As a freelancer I constantly need certain programs and online services to help me out through out my day. Whether it be coding something or invoicing a client, I need it, we need it. Don’t think the only tools that I will list are going to be about time management and such, I will display many tools I use day to day for anything that helps my freelance work. All tools are assuming you are on a Mac.

Photoshop

Oh, Photoshop. Many people think they can live on using The Gimp or Pixelmator, which are fine programs, but they do not match up even close to the power of Photoshop. It is a complete must for all designers of any kind, get it.

Billings

Billings is a very nice program that I use to keep track of clients. It can time how long you have been working, send estimates/invoices, alert you of various events, and much much more. Without this program I would look very unprofessional to my clients, life would not be good without Billings.

Coda

Coda is a very nice(and cheap) alternative to Dreamweaver some say. Yet I say that Coda is much better than Dreamweaver. It features a very nice Mac integrated GUI, Terminal access, one window development, and countless other features. I use Coda for all my coding needs whether it be some CSS or PHP.

iCal

That’s right iCal. iCal works wonders for time management and keeping track of what you have to do. Some people will use Sunbird instead to keep up with Mozilla. Bad idea, since Sunbird isn’t integrated into the Mac OS it lacks many features such as 24/7 alerts even when iCal is closed. iCal lets you have multiple calendars for more organization and then labels for different events or tasks for even more organization. I use iCal on a daily basis, helps me look professional and helps me keep track of what I have to do.

xPad

xPad is very nice note taking program. It features “note-taking like” saving, meaning you don’t have to press save for everything you type to be safe. Quit xPad and open back up and it will still be there. Need to organize your notes? No problem just name them, and have them off to the side in the program drawer.

Stickies (dashboard)

Need to quickly copy down a phone number? Don’t sweat, just display the dashboard and it’s right there. Type away, and just like xPad once you hide the dashboard and bring it back it’s still there! My second monitor’s dashboard is filled to the brim with stickies.

Finder

Use Finder! Put all of your client documentation into folder upon sub-folders! Organize! Act like you’re OCD. Always keep documentation of your client work, and always keep it well organized. Scared someone may try and steal valuable information? Put it in a password protected folder, no excused for not using Finder.

System Preferences > Wallpaper and Screensaver

If you are staring at code all day it may be nice to see a beautiful wallpaper between switching windows, trust me this always lightens my spirit. Also get a nice screensaver too, so when you come back from the bathroom you see some enlightening graphics before you get back to work.

Pac the ManX

Yep, Pacman game on your mac. After a long days work you have to relax! Sit back and play some pacman! Pac the ManX features a “Mac like” interface and extra level layouts you didn’t have when you we’re my age.

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This entry was posted on Friday, April 17th, 2009 at 9:39 am and is filed under Blogging. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.