Top 3 Apps for People That Work at Home

Many people now use freelance work as their main source of income; it often pays immediately and allows them to manage their time. It is for this reason that there are a lot of freelancers out there. A 2018 report from Upwork found that there are roughly 56.7 million freelancers in the U.S. – 3.7 million more than five years ago. Due to the exponential growth of the gig economy, competition for jobs is tough, with Yoss outlining that companies are always looking to hire the top freelance talent. This is why freelancers need to make sure that every aspect of their work is of the utmost quality. One of the best ways to stay ahead of the curve is to download the right apps to help you manage your workload.

For example, a good app is a program called BadgeBox – this application lets you manage overtime, coordinate timesheets, and organize projects. It can also be used to track important data between the company and its employees.

But freelancing is not just about managing your workload; it involves other aspects like billing and communication. Here are three of the best apps that can help you with that.

1. Invoicely

One of the struggles freelancers face is getting paid for a job, and payments require an invoice. Sending an invoice is a transparent way to show your clients what they need to pay for. Invoicely is an excellent accounting tool as you can send invoices at the touch of a button. To make payments even easier, you can use the app to accept online payments via credit cards and other gateways. Invoicely comes in different packages: free, basic professional, and enterprise – perfect for eventually scaling up.

2. Focus Booster

Focus Booster is a timer app that is used to aid a productivity method called the Pomodoro Technique. The technique works on the principle of taking a five-minute break every 25 minutes (called a pomodoro), and longer breaks every four pomodoros. The pomodoros are there to help bolster motivation and creativity – two work values that can be hard to muster when working from the comfort of your own home. Focus Booster automatically records all your pomodoro sessions for you to review your output and track your work. It can also sort your pomodoros to handle multiple clients at the same time.

3. Slack

Freelancers are not always a one-man team and will often work as part of a large group. This means it is wise to invest in a communication app that will allow for easy messaging. Slack is a cloud-based messaging tool that organizes your conversations into different channels. Its search bar lets you scan your last 10,000 messages easily, and its channel system allows you to arrange conversations effectively. TechRepublic outlines how the app can also be integrated with other third-party services like GitHub, Google Drive, and social media platforms like Twitter. The app is free, but paid tiers are available with additional features.

Freelancing is a challenge because freelancers have to do everything from taking care of their own finances (including taxes), to finding their own projects and managing their time wisely. This is why these apps are so invaluable – freelancers need all the help they can get.