Computers & Technology

4 Mistakes You’re Making With Your Technology

Nowadays, just about everybody has some form of technology or another in their lives. Whether it’s your smartphone, or your computer at work, chances are technology integrates itself into your day in some way or another. 

Yet, as embedded as technology is into our daily lives, many people get it wrong with their tech. This can lead to a lack of efficiency, and even getting hurt on the job. To help you make the most out of technology, here are four mistakes you might be making.

Not Updating

One of the most common mistakes is ignoring that pesky little pop up window that tells you it’s time to update your software. Even though it might not seem necessary, the truth is that these updates usually come with important security updates. 

Failing to update your software could leave you vulnerable to attack by malicious software. So, anytime you see that window popping up that it’s time to update, take a small window of time and make sure it gets done. You may have to stop what you’re doing for a few minutes while the update completes, however, compared to losing all your data, it hardly seems like much of an inconvenience in the big picture.

Choosing Easy Passwords

We live in a day and age where cybercrime is on the rise more than ever before.  People are looking to hack your information in whatever way they can. That’s why it’s incredibly important that you choose strong passwords that are not easy to guess. 

You can forget about choosing consecutive numbers, or the name of your pet. Hackers are smarter than ever, so don’t make yourself a target. You want to use unique passwords for each different account, from your banking to your social media accounts. 

Using the same one all across the board is incredibly foolish since if your password is compromised, that means all of your logins are compromised.  This could be disastrous if someone had access to all of your accounts at once since you couldn’t carry out password recovery.  Consider using a password manager to help you not only create unique passwords but also remember each one.

Not Backing Up Data

Backing up your data is so important! However, many people don’t realize how important it is until the day they realize they didn’t do it. Without backups, you could potentially lose all your important files and precious photos. 

You want to make sure that you backup your data using a cloud service, otherwise consider using an external hard drive. Make sure that you regularly backup your data by setting up a reminder for yourself. You may even want to set up automatic updates which can make your life even easier.

Not Choosing The Right Privacy Settings

Privacy settings are so important for protecting your personal information. Many people don’t even get to know these settings, and leave them on default. Unfortunately, this could be exposing your sensitive information in ways that aren’t in your best interest. Get proactive and informed about privacy settings, and you can protect your data and personal identity.