January 12, 2026
Right now, millions are embracing Dry January.
They're ditching their unhealthy drinking habits to boost their well-being, sharpen focus, and stop delaying positive change with "I'll start Monday."
Your business has its own 'Dry January' list — but instead of cocktails, it's packed with unproductive tech habits.
These are the common risky or inefficient tech practices everyone knows they shouldn't do — yet they keep doing because "it's fine" or "we're busy."
Until suddenly, it isn't fine anymore.
Discover six harmful tech habits to eliminate immediately, and the smarter alternatives to replace them.
Habit #1: Deferring Software Updates by Clicking "Remind Me Later"
This small procrastination button poses a bigger threat to small businesses than hackers themselves.
We understand—you don't want unexpected restarts disrupting your day. But updates don't just add features; they seal security vulnerabilities hackers are eager to exploit.
Postponing updates for weeks or months leaves your systems exposed with known security flaws—and cybercriminals already have the master keys.
Consider the infamous WannaCry ransomware that shattered operations worldwide by exploiting a Windows flaw patched two months earlier—many victims had consistently hit "remind me later."
The fallout? Billions lost across over 150 countries as businesses came to a standstill.
Take Action: Plan updates for end-of-day or enable your IT team to apply them silently in the background. No surprises, no downtime, and no open doors for attackers.
Habit #2: Reusing One Password Across Every Account
We all have a go-to password.
It "meets requirements," feels strong, and is easy to recall. So naturally, you use it everywhere — from email, banking, and shopping sites to old forums.
But breaches happen nonstop. That dormant forum? Its leaked database has put your email-password combo up for sale on hacker black markets.
Hackers don't need to guess your banking password—they already have it, and they're trying it everywhere, looking for entry points.
This attack method, credential stuffing, drives a massive share of account hacks. Your "strong" password is a universal key that others possess.
Take Action: Adopt a password manager like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden. Remember one master password and generate unique, complex passwords for every login. Setup only takes minutes but secures you indefinitely.
Habit #3: Sharing Passwords via Insecure Text or Email
"Can you share the login for the shared account?"
"Sure! admin@company.com, password is Summer2024!"
Sent through Slack, text, or email—quick and easy resolution.
But that message never truly disappears.
It lingers in sent folders, inboxes, cloud backups; searchable and forwardable. Should anyone's email ever get breached, attackers can instantly grab all shared passwords.
Sharing passwords this way is like mailing your house key on a postcard.
Take Action: Use password managers with secure sharing capabilities. Recipients access credentials without ever viewing the password, and access can be revoked anytime. If manual sharing is unavoidable, split the credentials across different channels and reset passwords promptly afterward.
Habit #4: Granting Admin Access to Everyone for Convenience
Someone needed to install software once, or change a setting. Instead of assigning precise permissions, they got admin rights.
Now half your team wields admin access simply because it's quicker than doing it right.
Admin rights allow users to install programs, disable security features, alter critical configurations, and delete vital files. If their login is compromised, hackers get full control.
Ransomware thrives in environments where admin accounts are widespread, enabling rapid and devastating chaos.
Giving everyone admin rights is like handing out safe keys because someone once needed a stapler.
Take Action: Employ the principle of least privilege—give team members only the access necessary to perform their jobs. While setting permissions takes a little extra effort, it's a worthwhile investment compared to the cost of breaches or accidental data loss.
Habit #5: Letting "Temporary" Workarounds Become Permanent
Something broke. You implemented a quick fix. "We'll fix this properly later."
That was years ago, but the workaround became your new normal.
Yes, it adds extra steps and depends on someone remembering the hack, but the job gets done — so why fix it?
However, these extra steps multiply across employees and time, draining productivity.
Worse yet, workarounds rely on specific conditions or individuals. When changes occur—and they always do—the whole process can collapse, leaving no clear fix because the proper solution was never implemented.
Take Action: List your team's workarounds but don't try to fix them solo. Let experienced IT professionals help you replace these fragile processes with robust, efficient solutions that save time and reduce frustration.
Habit #6: Relying on One Complex Spreadsheet to Run Your Business
You know the spreadsheet.
One massive Excel workbook with a dozen tabs, convoluted formulas only a few understand, created by someone who's no longer with the company.
What happens if the file gets corrupted? If the expert quits?
This spreadsheet is your hidden single point of failure disguised as a lifeline.
Spreadsheets lack audit trails for changes, don't integrate with other software, rarely have proper backups, and rely heavily on individual knowledge. You've built critical business functions on an unstable foundation.
Take Action: Document what business processes the spreadsheet supports—not the file itself. Then migrate to specialized tools: CRMs for customer relationships, inventory management software, scheduling platforms. These offer backups, audit histories, access controls, and don't hinge on a single person's expertise. Remember, spreadsheets are excellent tools, but poor platforms for core operations.
Why Are These Habits So Persistent?
Most of these tech shortcuts have been glaringly obvious as bad choices.
It's not ignorance—it's busyness.
Bad habits linger because:
- Consequences feel invisible until disaster strikes suddenly—like password reuse working fine until it doesn't.
- The proper way feels cumbersome at first. Setting up password managers takes time; typing a memorized password seems quicker. But after considering breach costs and reputation damage, the time investment is minimal.
- Widespread team adoption normalizes unsafe habits, making risks invisible and disturbing change harder.
This invisibility and inertia are why Dry January works—it fosters awareness, disrupts autopilot behavior, and clearly reveals hidden harms.
The Secret to Quitting Bad Tech Habits Successfully
Willpower isn't enough—environment drives lasting change.
Just like Dry January, altering the environment around your business technology breaks old habits:
- Company-wide password managers eliminate insecure credential sharing.
- Automatic updates remove the temptation to click "remind me later."
- Centralized permission controls prevent excessive admin rights.
- Effective solutions replace unreliable workarounds.
- Critical spreadsheets are transitioned to dedicated tools with built-in security and backups.
When the right way becomes the easiest way, bad habits lose their foothold.
This is the value of a proactive IT partner—not mere advice, but real system transformations that make good practices the default.
Ready to Break Free from Costly Tech Habits Holding Your Business Back?
Schedule a Bad Habit Audit.
In just 15 minutes, we'll explore your business's unique challenges and provide a clear action plan to eliminate these pitfalls for good.
No blame. No jargon. Just a streamlined, secure, and more profitable 2026.
Click here or give us a call at 408-335-0353 to schedule your Discovery Call.
Because some habits deserve to be quit cold turkey.
And there's no better time than January to start.
