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Feeling inspired at the start of a new year? If you're ready to make positive change in your life, check out this list of tech resolutions. With a mixture of lifestyle changes and cyber security pointers, this list has your back in the new year.
1. Use your tech less
With phones that can follow us anywhere and tablets that connect with smart home hubs, it's totally normal to spend a day constantly interacting with tech and watching the screen. As much as tech has simplified our lives, it complicates it, too. All that time devoted to the screen can leave us feeling burnt out.
With your tech beside you at all times, you're constantly "on call" and expected to respond to every text, mention, and email as they happen. Not to mention the fact that #fomo is a very real thing. Constantly checking your social media feeds and comparing yourself to influencers can leave you feeling blue. It's no wonder cutting screen time is a popular resolution this year.
If you're ready to take a time out from tech, the latest iOS has built-in screen time and app limit features to help you reduce how much you use your tech. You can enable them to assist you when you cut the cord.
2. Retool your passwords
A password protects everything, from your Instagram and Spotify accounts to your mobile wallet and banking app. And if you're like most people, "a" password is correct; you're using the same one for every profile you have.
While this is certainly easier than remembering several distinct passwords, it's a risky business. The effectiveness of a password diminishes each time it's reused, making it easier to hack all your accounts.
Luckily, making a good password is easier. Security experts suggest the following:
- Nothing based on names, places, or dates easily guessed
- A mixture of upper and lowercase letters
- At least one number and special character each
- A password that's eight characters or more long
If you're finding it a challenge to remember passwords that follow these guidelines, you can use a password manager to remember them for you. Then you only have to remember the single login for this service rather than having to memorize all of your secure passwords for each profile.
3. Protect your stuff
The holidays are a wonderful time when your loved ones spoil you with things like a new iPad Pro or iPhone XS. If, by the new year, these devices are already showing considerable wear and tear, setting an intention to treat your stuff better should be a priority in 2019. It helps keep your devices looking new and working well for as long as possible.
Protecting your devices is easy when you use a skin. It's the perfect balance between a cool decal and a durable case, so you aren't stuck choosing between protection or personalization.
An iPad skin is sturdier than a flimsy decal, but it won't add bulk like the typical case. Companies like dbrand use authentic 3M vinyl in all their Mac, iPhone, and iPad skins, so they can keep their designs as slim as possible - even on the Pencil 2.
This material also means you can access exclusive textures you can't find anywhere else. You can check out these awesome new iPad skins to see how you can customize your tech while protecting it from scratches, grime, and spills.
4. Unsave your information
Anyone who uses Instagram often will notice companies and influencers are starting to tag featured clothing or products in their posts. Tap these tags, and it will launch the site. Tap a few more times, and you can checkout with these items in your cart.
This is handy if you regularly get styling tips from people on Insta, but it can be bad news for your bank account. If spending from your iPad was too easy in 2018, you may need a little help discouraging you from shopping online.
Forgetting any saved credit card details and login credentials adds a deterrent to your next purchase. Because, let's be honest - you're less likely to follow through with the sale if you have to log into your profile and find your credit card, too.
Stick to it, and this time next year, you could have more money sitting in your bank account. Stick with the other resolutions, and you'll have a healthier relationship with your tech. And isn't that all anyone can ask for in an age when we rely on tech constantly throughout the day? So good luck. But you won't need it, right? These are simple solutions you're ready and capable to take on!
