January 12, 2026
Right now, millions worldwide are embracing Dry January.
They're ditching alcohol to boost their well-being, enhance productivity, and finally stop the endless cycle of "I'll start Monday."
Your business has its own version of Dry January — a list of tech habits that are dragging you down instead of cocktails.
These are the risky, inefficient routines everyone knows about but keeps excusing with "it's fine" or "we're too busy."
Until they catch you off guard.
Here are six destructive tech habits you should eliminate immediately — and smart alternatives to replace them with.
Habit #1: Postponing Vital Software Updates
That tempting "Remind Me Later" button has caused far more harm to small businesses than any hacker ever could.
We understand—no one wants unexpected restarts disrupting the workday. But updates don't just add features; they seal security gaps hackers are actively probing.
Delaying updates from days to weeks, and then months, leaves your software vulnerable — criminals have the master keys.
Remember the WannaCry ransomware crisis? It devastated companies globally by exploiting a vulnerability Microsoft had patched two months earlier. Each victim had repeatedly clicked "remind me later".
The fallout was catastrophic: businesses in over 150 countries lost billions as operations ground to a halt.
Stop hesitating: Schedule updates for the end of your workday or have your IT team automate them in the background. This way, you avoid disruptive restarts and close doors that attackers could exploit.
Habit #2: Using One Password Everywhere
Everyone has that go-to password.
It "meets the rules," feels secure, is easy to recall, and you apply it across email, banking, shopping, software, even old forums you joined years ago.
The risk? Data breaches are constant. That forgotten forum's database was leaked last year, and your login details are now being sold on the dark web.
Hackers don't guess passwords—they try known combinations everywhere, including your bank.
This is credential stuffing, driving a large portion of account hacks. Your "strong" password acts like a universal key copied without your knowledge.
How to fix it: Adopt a password manager — LastPass, 1Password, Bitwarden—choose one. You only memorize one master password while it creates complex, unique passwords for every account. Setup takes minutes, peace of mind lasts forever.
Habit #3: Sharing Passwords via Text or Email
"Hey, can you send me the shared account login?"
"Sure! Username: admin@company.com, password: Summer2024!"
Whether on Slack, SMS, or email, it seems like a quick fix.
But those messages linger forever — in sent folders, inboxes, cloud backups, and are searchable or forwardable. Should any email account be compromised, hackers can easily extract all shared passwords.
It's like mailing your house keys on a postcard.
Quit risky sharing: Use password managers with secure sharing features. Recipients get access without ever seeing the password. Access can be revoked anytime, leaving no permanent digital traces. If you must share manually, split credentials across channels and immediately reset the password afterward.
Habit #4: Granting Everyone Admin Rights for Convenience
One person needed to install software or tweak settings, so instead of tailoring permissions, you promoted them to admin.
Now, half your team has unrestricted admin privileges because it was quicker.
Admin rights allow users to install/uninstall software, disable security tools, change key configurations, or delete crucial files. If those credentials are compromised, an attacker gains full control.
Ransomware attacks thrive on admin accounts—more access equals greater and quicker damage.
Giving everyone admin access is like handing out safe keys because one person needed a stapler.
Change your approach: Enforce the principle of least privilege—grant access strictly based on need. Setting correct permissions takes a bit more effort upfront but saves you from costly breaches and accidental mishaps later.
Habit #5: Letting Temporary Workarounds Become Permanent
Something broke, so a quick fix was applied with the promise of a proper repair later.
That was years ago.
Now, the workaround is standard operating procedure.
Sure, it takes extra steps and relies on tribal knowledge, but the job gets done, so why change it?
The hidden cost? Accumulated lost productivity multiplied across your staff and days.
More importantly, these fragile fixes break down whenever systems change. Without documented solutions, you're stuck with tech troubles that no one fully understands.
Fix for good: List current workarounds. Don't try to fix them yourself; instead, rely on experts to replace these stopgap solutions with robust, efficient systems—eliminating frustration and saving time.
Habit #6: Relying on a Single Complex Spreadsheet to Run Your Business
It's that infamous Excel file.
Twelve tangled tabs, countless obscure formulas, understood by only a handful—and the creator has long left.
What's the backup plan if it gets corrupted? Or if the expert leaves?
This spreadsheet is a ticking time bomb disguising itself as a solution.
It lacks audit trails, scale, secure backups, and integration. Accidentally deleting a row can cause untraceable damage. Building a critical system on a fragile spreadsheet is risky.
Better alternative: Document what the spreadsheet actually supports in your business workflow—not just the file. Then migrate to dedicated tools for CRM, inventory, scheduling, etc. These platforms offer backups, permission controls, and shared knowledge beyond any single person. Spreadsheets should be your tools, not your entire platform.
Why Breaking These Habits Is Tough
You know these tech habits are problematic.
But being informed isn't enough—being busy is the real reason.
Tech slip-ups persist because:
- Negative consequences only appear when disaster strikes. A password reused across accounts works flawlessly until it doesn't — then the fallout is shocking.
- The "correct" approach feels slower right now. Setting up a password manager might take hours, but typing a remembered password takes seconds. This seems simple until you weigh the catastrophic cost of breaches and loss of trust.
- When everyone on the team shares bad practices like insecure password sharing, it feels normal, hiding the risk.
This is exactly why Dry January succeeds for some—it disrupts autopilot, making invisible risks visible.
How to Quit Without Depending on Willpower Alone
Willpower isn't enough for Dry January or breaking tech habits.
Changing your environment is key.
Successful companies don't rely on discipline alone—they design systems that make the right choices effortless:
- Company-wide password manager deployment removes insecure sharing as an option.
- Automatic update pushes eliminate procrastination.
- Centralized permission management prevents indiscriminate admin rights.
- Workarounds are replaced with sustainable, documented solutions.
- Critical spreadsheets transition to purpose-built systems with proper controls.
When good habits are the default, bad habits become too difficult to maintain.
This is precisely what a committed IT partner does—not lecture, but transform your systems so that the best practices come naturally.
Ready to Break Free from Tech Habits Damaging Your Business?
Schedule a Bad Habit Audit today.
In just 15 minutes, we'll dive into your current tech challenges and provide a clear, actionable roadmap to fix them once and for all.
No pressure. No confusing tech jargon. Just a safer, faster, more profitable 2026.
Some habits deserve a cold turkey approach.
There's no better time than January to start.
