In the past, choosing to work for yourself required a lot of change. Instead of going into the office every day and speaking to colleagues, you would start using a home office. You’d be isolated in a way that you had never been before. It was a major factor in many potential entrepreneurs’ decisions.
However, after more than a year of COVID-19, you have probably gotten used to working from home. You have been using your home office even when interacting with your boss and your colleagues. Taking the leap now might not feel so monumental.
But there are a number of things that change when you start working for yourself. In particular, the way you treat your tech devices needs to change.
Do the following 4 things for your tech devices when you start working for yourself.
1. Insure them
Your phone and laptop have always been important when it comes to working. Many people cannot work without either one of these devices. However, when you are working for a company, not nearly as many hinges on them. If you did break your laptop, for example, you may be able to get a replacement from the company, whether as part of your benefits or to see you through until you got a new one.
Now that you work for yourself, you cannot afford to be without a phone or laptop for any amount of time. Unless you have spare cash (or a spare device) available when you lose a device, you may struggle to replace it.
This is why device insurance becomes so important. Take a look at Lemonade cell phone insurance to see how to add electronics as extra coverage to your insurance policies.
2. Turn them into expenses
When you start working for yourself, you are going to need to take care of taxes for your own business. Your taxes are calculated based on profits rather than the money coming into your account. Expenses are deducted from this amount.
Take all of your tech devices and services into account. Your phone, laptop, and any other equipment you use should go down as expenses, even if you would have owned them anyway. The same is true of your internet connection and the data you use.
The nitty-gritty of taxes can get complicated when working for yourself, so be sure to speak to experts and make a plan for yourself before you start bringing in cash.
3. Upgrade them
Viewing your electronics as expensive is not only important for tax purposes. It changes how you relate to them. You may have held off on buying a new laptop or phone because you didn’t need to spend extra money on yourself. However, now that your business relies on these devices, you should look for upgrades.
Of course, if you already have the best devices available, this doesn’t change anything. But if your phone no longer lasts a day without being charged three times and your laptop crashes periodically, it doesn’t matter that they get the job done. Trade them in and make a plan to pay the extra cost.
This is also a good way of committing to your business. You are making a statement that it is important enough for you to spend money on pursuing.
4. Always have a plan B
Many people have spare devices lying around. After all, we have been using smartphones for close to a decade and a half. An old phone and an old laptop may not seem important, but when you have to get work done no matter what, temporarily losing access to your current devices can be damaging.
Find alternative battery options as well. Keep a power bank with you and make sure your laptop is always charged before you leave the house with it.
The same is true when it comes to an internet connection. You can use your phone as a personal hotspot when push comes to shove, so make sure you have data or a way of purchasing it.
Switching over to working for yourself is not the big change it once was. However, you need to start treating yourself and your equipment as a serious business.
