January 11, 2026
Right now, millions are embracing Dry January, intentionally stepping away from alcohol to boost their health, enhance productivity, and ditch empty promises like "I'll start Monday."
Your business has its own version of Dry January—a list filled with outdated tech habits instead of cocktails.
Everyone recognizes these practices are risky or inefficient, yet they persist because "it's fine" and "we're busy."
Until suddenly, it isn't.
Here are six harmful tech habits to cut out completely this month — along with smarter alternatives.
Habit #1: Postponing Software Updates with "Remind Me Later"
This small delay button has inflicted more damage on small businesses than many cyberattacks combined.
We understand the reluctance to interrupt your day, but updates don't just add features—they patch critical security flaws actively targeted by hackers.
One "later" turns into weeks, then months, leaving you vulnerable to attacks exploiting known weaknesses.
Take the WannaCry ransomware crisis: it devastated companies globally by exploiting a security hole Microsoft had already fixed months prior—yet victims repeatedly clicked "remind me later."
The fallout was staggering—billions lost across 150+ countries as operations came to a standstill.
Action step: Plan updates for the end of the workday or allow your IT team to apply them silently in the background, ensuring security without disruption.
Habit #2: Using One Password Everywhere
You probably rely on a single "strong" password that meets minimum criteria and is easy to remember, used across email, banking, shopping sites, and even long-forgotten forums.
Unfortunately, data breaches are rampant, and leaked credentials from less-secure sites often end up for sale on hacker marketplaces.
Attackers don't guess—they try these stolen combos across platforms, unlocking your accounts one by one.
This technique, known as credential stuffing, accounts for a massive share of security breaches.
Action step: Adopt a password manager like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden. You only memorize one master password while these tools generate and store complex, unique passwords for every account, boosting your security effortlessly.
Habit #3: Sharing Passwords via Email or Messaging Apps
Sharing login info over Slack, email, or texts might seem quick and effective, but those messages linger forever—in inboxes, backups, and cloud archives—making your passwords widely accessible if any account is compromised.
This practice is like mailing your house keys with a clear address.
Action step: Use built-in password manager sharing features, giving access without exposing the actual password. If you must share manually, split credentials across separate channels and immediately change the password after use.
Habit #4: Granting Everyone Administrative Access for Convenience
Rather than managing granular permissions, it's tempting to just make someone an admin to get things done quickly. Over time, many team members gain full admin rights.
But admin access lets users install software, disable security, and delete data—powers attackers can hijack if credentials are stolen.
Ransomware thrives on admin accounts, escalating damage at lightning speed.
Action step: Follow the principle of least privilege—assign exactly the right access for each role. It takes a bit more upfront effort but sharply reduces risk and helps protect your company's vital information.
Habit #5: Letting Temporary Workarounds Become Permanent
When a problem arises, temporary fixes or workarounds often get put in place with plans to "fix it later"—sometimes years later.
These stopgap solutions often add complexity, slow productivity, and depend on specific people or conditions, making your systems fragile and prone to breaking when updates or staff changes occur.
Action step: Compile a list of all current workarounds your team uses and get professional help to replace them with lasting, robust solutions that remove frustration and boost efficiency.
Habit #6: Relying on a Single Complex Spreadsheet to Run Your Business
That intricate Excel file with endless tabs and formulas is a ticking time bomb. Few understand it fully, and the creator might have left, leaving you vulnerable.
Without proper backups, audit trails, or access controls, this file is a single point of failure disguised as your business's backbone.
Action step: Document what processes that spreadsheet supports, then migrate these functions to specialized software tools designed for customer management, inventory, or scheduling, which provide security, scalability, and continuity.
Why Breaking These Habits Feels Difficult
Most people know these habits are risky, but busyness and invisibility of consequences let them persist.
- Risks remain hidden until a major breach occurs.
- The "right" way demands effort upfront, making shortcuts tempting.
- Widespread poor practices normalize risky behavior.
Just like Dry January raises awareness by interrupting autopilot, it's time to make your tech habits visible and address them.
How to Successfully Ditch Bad Tech Habits (Beyond Willpower)
Willpower alone doesn't sustain change. The environment must be structured to make good choices easier.
Companies successfully overcoming tech pitfalls do so by automating updates, implementing company-wide password managers, centralizing permission controls, replacing workarounds with reliable fixes, and migrating critical processes off fragile spreadsheets.
When the environment makes secure, efficient practices the default, bad habits become the harder choice.
A proactive IT partner helps you transform these systems, shifting from lectures to real change.
Ready to Break the Tech Habits Draining Your Business?
Schedule a Bad Habit Audit today.
In just 15 minutes, we'll explore your unique challenges and provide a clear, jargon-free roadmap to a safer, faster, and more profitable future.
Click here or give us a call at 1300 136 410 to book your 15-Minute Discovery Call.
Some habits are best quit cold turkey. There's no better moment than January to start.
