
Dry January for Your Business: 6 Tech Habits to Quit Cold Turkey

Start the new year by eliminating these six bad technology habits from your business before they quietly cost you even more.
Just like a personal Dry January reset, your business technology habits could use a clean break from a few patterns that quietly accumulate cost and risk over time.
1. Reusing the Same Passwords Across Systems
Password reuse is still one of the most common causes of account compromise. A password manager makes quitting this habit painless.
2. Ignoring Software Update Notifications
That "remind me later" click, repeated for months, leaves known vulnerabilities open. Set a regular patch schedule instead of relying on individual willpower.
3. Keeping Former Employees' Access Active
Access reviews that only happen "eventually" leave orphaned accounts as an open door long after someone has left the organization.
4. Storing Sensitive Files on Personal Devices or Drives
Convenience-driven habits like emailing files to a personal account "to work on later" create data exposure outside your organization's control.
5. Skipping Backup Verification
Assuming backups work because the job shows "completed" is a habit worth quitting - schedule regular test restores instead.
6. Letting Shadow IT and Shadow AI Go Unaddressed
Unapproved apps and AI tools accumulate quietly. A January review of what's actually in use across your organization closes this gap before it grows further.
Making the Reset Stick
Like any habit change, these stick best with a specific plan and accountability - assign an owner for each item and a follow-up date to confirm the habit has actually changed.
Veracity Technologies helps Minneapolis-St. Paul businesses start the year with a clean technology and security reset. Ask about a free Business Technology Assessment.
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Published 2025-12-20 · Last reviewed December 2025