7 Free Software Apps for Working Nomads

Why are you using the wrong tools?

Pushing tent pegs into the ground with your hand instead of using a hammer is fine. Using a word processor to edit images is not. Neither is spending hours updating a clunky spreadsheet by hand. And spending hundreds of dollars on telecommunications software? Definitely not okay.

Forget workarounds or pricey upgrades. Choose the right tool for the job from day one. You want software that makes your working nomad lifestyle streamlined, not uncomfortable and debt-riddled. Here’s my personal list of the top 7 simple and powerful software applications for working nomads. As a bonus, they’re all free.

1. Rescue Time: increase your productivity

RescueTime is a comprehensive time-tracking tool that runs in the background and then displays stats on how you’ve been using your computer time. You tell it which activities you consider productive and which are time-wasters.

2. Daytum: manage your everyday data

Daytum is a fuss-free and elegant tool for managing statistics for just about any aspect of your life, including work, travel and recreation. I use it to track the amount of time I spend working, my output, exercise routines, and any specific goals I’m working on.

The screencast above demonstrates some of the Daytum basics of data-entry and display.

3. Skype: call anyone, anytime, anywhere

Skype is the reason a mobile phone didn’t make it onto my must-have list of office supplies. I’ve used Skype for the past several years to stay in touch with friends and family all over the world. Skype-to-Skype calls are always free, and you can call any landline or mobile phone at affordable rates. I use a Skype plug-in called eCamm Call Recorder to record both audio and video calls when I’m doing interviews for this blog or for my writing clients (free to try, around $20 to buy). Call Recorder is Mac-only, but there’s a fantastic alternative for Windows called VodCast–here’s a particularly thorough review by a UK journalist.

4. FreeMind: create and edit mindmaps

A mindmap helps you brainstorm and organize your thoughts far more efficiently and comprehensively than a linear list. According to Tony Buzon, self-proclaimed creator of the concept, mindmapping “harnesses the full range of cortical skills–word, image, number, logic, rhythm, colour and spatial awareness.” You can create mindmaps using pen and paper, but if you want easy-to-use, editable software, Freemind is the best free tool out there.

5. TextEdit: write and edit without distractions

TextEdit is a simple, bare-bones but highly versatile word processer. It comes pre-installed on Macs and is the perfect alternative to using bloated Microsoft. I use it for everything from writing, editing, blogging and simple HTML coding. Paul Gorman has written a handy little app that counts the words in a TextEdit document, called NanoCount. You can even tell Nanocount your wordcount goal and it displays a little slider so you know you’re getting closer. Great for increasing productivity and motivating tired fingers.

6. OpenOffice.org: mimic Office without supporting the Microsoft empire

If you need the functionality of Microsoft, here it is without the inflated price tag.

7. Picasa: group and sort photos quickly

A fantastic photo organizer. My favorite features include the face recognition functionality and the duplicate finder. Picasa helped me free up about 5 Gb of space on my hard drive because I was able to quickly find and delete duplicates.

Not free, but worth considering:

PamFax: send faxes anywhere

I have a love-hate relationship with PamFax. On the one hand, I haven’t found a more reliable cheap online service for sending faxes. On the other hand, I haven’t found a less reliable one either. PamFax crashes nearly every time I use the desktop application. The online application is more stable. I don’t need to send faxes often, but when doing business with relics who haven’t figured out how to receive email attachments, PaxFax is worth having.