Last year, we all did quite a bit of adjusting to new work scenarios and tech habits such as adapting to remote work and, consequently, new platforms to connect with clients and team members. We have been through the ringer in the last year, thus making this New Year calendar date a welcome reminder that this coming year can, and will, be better than the last. As we usher in the New Year, it is a good idea to take a look back at some of the tech habits we may have acquired over the year that may not be the best or the safest for our devices. Here are five habits that we would like to encourage our readers to reconsider or break in the coming year.
Stop Putting Off New Software Updates
The notifications pop up at regular intervals and you know you should just take the time to install the new updates. However, for many people who are on their devices all day, there just doesn’t ever seem to be a right time to do it. With that attitude, there really is no right time. In the interest of security and efficiency, you should install that new software in a timely manner in the coming year.
Stop Saving to Your Desktop
Sure, it's easy to do and even easier to find when conducting a search, but we should all stop this habit. Saving directly to your desktop limits your ability to access files from other devices or locations thus hindering collaboration time with the rest of your team.
Stop Eating In Front of Your Computer
Not only is eating your lunch, a snack, and having your coffee break at your desk bad for your overall mental state, it could also be a hazard for your hardware. Many a keyboard has been lost to spilled coffee or drips from a meal. In addition to being a potential death knell for your keyboard, laptop, or other device if a spill or disaster happens over it, it is not great for your mental state to work through times when you should be social. Taking a break from your work can actually increase your efficiency and productivity when you return to work. A short time to fuel up at lunch or during a mid afternoon snack can be all you need to get back into gear and grind out the work at a higher productivity level. Plus, we all need time to connect with other humans and a lunch or coffee break can be just the chance to do that.
Stop Using the Same Password for Everything
While it may be easier to remember one password rather than an endless list of strange number and character strings, it’s not safe to use the same one for everything. Password Managers such as 1Password or LastPass can be a digital lifesaver.
Stop Avoiding Back Ups
Just like we like to put off new software updates, some businesses put off backing up data or do not have a strong data backup protocol. If your business were to have a disaster that caused data loss how would you recover? Would you suffer massive downtime, lose clients, and ruin your good reputation? Conduct regular backups and save yourself the headache when a worst case scenario occurs.This new year holds lots of hope and promise. If you are making personal resolutions, maybe make a few of these resolutions about your tech habits while you are at it. Happy New Year from Spectra Networks!
