By Greg Walker

Ah, the self-employed life. What a way to live! The freedom, the enjoyment, the unlimited earning potential. Who could fault it?

One of the reasons why being self-employed is so often seen as the solution for anyone who is unhappy in their mundane 9-to-5 is because many self-employed people have a habit of regularly promulgating a number of its key benefits in articles very much like this one.

These said benefits are then lapped up by those considering going self-employed and are used as the fuel to propel their headlong charge into independence and liberty and escape their current existence.

However, I’m not so sure that some of these widely-promoted benefits are as common as is sometimes suggested.

In fact, I know that they are not because in my own self-employed position I find them completely lacking.

In my early days as a freelancer, working meant having to sit at my desk. Now, with my smart phone and laptop, I can work anywhere I choose.

So, if I’m on a long train journey, I can answer my emails, do a bit of social media, continue with a client project, or read a blog post or two. Being out all day doesn’t mean having to spends ages ‘catching up’ when I get home.

And, as long as there is a wi-fi connection, I don’t even need my laptop. I simply take my iPad. That’s because I access all my files via the cloud, using Dropbox.

I love Dropbox. It means all my files are in one secure place and it doesn’t matter if my computer gets stolen/breaks down: my files are still safe up there in the cloud. It also means I don’t have to remember to back up my work at regular intervals.

Fast broadband, mobile technologies and social media have completely changed the way freelancers work and communicate. We can (technically) work from any where with a laptop and wifi; we can collaborate with people on the other side of the world; we can use the web to create new income streams for ourselves.

But these digital technologies can result in a daily digital deluge leaving less time to get things done and less time to focus on our core work.

Here are five tools and tactics to help you harness the power of the web to stay focused, get more done, and work effectively.

1. Gmail Priority Inbox

One of my favourite finds last year was the new feature from Gmail, Priority Inbox which has helped my transformation into an email ninja.

Last year, I wrote a post on how to keep going when you’ve had a setback and just don’t have the motivation to work any more. In this post, I’m focusing on how to keep the motivation going when the weather’s lovely and you simply don’t want to be indoors, chained to your desk.

1. Vary your timetable

If you want to be out and about, enjoying the sunshine, then set the alarm early (if you’re a lark) or work in the evening (if you’re an owl). That way, you can take time out in the middle of the day and still get a full day’s work done.

2. Work outside

I wrote this post yesterday sitting on my balcony. If you don’t have a garden or balcony, then why not pick up your laptop and go to an outdoor café or local park?

This guest post from the co-founder of Credit Card Compare points out the financial benefits to decluttering your workspace – and also explains how to do it.

Who doesn’t like a clean, uncluttered workspace? Not only does  a neat work area look professional, it can yield financial benefits you may not have thought about.

You can increase your profits

A messy work area contributes to higher levels of stress and lower levels of productivity. Cleaning up an  untidy workstation has many benefits, including increasing your energy levels and an ability to think more clearly. Having a stress-free work area also helps you stay motivated, allows you to do your job more efficiently and boosts creativity. A more productive work environment allows you to concentrate on your work and thus increase your profits.

Welcome to guest writer, James Adams, who provides advice on how to set up your home office.

If you want working from home to be successful and productive, then it should be separate from your personal space, distraction free, and inviting. Avoid the temptations to cobble together a desk and chair in the corner of a room and calling it your office. Take it from me, it won’t work! So if you’re taking your work seriously, then take these ten essentials on board and apply them to your freelance office.

1. Room

Rather than the kitchen table, take over a room in the house as your home office. It will be easier to claim this space on your taxes and serve as a barrier between your personal and work spaces. Train people to leave you alone when the door to your office is closed. Keep this area away from the highly trafficked areas within your house so you can have peace and quiet.