Top 5 Online Freelancer's Essentials List

Online Freelancer

When you are an employee in the corporate world, what you need in order to accomplish the tasks you are expected to do are already provided for you. You have your own cubicle, workstation, or even your own office. Your company must have already provided you your work laptop, a work phone, some even a company car. Office supplies are at your disposal: pens, paper, notepads, permanent markers… You name it, you need it, your office administrator will get it for you.

Virtual Professional Needs

But, when you are a virtual professional, and you have clients that do not necessarily provide you the things you need for your job, it is your responsibility to get your own materials, your own tools.

So, as an online freelancer, what should one secure to get their job done? Here’s the top 5 essentials:

1. Sturdy Gear

This includes your laptop or desktop, another monitor or two (for work that needs split screens or a larger view of interfaces); good quality and noise-cancellation headsets or earphones, with a microphone. Some would prefer handy or pocket-sized notebooks or tablets as they can be taken anywhere, and can access applications to accomplish their tasks.

Depending on what your virtual assistance services are, you should be able to check the specifications of your hardware. Some gears or tools that you might need would be freelance microphones, a webcam or an actual DSLR, USB hubs for multiple connections, etc. Please feel free to comment what else could be considered as essential gears.

2. Reliable Internet Connection

Today, virtual assistants rely on fast and reliable internet connections. So a dial-up connection is pretty much jurassic. Telecommunication companies have tried to improve their internet services, upgrading it to the highest megabits per second (mbps) possible. Wi-Fi connections are also available, but their speed could vary, depending on the number of people connected to it and the volume of data being exchanged using it. Some would have hotspots on their phone, but it will also depend on your data plan.

3. Production-inducing work space

As a digital nomad, where you eventually get to work is important. You may see posts from online freelancers working by the beach, within a national park, or even along scenic destinations. But it all boils down to how productive you will be. Perhaps they chose scenic workspaces because they need inspiration. Some prefer cozy coffee shops because there’s, of course, coffee, and it gives a relaxed vibe (as opposed to a stressful environment). There are now options to go to co-working spaces, where there’s reliable Wi-Fi, some office essentials like a landline, a photocopier, a printer, and even a coffee maker.

A lot of virtual assistants work from home, as this can be the most comfortable area to work in. You can go right ahead to work without having to prepare and be conscious of what to wear, and without having to consider traveling time. An advantage of working from home is that you have the internet connection all for yourself (unless there are other family members in your house sharing it with you.)

4. Food and Beverages

One thing that remote workers need are, of course, healthy refreshments. Since you are working in front of your laptop, perhaps in the comforts of your home, you might forget about cooking as you go right ahead in whatever task you need to accomplish for the day. Make sure that you don't forget drinking, eating and eating healthy, especially when your schedule goes against regular office hours of your current location.

Personally, one of my favorites would be coffee to keep me awake, and a sandwich to keep me nourished and energized. And the most important, a tumbler of water.

5. Access to the Lavatory

You need a toilet break after all those coffee and water you ingested. And going to the comfort room will help you get a break from the monotony of online freelancing. This will also help regulate other bodily functions because you had to get up and flex other parts of your body. It can be pretty exhausting sitting down and tapping keys or your mouse for hours.

There you have it! Those are the essentials based on my experience. Please feel free to add to my list, and explain why they deserve to be on it.