Ever wish you could work on your own terms? So have about 4.7 million UK workers who are now part of the so-called gig economy, according to a report by The Week. On the rise since 2001, the gig economy encompasses freelancers as well other professionals who do flexible and temporary work for different clients. The freelancer life is best suited for the fast-paced lifestyle created by today’s digital landscape. And although this doesn’t quite scream stability, a report on Yoss claims that thanks to advancements in technology, more and more young people see flexible work as a long-term career path. So if you’re thinking about making the big switch from your 9-5, or have already started your freelancing journey, read on to find out what gadgets you’ll need as a budding gig worker.
Backpack
As a freelancer, you don’t have to go to the same office every day and are free to work from anywhere with an internet connection. Some people even take it a step further and go, full-on digital nomad, which The Guardian defines as someone who uses the internet to work remotely without having a fixed home address. So, whether you’re working in your local coffee shop or halfway across the other side of the world, you’ll need a reliable backpack to keep all your things in. You’ll also need something theft-proof and water-resistant at the very least. This way, you won’t always be worrying about your backpack when you’re moving about. Some backpacks even come with a USB charging function, which will come in handy when your reliable gadgets are being pushed to their limits.
Headphones
Have you ever been in a café and the table right across from you is having what seems like a mini family reunion ‘ babies and all? The sounds around you are an important factor in how well you do your work, as excessive noise can cause you stress, which in turn, will impact your productivity. At the other end of the spectrum, Inc. lists music as a means to boost productivity, especially if you choose to listen to instrumentals. For headphones, try your best to get noise-cancelling ones. This should shut out all unwanted distractions. Cleer FLOW Active Noise Cancelling Headphones come highly recommended, as they feature a built-in earcup swipe for easy use.
Laptop
They say the pen is mightier than the sword ‘ what then would a laptop be mightier than? Considering that this is where you will be doing most (if not all) of your work, it is important to get the best possible laptop that suits your specific needs. Shopping for a laptop is pretty straightforward, as what you need to be looking for is good battery life and RAM. These are the two things that’ll directly affect your productivity, so keep this in mind when looking around. However, The Techie Guy notes that other aspects such as size, the operating system, and a number of ports are also important, and your choice of specs will depend on the kind of work that you do.
Laptop Power Bank
Do you ever feel like you don’t have enough time? Well, think about all the idle time you waste while you’re in transit. With a laptop power bank, you can now work on the go without the fear of your devices dying on you. When buying a power bank, it’s important to focus on safety and power. Luckily, the Mophie Powerstation PD XL comes with both, as it has USB-C PD & USB-C power delivery, which is by far the safest and fastest way to charge your devices.
External Hard Drive
Any freelancer will tell you that back-ups are everything. There’s no bigger waste of time and energy than having your work lost to some unforeseen incident. This is why an external hard drive will come in handy during your (potential) life as a freelancer.
When shopping for a lifesaving hard drive, what you need to look for is space and longevity. Do note that the life expectancy of external hard drives varies, so it wouldn’t hurt to have back-ups for your back-ups.