The start of a new year with a fresh slate of blank calendar pages is a natural time to consider making changes in your life. Common themes are focusing on improving our health or simplifying some aspect of our life. Consider using the beginning of 2025 as an opportunity to simplify and secure your digital life. Below are a few suggestions for tuning up your tech in the new year.
Update your passwords
If you’ve been using the same password for a while, it’s time to change it up. Your passwords should be unique, hard to guess, at least eight characters long, and should include a blend of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters. Employ a password manager to help generate and store your secure passwords. For extra security, consider enabling multi-factor authentication for any particularly sensitive accounts.
Declutter email
If your email inbox is overflowing, you’re not alone. According to Venngage, the average adult receives 121 emails a day. This number could be considerably higher for educators.
Taking some time to purge your old emails can be satisfying. Depending on your schedule and personal preference, you can choose to tackle your inbox in large chunks of time or just do a little bit every day. Some people find it easier to sort their inbox by sender when deleting emails, rather than by the date the emails were received.
As you’re cleaning out your inbox, you might also consider unsubscribing to any email lists you’re no longer interested in so that your inbox stays manageable.
Clear out old apps
Take a few minutes to sort through the apps you have on your devices. Chances are that you’ll find apps you no longer use collecting digital dust. Deleting those unused apps frees up storage while also cutting down on visual clutter.
Create a "maybe" folder
If decision-making slows down your tech clean-up process, consider creating a "maybe" folder for apps and documents you don’t use regularly but aren’t quite ready to delete. Set a calendar alert to remind you to go through your maybe file again in the spring.
Backup your data
Have you backed up your data lately? It’s easy to overlook this crucial part of technology management, but anyone who’s ever lost an important file or drive can tell you how important this step is. The 3-2-1 backup process is often hailed as a best-practice in making sure your data can survive anything from a severe weather event to a ransomware attack. This process suggests you:
Make three copies of your data
Store copies of your data on two different devices
Store at least one copy of your data offsite, for instance on the cloud
Starting the new year off by taking these small steps to simplify and protect your tech might not be a flashy resolution, but it’s one that you’re likely to reap the benefits of on a daily basis. We’re wishing you a happy, simple and secure 2025!