We all know that freelance translating is far from a sinecure, especially when you struggle with time, administration, and, more generally, the organization of your tasks. Over the years, the Internet has churned out plenty of tools that simplify the life of a freelancer. However, figuring out which tool to use is no easy task, especially when you want to optimize your precious work time!
Fortunately, the Acolad Community takes the time to test software and applications for the benefit of freelancers generally: not just linguists, but also copywriters, web designers, community mangers, and so on. For this new episode, we have tested a number of tools optimizing the time spent on corporate communications and note-taking, and even apps and websites for freelancers! 😊 Of course, none of the free tools tested by the Acolad Community are sponsored, and we chose them all independently.
Twist
When you work with a team of 10 or more, essential information may be lost in a ton of emails. That can be a real nightmare for freelancers, who don’t always have the time to collect scattered information. Twist helps with threads that encourage focused discussions on specific subjects, so you are not distracted by unrelated topics. It’s easier to follow each thread and you don’t have to rush to catch up on the latest message. With Twist, you can focus on getting your work done, freeing up time to devote and add value to a specific subject.
Evernote
Let’s talk about a sure bet among note-taking software: Evernote allows you to capture information, adding text, images, videos or web pages to your notes (this is very useful if you work as a web designer). You can use Evernote for multiple actions: to create to-do lists, schedule an event, draw up reminders, and you can even do all this with vocal recognition. Using Evernote as a task manager and content sharer is one of the best ideas ever!
Web Activity Time Tracker
Using software and applications specifically designed for freelancers is an excellent choice. And yet, they can have a negative side effect: if you start using them too much, you can waste time that you should be focusing on your projects… Web Activity Time Tracker controls how much time you spend on websites and visually displays the total time spent browsing. For optimal performance, with the Google Chrome plugin you can set a time limit on websites if you procrastinate. You can even add a website to a blacklist so as to avoid the temptation!
Would you like to share any other freelancing tools you use? We are fool for cool tools!