January 12, 2026
Right now, millions are embracing Dry January by giving up alcohol to boost their health, productivity, and motivation, rather than putting off change with empty promises like "I'll start Monday."
Your company likely has its own version of Dry January - a list of harmful tech habits that slow you down and expose your business to risk.
These are habits everyone knows to be inefficient or unsafe, yet we cling to them because "it's manageable" or "we're too busy."
Until one day, it all unravels.
Here are six damaging tech habits you must break immediately - and powerful alternatives to adopt instead.
Habit #1: Postponing Software Updates with "Remind Me Later"
That seemingly harmless button has jeopardized far more small businesses than any hacker attack.
We understand that unexpected restarts disrupt workflow, but updates do more than add features - they fix critical security holes hackers eagerly exploit.
Delaying updates turns into weeks, then months, leaving your software vulnerable and criminals with open access.
Remember the WannaCry ransomware outbreak? It devastated companies globally by exploiting a vulnerability patched two months prior - yet victims repeatedly hit "remind me later."
The outcome? Billions lost and operations halted in over 150 countries.
Take action now: Plan updates at day's end or trust your IT team to install them quietly in the background. Avoid disruptions and keep cyber threats locked out.
Habit #2: Using One Password Across All Accounts
We get it - you have a go-to password that feels strong and easy to remember, and you use it everywhere: email, banking, shopping, and even forgotten forums.
But data breaches occur daily. That dormant forum you joined years ago? Its hacked database now exposes your credentials to hackers who use them to access your other accounts.
This cybercrime, known as credential stuffing, is responsible for countless breaches, turning your supposedly strong password into a master key in the wrong hands.
Make a change: Adopt a trusted password manager like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden. Remember only one master password while the tool creates and secures unique, complex passwords everywhere else. Setup takes minutes; peace of mind lasts forever.
Habit #3: Sharing Passwords via Email or Messaging Apps
"Can you send me the login for our shared account?"
"Sure—username: admin@company.com, password: Summer2024!"
Sent instantly through Slack, text, or email. Problem solved, right?
Wrong—these messages linger permanently in inboxes, folders, cloud backups, all fully searchable and vulnerable.
If anyone's email is compromised, hackers quickly gather all shared passwords, turning your business's security into a sieve.
Quit this risky habit: Use secure password managers that enable encrypted sharing, granting access without ever revealing the actual password. Permissions can be revoked instantly. If you must share manually, split credentials across different channels and change passwords immediately afterward.
Habit #4: Granting Everyone Admin Rights for Convenience
Maybe someone needed to install software or change a setting once, so instead of assigning the right permission, you made them an admin.
Now many team members have full admin privileges simply because it was easier than setting correct access.
Admin access lets users install programs, disable security, alter critical settings, and delete files. If credentials are stolen, attackers gain this power, too.
Ransomware attacks thrive on such comprehensive access—more permissions mean quicker, more severe damage.
Don't do it: Follow the principle of least privilege—assign only necessary access rights. It might take minutes longer to configure, but it saves you from costly breaches and accidental disasters.
Habit #5: Allowing Temporary Workarounds to Become the Norm
Something broke, so you created a workaround promising, "We'll fix it later." That was years ago.
Now the workaround is the standard process, even if it adds steps and confusion.
These makeshift fixes slowly drain productivity and make your systems fragile, reliant on specific people or conditions.
When change inevitably breaks these workarounds, nobody remembers how to fix them properly.
Here's your next step: List all workaround methods your team uses. Don't try to patch them alone—let experts help you replace them with efficient, reliable solutions that save time and frustration.
Habit #6: Relying on a Complex Spreadsheet to Run Your Business
You know the infamous file—one Excel sheet with endless tabs, convoluted formulas, and only a few people understanding how it works, one of whom has left.
If it corrupts or the knowledgeable team member departs, how do you recover?
This spreadsheet is a single point of failure masquerading as your lifeline.
Spreadsheets lack audit trails, proper backups, scalability, and integration - essential features for critical systems.
Improve your system: Document the business processes supported by the spreadsheet, then transition to professional tools designed for those needs—CRMs, inventory management, scheduling platforms—offering greater security, collaboration, and reliability.
Why Breaking These Habits Is Tough
You likely already know these habits are harmful.
The real challenge? You're simply too busy.
- Consequences often feel invisible until disaster strikes—reusing passwords feels harmless until accounts are hacked en masse.
- The "right way" seems slower initially—setting up a password manager may take hours, but using the same password takes seconds. Yet, the cost of a breach dwarfs that time.
- Widespread bad practices create false security—when everyone shares passwords casually, it feels normal, masking the risk.
This is exactly why Dry January works: it forces awareness, disrupting autopilot behavior by making hidden dangers visible.
How to Break Bad Tech Habits Without Relying on Willpower
Just like Dry January, success doesn't come from discipline alone—it comes from shaping your environment.
Businesses that successfully quit bad tech habits do so by making the secure, efficient choice the easiest one:
- Deploy password managers company-wide to eliminate insecure credential sharing.
- Automate updates so "remind me later" disappears.
- Centralize permission management to avoid over-granting admin rights.
- Replace fragile workarounds with engineered, reliable solutions.
- Transition critical spreadsheets to dedicated, backed-up platforms with clear audit trails and access controls.
When the right habits become the path of least resistance, bad habits naturally fall away.
This is the value of a trusted IT partner—not preaching, but transforming your systems so secure, efficient choices become your default.
Ready to Break Free from Tech Habits Undermining Your Business?
Schedule a Bad Habit Audit today.
In just 15 minutes, we'll dive into your unique challenges and provide a clear, actionable plan to resolve them for good.
No judgment, no jargon—just a safer, faster, and more profitable 2026 ahead.
Click here or give us a call at 720-449-3379 to schedule your 15-Minute Discovery Call.
Some habits deserve a cold turkey break, and January is the perfect moment to begin.
