January 12, 2026
Right now, millions are embracing Dry January—cutting out alcohol to boost their health, enhance productivity, and finally stop delaying positive change.
Your business has its own Dry January list, composed of risky tech habits that drag efficiency down.
These tech patterns are well-known to be harmful, yet they persist because "it's easier" or "we're too busy."
Until they cause serious problems.
Here are six harmful tech habits to eliminate immediately—and smart alternatives to replace them.
1. Postponing Software Updates by Clicking "Remind Me Later"
This innocuous button has jeopardized more small businesses than any cyberattack.
We understand the reluctance to reboot mid-day, but updates do more than add features—they patch security holes actively targeted by hackers.
Delaying updates from days to months leaves you vulnerable to exploits like the infamous WannaCry ransomware, which crippled companies globally by exploiting a flaw patched weeks earlier.
The fallout? Billions lost as operations halted across 150+ countries.
How to break this habit: Schedule updates during off-hours or let your IT team handle them silently in the background—no disruptions, no vulnerabilities.
2. Reusing the Same Password Everywhere
Using one "strong enough" password across multiple accounts—email, banking, shopping sites—creates a huge security risk.
With frequent data breaches, hackers often buy leaked credentials from forgotten platforms and try them across all your accounts, exploiting this exact weakness.
This tactic, called credential stuffing, causes countless account takeovers.
How to fix it: Use a trusted password manager like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden. You only memorize one master password while the tool generates complex, unique passwords for every login.
3. Sharing Passwords via Texts or Emails
Sharing passwords over Slack, SMS, or email may solve immediate access issues—but those messages linger indefinitely and are searchable, forwarding the risk everywhere.
If any account is compromised, hackers can easily find shared credentials and escalate access.
Safer solution: Use password manager sharing features that grant access without revealing the actual password. If necessary, split passwords across channels and change them promptly after sharing.
4. Granting Everyone Admin Rights Out of Convenience
It's tempting to make team members admins to quickly solve access issues, but this dramatically increases risk.
Admins can install software, disable security controls, and delete critical data. If their credentials are compromised, attackers gain complete control.
Better practice: Apply the principle of least privilege—give users only the permissions they need. This small step prevents costly breaches and accidental damage.
5. Letting "Temporary" Workarounds Become Permanent
Workarounds often stick around long after they were meant to be temporary, creating inefficiencies and fragile processes dependent on specific people or versions.
These hidden inefficiencies pile up in lost time and pose risks when changes inevitably break the system.
Take action: Identify all ongoing workarounds in your team. Instead of patching yourself, let experts help implement lasting solutions that save time and reduce frustration.
6. Relying On a Single Sprawling Spreadsheet to Manage Critical Operations
That one giant spreadsheet with countless tabs and complex formulas, understood by only a few—and whose creator has left—is a ticking disaster.
If lost or corrupted, or if those few experts leave, your business processes grind to a halt.
Upgrade now: Document the business functions your spreadsheet supports, then transition to purpose-built software—CRMs for customers, inventory tools for stock, etc.—which offer backups, audit trails, and scalable security.
Why Bad Tech Habits Persist
It's not lack of knowledge; it's a matter of busyness and invisible consequences until disaster strikes.
- Risks seem distant until a breach suddenly happens.
- Proper practices appear slower at first, masking their long-term value.
- Widespread risky habits feel normal, obscuring their dangers.
This is exactly why Dry January works—it creates awareness and breaks autopilot routines.
How Businesses Truly Break These Habits Without Pure Willpower
Successful companies redesign their environments to make secure, efficient choices the easiest options:
- Company-wide password managers remove insecure sharing.
- Automated updates prevent postponement.
- Centralized permission controls restrict admin rights appropriately.
- Real solutions replace fragile workarounds.
- Critical data migrates from spreadsheets to robust systems.
Turn good habits into the easy choice while making poor ones harder.
This is the hallmark of an effective IT partner: transforming your systems to embed security and efficiency seamlessly in daily workflows.
Ready to Eliminate Tech Habits Slowing Your Business Down?
Schedule a Bad Habit Audit today.
In just 15 minutes, we'll uncover your business's challenges and provide a tailored roadmap to fix problems once and for all.
No judgment. No tech jargon. Just a sharper, safer, more profitable 2026 awaits.
Click here or give us a call at 952-941-7333 to schedule your Consult.
Because some habits are worth quitting cold turkey—and there's no better time than January.
