January 12, 2026
Right now, millions are embracing Dry January, choosing to ditch alcohol for a healthier, more productive lifestyle rather than delaying change.
Your business has its own version of Dry January—composed of risky tech habits instead of cocktails.
You recognize these practices; they27re well-known to be inefficient or dangerous. Yet, they persist under excuses like "it27s fine" or "we27re too busy."
Until one day, they aren27t fine anymore.
Here are six harmful technology habits your business should eliminate immediately, along with smarter alternatives to adopt.
Habit #1: Postponing Software Updates by Clicking "Remind Me Later"
That seemingly harmless button has caused more damage to small businesses than any cyberattack.
We understand—nobody wants unexpected restarts during work. But behind those updates lie vital security patches closing doors hackers eagerly exploit.
Delaying updates from days into weeks, then months means running vulnerable software that criminals already know how to breach.
For instance, the infamous WannaCry ransomware attack overwhelmed businesses worldwide by exploiting a vulnerability Microsoft patched months earlier—patches victims ignored by postponing updates.
The fallout? Billions lost as operations stalled across 150+ countries.
Fix it now: Schedule updates during off-hours or allow your IT provider to apply them discreetly in the background—ensuring smooth, secure, and interruption-free improvements.
Habit #2: Using a Single Password Across Multiple Accounts
Many rely on one "strong" password that meets minimal requirements and stays easy to recall—from email to bank accounts to random websites.
Here27s the danger: data breaches occur constantly, and leaked credentials from one site can unlock multiple services through credential stuffing attacks.
Hackers don27t need to guess your banking password—they got it already and try it everywhere until a door opens.
Stop the risk: Adopt a reliable password manager like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden. Remember just one master password, while it safely creates and stores unique, complex passwords for every login. Setup only takes minutes, but the security payoff lasts forever.
Habit #3: Sharing Passwords via Unsecure Channels Like Email or Text
"Can you send me the shared account login?"—"Sure! Username is admin@company.com and password is Summer2024!"—Sent quickly over Slack, text, or email.
But these messages remain retrievable indefinitely—in inboxes, sent folders, cloud backups, and are easily searchable.
One compromised email account means attackers harvesting every shared password ever sent, like mailing your house key around openly.
Secure your sharing: Use password managers that offer encrypted sharing features where recipients gain access without ever seeing the password itself. Access can be revoked any time, eliminating permanent exposure. If manual sharing is unavoidable, split credentials across channels and immediately update passwords afterward.
Habit #4: Assigning Admin Rights to Everyone for Convenience
For quick fixes—like installing software or changing settings—it27s tempting to grant full admin privileges instead of configuring precise permissions.
Now, half of your team might have unrestricted access, able to disable security tools, delete files, or alter systems critically.
If an attacker steals admin credentials, they gain full control—making ransomware infections far more destructive and rapid.
Control access wisely: Enforce the principle of least privilege: employees get only the permissions necessary for their role. Although setup requires extra effort, it protects against costly breaches and inadvertent data loss.
Habit #5: Letting Temporary Workarounds Become Permanent Processes
A quick fix implemented years ago has now become routine, despite being inefficient or reliant on specific people remembering the trick.
While it gets the job done, these workarounds gradually erode productivity and create fragile systems prone to failure amidst changes.
Make lasting improvements: Compile a list of these temporary solutions but don27t try to fix them alone. Let experts step in and replace them with robust, streamlined workflows that save time and remove frustration.
Habit #6: Relying on One Complex Spreadsheet to Run Your Entire Business
That behemoth Excel file with countless tabs and intricate formulas known to only a handful of employees is a disaster waiting to happen.
What if it gets corrupted? What if the creator leaves and no one else understands it? This creates a single point of failure cloaked as a miracle solution.
Spreadsheets lack audit trails, don27t scale well, rarely integrate, and often aren27t properly backed up.
Modernize your tools: Document the business processes the spreadsheet supports, then move to specialized software like CRM for customer management, inventory systems for stock, and scheduling apps for planning. These come with backups, permission controls, and collaborative features—reducing risk and increasing efficiency.
Why Is Quitting These Tech Habits So Challenging?
It27s not ignorance; you already understand these habits are risky. The true barrier is simply being overwhelmed and busy.
- Consequences remain hidden until disaster strikes—reused passwords work fine until they don27t, and then damage hits all at once.
- The right solutions seem slower upfront; setting up a password manager or managing permissions takes time, but saves immense hassles later.
- Widespread acceptance normalizes risky practices. When everyone shares passwords casually, it feels safe—even though it27s not.
This is exactly why Dry January succeeds: it creates awareness, breaks autopilot habits, and makes invisible risks visible.
How to Break Bad Tech Habits Without Relying on Willpower
Willpower alone won27t end Dry January—or poor tech habits. Changing the environment does.
Successful businesses eliminate temptation and obstacles by redesigning their systems:
- Implement company-wide password managers, removing insecure sharing options.
- Enable automatic software updates, eliminating "remind me later" procrastination.
- Manage user permissions centrally to prevent indiscriminate admin access.
- Replace workarounds with reliable, documented processes that don27t rely on tribal knowledge.
- Migrate critical data from fragile spreadsheets to specialized platforms with backups and access control.
When the environment supports the right behavior, good habits become effortless and bad ones too difficult to maintain.
Ready to Eliminate the Tech Habits Undermining Your Business?
Schedule a Bad Habit Audit with us.
In just 15 minutes, we27ll explore your unique challenges and provide a clear roadmap to lasting improvements.
Expect straightforward advice—no judgment and no jargon—just a path to a safer, faster, and more profitable 2026.
Click here or give us a call at 614-889-6555 to book your Consult.
Because some habits demand quitting cold turkey—and January is the perfect time to start.
