can help you manage your expenses, keep constant documentation of those, and then use this when tax season comes around to report your earnings and expenses. If you do this, then you can more easily claim the tax breaks you need, for example when purchasing new accessories for your work device and more. If you’re registered as a sole trading firm, then this can grant you a good deal of earning worth over time.
With this advice, you’re certain to better set up a personal device for your freelance career. Remember, you can always make adjustments as you go and become more experienced. Good luck with your new career path!
