January 12, 2026
Right now, millions are embracing Dry January, choosing to ditch alcohol to boost their health, productivity, and stop postponing change with "I'll start Monday."
Your business has a similar "Dry January" challenge — but with tech habits instead of drinks.
These are the risky, inefficient tech routines everyone knows could be harmful, yet continues out of convenience or busyness.
Until suddenly, it isn't just "fine" anymore.
Here are six critical tech habits to ditch immediately — and smarter alternatives to adopt.
Habit #1: Postponing Software Updates with "Remind Me Later"
This simple click has caused more damage than cybercriminals to countless small businesses.
We understand—no one wants device restarts during work. But updates don't only install features; they seal security gaps hackers are actively targeting.
Ignoring updates turns into weeks, then months of exposure to threats criminals already know how to exploit.
Take the WannaCry ransomware attack: it devastated global businesses by exploiting a vulnerability patched months earlier — a vulnerability ignored because "Remind me later" was clicked repeatedly.
The aftermath? Billions lost and operations halted in over 150 countries.
Break the habit: Schedule updates for the end of your workday or have your IT team automate background installs. This avoids disruptions and keeps your systems secure without surprises or opportunities for attacks.
Habit #2: Using a Single Password Across Multiple Accounts
That password you love? It meets requirements, feels strong, and you use it everywhere—email, banking, shopping, and random forums.
The risk: Data breaches happen all the time. That old forum's leaked database means your credentials may be sold to hackers who try them everywhere.
They don't have to guess your bank password; they already have it and test it widely.
This technique, called credential stuffing, fuels a huge number of account breaches, turning your "strong" password into a master key in the wrong hands.
Break the habit: Use a password manager like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden. Remember one master password, and let the tool generate and securely store unique, complex passwords for every account. Set-up takes minutes; peace of mind lasts indefinitely.
Habit #3: Sharing Passwords via Text, Email, or Chat
Asking for and sending passwords through Slack, email, or SMS is convenient but dangerous.
That message lives forever—in sent folders, inboxes, cloud backups—ready for hackers to find if any account is compromised.
It's like mailing your house key on a postcard.
Break the habit: Use password managers' secure sharing features so recipients get access without ever seeing the password. You can revoke access anytime, leaving no permanent traces. If you must share manually, split credentials across channels and change passwords immediately after.
Habit #4: Granting Admin Rights to Everyone for Convenience
Often, someone needs to install software or change settings, so you make them an admin instead of assigning precise permissions.
Now many team members have full access, able to disable security tools, install programs, or delete critical files — and a compromised credentials means hackers get these powers too.
Ransomware thrives on this. More access results in faster, worse damage.
Giving everyone admin rights is like handing out safe keys because one person needed a stapler.
Break the habit: Apply the principle of least privilege: Assign only the permissions necessary for their role. It might take a little longer to set up, but it safeguards your business against costly breaches or accidental data loss.
Habit #5: Letting Temporary Fixes Become Permanent
A problem arises, you put in a quick fix with a promise to fix it "properly later." Years pass, and that workaround becomes the norm.
Although inconvenient, it still works, so why change it?
But these workarounds cause lost productivity and fragile processes that break when conditions or staff change.
Break the habit: List out all the workarounds your team uses. Don't try to fix them yourself. Instead, let us help you streamline these processes efficiently, eliminating frustration and saving valuable time.
Habit #6: Relying on One Complex Spreadsheet to Run Your Business
That multi-tab Excel file with complicated formulas, known by only a few employees, one of whom has left.
If it gets corrupted or the expert departs, what's the backup plan?
This spreadsheet is a risky single point of failure.
Spreadsheets lack audit trails, scale poorly, don't integrate well, and aren't always properly backed up. Building critical operations on them is like using duct tape.
Break the habit: Document the business functions your spreadsheet supports, then migrate to specialized tools—CRM for customer management, inventory software, scheduling apps—with backups, permissions, and audit trails to protect your data and processes.
Why Breaking These Habits Is So Challenging
You're not unaware; you're busy.
These bad habits persist because:
- Problems remain hidden until disaster strikes. Password reuse feels safe until breach day arrives.
- The right way seems slower initially, like setting up password managers vs. quickly typing a memorized password.
- Everyone else does it, making risky behavior feel normal and invisible.
Dry January works by making us aware, breaking autopilot, revealing the unseen.
How to Successfully Break Habits Without Relying on Willpower
Willpower alone doesn't win; changing your environment does.
Businesses that break bad tech routines redesign systems so the secure choice is the easy choice:
- Company-wide password managers remove the option for unsafe credential sharing.
- Automatic updates eliminate "remind me later" delays.
- Centralized permission controls prevent unnecessary admin rights.
- Effective solutions replace fragile workarounds.
- Critical data migrates from spreadsheets to robust systems with backups and access management.
Making the right behavior the default means bad habits become harder to maintain.
This is what a dedicated IT partner delivers: not lectures, but systems that shape secure, productive habits effortlessly.
Your Next Step: Say Goodbye to Tech Habits Holding Your Business Back
Schedule a Bad Habit Audit with us.
In just 15 minutes, we'll learn about your business challenges and provide a clear roadmap to resolve them for good.
No jargon. No judgment. Just a smoother, safer, more profitable year ahead.
Click here or give us a call at 314-993-5528 to book your 10-Minute Discovery Call.
Some habits deserve a cold turkey break — and January is the perfect moment to begin.
