Every successful business requires tangible and intangible assets to facilitate its progression. Some of these assets are foundational, while others take a more secondary stance. For the freelancing business, assets could be gadgets and tools that make the job easier. They could vary across industries and positions. Yet, some are essential for anyone in the freelance space.

This article explores secondary freelancing gadgets—beyond the basics like a smartphone, tablet, and PC—that will improve the quality of your service delivery. These gadgets could also serve as long-term investments to make your freelancing journey worthwhile. Let's get right into them.

1. Portable Wireless Headphones

The sounds around you when working can be a menace to your productivity, especially when you have to work in public places like cafes, parks, inside moving vehicles, etc. Sadly, it is even worse when you have little or no control over the activities that constitute the distracting sounds. You can't prevent a driver from honking or stopping the music playing in a cafe.

However, you can block the noise with wireless headphones. Wireless headphones help you stay oblivious to the distracting sounds in your environment. You can wear them over your ears while listening to any genre of music or podcasts, but keep the volume at a minimal level to avoid damaging your eardrums.

You can also use headphones for virtual meetings to ensure smooth communication. Any of the best over-ear wireless headphones on the market can come in handy.

2. Mobile Phone Power Bank

As a freelancer, sometimes, you are likely to complete tasks with your smartphone or tablet in odd places and at odd hours as the need arises. This requires you to always stay connected to a reliable power source. And your best bet for that is a power bank, a compact power source for mobile smartphones and tablets. It comes with varying USB ports; in different sizes and colors.

With a power bank, you don't have to limit your work schedules or cancel on clients due to sudden power outages and low-battery devices. Plus, you can carry it around conveniently, as it takes up little or no space. In purchasing a power bank, look for ones bigger than your device's battery capacity, preferably not below 10,000mAh.

Although they can be pricey, you can build your power bank from scratch, using a few lifesaver power bank ideas to save money.

3. External Hard Drive

Information storage is an essential part of freelancing, which you cannot compromise at any point. Even if you use any of the cheapest cloud storage providers on your work device, you still need a hardware storage device (one that doesn't require an internet connection) as a backup. This is where external hard drives come into play.

An external hard drive is a storage medium that allows you to save and access personal and work-related documents, various forms of media, applications, and software. It also helps you stay on top of your game in the wake of an unforeseen incident—theft or loss. In other words, you don't have to lose personal or clients' files alongside a stolen or damaged device.

And unlike the hard drive in your PC, you can use an external hard drive to save files from multiple devices, such as your smartphone and tablet. When purchasing an external hard drive, prioritize longevity, brand history, and space.

4. MiFi

A stable internet connection lies at the heart of freelancing. You need it to stay abreast with clients, access work tools and services, and execute projects. In other words, it is impossible to work as a freelancer without a stable internet connection. That is why you need a MiFi: a portable wireless router that simultaneously works as a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 10 devices.

You can carry it anywhere you go without having to search for networks in public places. Also, you don't need to download any software or use a USB cord for connectivity.

5. Microphone

Effective communication is an invaluable skill for every freelancer. And having a microphone in your home office can significantly help you showcase this skill and improve your work processes. Contrary to popular opinions, microphones are not for voice-over artists or vloggers alone. Any freelancer can use a microphone, irrespective of their profession.

You can use it to enhance the sound quality of your calls and audio recordings during virtual meetings and text conversations. A microphone also gives your workspace an extra layer of professionalism. However, your choice of microphone depends on your preference. You can get a wireless or wired microphone according to your budget and work needs.

6. Table or Desk Lamp

Having the flexibility to set your work time is one of the benefits of freelancing. If you prefer working into the night, you need a table lamp for good vision. Table or desk lamps illuminate your workspace and give it an exquisite look in the dark.

Most desk lamps also allow you to regulate the brightness to fit your preference and minimize eye strain, so you don't have to squint while working at night.

7. Printer

Freelancing is not entirely limited to carrying out every task remotely. Sometimes, you may need to handle a couple of paper works physically, and having a printer is necessary for such times. You can use it to print, scan, and photocopy documents, saving you the time and money to execute it outside. Moreover, you can opt for any printer (wireless or wired) you're sure will get the job done.

Enjoy a Seamless Workflow

Being a freelancer gives you the liberty to choose your work tools. Likewise, setting up your home office with the gadgets we have listed is a great investment toward enjoying a seamless workflow as a freelancer. However, acquiring them all at once may cost you a fortune.

So, it's best to make your purchases gradually, starting from the most to the least important. And while getting the hardware tools, you can also employ other easy-to-use online tools for freelancers on a budget to automate most of your responsibilities. The goal is to make working as a freelancer as exciting and hassle-free as possible.