Over the past several years, global circumstances have brought about a considerable change in how we go about our business. The advent of WFH and remote working have seen an increasing number of people adopt alternative approaches to employment. As a result, the number of digital nomads is climbing worldwide.
While many prefer this approach to the more conventional 9-5 schedule, being a digital nomad is not without its challenges. Work-life balance, time management, and online security are all factors that can be a source of stress for those who choose to live the life of a digital nomad, and this is sure to continue through 2023.
Fortunately, technological tools can help to solve the issues that come with non-traditional working arrangements. Here are some essential software applications that every digital nomad needs in 2023.
A VPN
The Internet is the very foundation of the digital nomad lifestyle. Those who choose to live in this way naturally spend huge swathes of their time online managing their professional and personal affairs. When transmitting such important data online, it’s essential to stay protected at all times, so it’s highly recommended to get a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
This is the case for anyone, but especially for digital nomads, who frequently need to utilize public networks as part of their daily operations. As cybersecurity becomes an increasingly important consideration in 2023, a VPN may be the single most important tool in a digital nomad’s software kit, since it can encrypt data to protect users from third parties who may wish to intercept it for nefarious purposes.
The benefits of a VPN are not limited to cybersecurity either. Since VPNs mask user IPs by routing connections through remote servers, they allow users to bypass geo-restrictions for websites and social media as they travel. For those who frequently work from new countries, VPNs are invaluable because they make it possible to work online completely unfettered, regardless of one’s geographical location.
It’s simple to download and install a free VPN for Firefox, Chrome, and other major browsers, too, so there is no reason not to use one.
A time-tracking app
One often-cited challenge associated with digital nomadism is self-management. Those who work remotely can easily find themselves becoming sidetracked from reading online content or playing games when they are supposed to be working. By the same token, it’s equally easy to overwork and neglect to take all-important breaks. To achieve optimal productivity, balance is key, and this is where time-tracking software comes into play.
With a time-tracking application, users can manage their work hours to ensure that they are investing the right amount of hours into their most important projects. These applications come with a variety of clever functionalities, too, such as the ability to assign a specific key combination to an activity to allow the software to dynamically track time spend on different responsibilities.
Effectively managing one’s own working hours can be surprisingly difficult without the structure of a fixed schedule, but time-tracking apps can make this a much simpler task.
A workflow management tool
Since digital nomads often work on a contract or freelance basis, it’s common to cooperate with multiple different clients on a variety of projects. This is something that can quickly become confusing, so it’s important to have the right tools to manage one’s workflow effectively.
Fortunately, there are a variety of different web-based tools which allow users to keep track of different projects. These kinds of applications feature intuitive visual interfaces with color coding and notifications to ensure that users stay on top of their commitments.
For remote workers, reputation is everything, so maintaining a high level of efficiency and reliability is critical. Workflow management tools offer an ideal solution here, empowering users to be as productive as possible.
A smart email tool
Today’s digital nomads rely heavily on email as their primary form of correspondence, particularly for professional communications. When working remotely with a variety of different companies or clients, there are multiple mail streams to contend with, and it can be easy to damage business relationships by letting an important email slip through unnoticed.
For this reason, it pays to have a smart email application to help handle one’s correspondence. Employing such an application can enable users to offload some of the administrative burdens that come with managing and prioritizing different business-related mail streams. As such, a good email application can help a digital nomad to achieve more efficient communication and a higher level of productivity with less effort.
Concluding
2023 will surely see a continuation of the trend toward alternative work arrangements, so it makes sense to be prepared for the challenges that come with such lifestyles. Digital nomadism is all about leveraging digital technology to one’s advantage and working smarter rather than harder. With these software applications on hand, it’s possible to streamline daily operations, alleviating all the headaches associated with life as a digital nomad.
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