Business
3 Effective Ways: Safeguard Freelancer’s Data
Working as a freelancer for almost two years now has taught me to become extra cautious when it comes to storing my important files. In fact with my previous experiences of having a computer bug to be the culprit of my PC’s major breakdown and left me no choice but to have an expert to reformat everything, that itself is already time consuming. The good thing was I’m lucky enough to have saved almost all my files in my hard disk.
For those individuals who are just starting a freelance career, here are 3 effective ways on how you can safeguard all your important files or data:
1. Keep a back-up for all your files
Freelancing work may require you to store large files for you clients and if you have continuous work in progress, these files pile up and you would need to secure them. Make it a habit to keep a back-up for each file or project you have. This is one solution that can help you when worst case scenarios happen like a computer virus or you accidentally deleted a batch of files that aren’t supposedly to be included.
2. Store files in the archive
This is another safety measure if you want to store your files. Data archiving can be done to files that you don’t need at the moment, but you would rather have them for quick access anytime for future use or as reference. Like any other back-up storages, archives are also prone to physical or virtual damages, so make sure to keep a back-up copy for your archives.
3. Use files synchronization
Secure your data with the use of files synchronization. This method of file security stores the latest copy of a file while at the same time giving you an access to the older version of any files you wish to retrieve. Using files synchronization in your freelance work makes it convenient because you don’t need to spend a lot of time sending each individual a copy of a file in instances you will need to share files with the other team members as well as to your client for updates of any changes you have done.
Recommendation:
Freelance work can be very challenging, especially if you have to face a computer breakdown, accidentally spilling you drink over your laptop or your child unknowingly dropped it with his/her playful mood. These events do happen beyond your control, but if you have done some preventive security measures on your files from the start, then this compelling situation would not be as stressful as it can be. There are different ways to safeguard your freelancer’s files, either you choose to keep a back-up copy all the time for all your files with the use of an external drive or perhaps you are thinking of using cloud storage, which is getting popular in today’s digital age. Remember, no matter what type of storage solution you will select, always keep yourself on guard for you will never know when a virus strikes again or a disaster hits you. Fully gear yourself with enough information and you are on your way to success as a freelancer. Keep it up…
Tagged freelancer, freelancing, online marketing, Work
theaaaJuly 12, 2012 at 9:46 pm
Do you think it would be better to use a hard drive or cloud storage? Would you know what the advantages and disadvantages of those methods of storage are?
FlipKupJuly 26, 2012 at 1:58 pm
“Do you think it would be better to use a hard drive or cloud storage? Would you know what the advantages and disadvantages of those methods of storage are?”
Use cloud storage, it allows you to sync with all your devices. There aren’t any real drawbacks, unless you lack an Internet connecton. Hard drive storage is susceptible to physical damage and corruption, so avoid going old school. Switch to the more dependable and recent technology in the storage area – you’ll love yourself for it.
Aidan BradleyJuly 13, 2012 at 9:33 am
I generally use cloud storage myself. But you just need to look at the DropBox error the other week, where all data was public for something like 3 hours…
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dieselJuly 15, 2012 at 12:08 pm
When I was doing freelance work I opted to backup my files on both an external hard drive as well as in cloud storage. I had to deal with some time sensitive jobs, and with my general unluckiness, I could not trust the cloud alone.
jmsben12July 15, 2012 at 1:12 pm
When doing freelance work, backing up your data is key! One corrupt hard drive or thumb drive can ruin your career. I had always used the main harddrive, and backed up on an external. That was enough for me, I’ve never tried cloud storage. Not sure about file synchronization, does it work with very large projects/files?
Brandin ArsenaultJuly 16, 2012 at 1:02 am
I don’t do Freelance work but I do a lot of work for my organization and the website. It’s horrible having to go through a loss of your files and having nothing backed up. I know what that’s like…HORRIBLE. I’ve learned better to backup my files now though. Another great share, thanks!
psmith140July 16, 2012 at 8:01 pm
Great advice. One of my shortcomings as a freelancer in the early days was never backing anything up. I was sort of cocky that it would autosave or that I would never need it backed up in the first place. How wrong i was! Lost over 1GB of my work. Always good to back things up whenever possible.
Magic PixelJuly 16, 2012 at 10:22 pm
Currently I am employed, but I am also doing freelance jobs once in a while and I know what you are talking about. Luckily the new cloud options can provide valuable extra safety to important documents and data. Some services (Google Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive) even offer a decent amount of data storage for free, so why not give them a try?
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VellaJuly 17, 2012 at 12:24 am
I have had to learn the hard way.
Freelancing is actually a lot of work.
Especially with writing. If your client decides
that he wants to use the draft you sent him 2 months ago, then you’d better have it ready.
LauraJuly 17, 2012 at 6:31 pm
“1. Keep a back-up for all your files”
Tell me about it. I once spend a week working to edit a video. Of course I thought I was that special human being who didn’t have to do back-ups, everything would be alright. Of course I lost everything and was left with just my eyes to cry. Trust me, I learnt the hard way but now I know.
JoshTheBossJuly 17, 2012 at 7:50 pm
Also if you have a website that provides any type of content, which many freelancers do have, then you should know something. Many people actually make money by writing programs to strip content from websites. You can also install your own scripts to prevent such an event. Freelancers beware.
TashWordJuly 18, 2012 at 4:48 pm
When backing up, don’t forget emails and address books – not a good look to go back to a client and say ‘Oh, I would finish your project but I lost your email describing x – can you send it again please?’
Also a good idea to save all your settings, too, as getting things back the way you like the can take ages.
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karlajjJuly 18, 2012 at 11:38 pm
As a new freelancer this article really opened my eyes to how I store my files. I had never considered the fact that I may lose my laptop (and I have in the past actually) and now I know I need an added measure to keep those important files safe!
forkkillerJuly 19, 2012 at 4:41 pm
I will be the first to admit that I don’t backup files as often as I should. Perhaps its because I’ve been able to catch drives as they are failing and back them up in a panicked state. Either way, success in the past doesn’t mean catastrophic failure cannot happen at any time in the future. While this is fantastic advice, I need to actually try to follow it in order to reap the benefits.
BloomaticJuly 27, 2012 at 7:56 am
Many times we do not know these things, but we do not we realize how important they are. We need to follow basic safety guidelines to protect our work, not only from the intrusion of other people, but also from our own mistakes. I try to be aware of that, but there are times when I forget to do so. Thank you for reviewing these simple rules. It is mandatory to put them into practice.
Magic PixelAugust 3, 2012 at 12:20 am
These are really good points. I have been a bit worried because of some instances of power failure in the last few days. This is something that’s been on my mind. My UPS battery needs to be replaced and I haven’t got around to doing that.
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omgomgomgAugust 13, 2012 at 4:43 am
Dropbox has been a lifesaver for me as a freelancer. It is very easy to use, can be accessed anywhere quickly. I make sure that I save all of my work files onto my hard drive, external hard drive and to drop box so I can be 100% sure I will have a good copy of my work next time I turn on my computer.
toughtrasherAugust 23, 2012 at 3:25 am
Hmm, things like professional images, important text files, and all the projects for the particular employer are saved on Dropbox for me, along with 1-2 different flash drives each time I do work for someone.
I absolutely hate redoing work I’ve already begun but not finished, so it’s a must for me to safeguard it and back it up in case something goes wrong.
KennyKSeptember 13, 2012 at 1:53 am
I mostly back up my files on an external hard drive. In fact I have two, one that I always connect to my laptop, and the other one is basically a second copy of my important files. I don’t connect it often so there’s less chance that something will happen with the date there after a virus, etc.
I also make backups online and regularly burn files on disks.
As a freelancer, you can’t protect yourself enough. Losing important files can have a big impact, including on your reputation.