Series: January Reset for Oregon SMB IT — Part 2 of 4
Missed Part 1? We covered the one IT resolution that sticks. Next week: a no-drama annual tech physical.
Dry January for Your Business: 6 Tech Habits to Quit Cold Turkey
Millions of people are doing Dry January right now.
They're cutting the one thing they know isn't good for them because they want to feel better, work better, and stop pretending "I'll start Monday" is a plan.
Your business has a Dry January list too.
1) Clicking “Remind Me Later” on updates
Those prompts aren’t just features; they often close known holes. Schedule updates after hours or let your partner push them quietly.
2) One password that “works everywhere.”
Credential stuffing loves reused passwords. Roll out a password manager and turn on MFA for email, VPN, and admin portals.
3) Sharing passwords over text or email
Messages live forever in archives. Use secure sharing in a manager so staff can access it without seeing the secret.
4) Making everyone an admin
Least privilege isn’t fancy; it’s safety. Grant what people need and nothing more. Admin rights are for admins.
5) “Temporary” fixes that became standard
List the workarounds. Then replace them with real solutions so Eugene, Albany, and Corvallis teams don’t rely on tribal knowledge.
6) The spreadsheet running your whole business
Great tool, terrible platform. Map the process and move it to a proper system with roles, backups, and an audit trail.
EXAMPLE:
Sam leads Clear As Mud Services, a fictional nonprofit in Corvallis. Passwords lived in a shared Google Sheet. Updates happened “when convenient.” And yes, one spreadsheet was the heartbeat of operations.
In January, Sam flipped the environment using 10D Tech: a password manager with a company-wide rollout, automated patching at night, and role-based access. The scary spreadsheet became a lightweight CRM. Two weeks later, a phishing email hit the inboxes. Training kicked in; staff reported it, filters caught it, and nothing broke. The new default beat the bad habit.
Want help changing the environment? Our Managed Cybersecurity https://www.10dtech.com/services/managed-cybersecurity covers MFA, filtering, and monitoring. Pair it with IT Help Desk & Remote Support https://www.10dtech.com/services/it-help-desk-support for smooth rollouts.
10D Tech made the right thing the easy thing
- Deployed a password manager and enforced MFA.
- Set maintenance windows so patches don’t interrupt work.
- Centralize permissions; removed “just make them admin.”
- Replaced hero spreadsheets with fit-for-purpose tools.
- Documented the new norms on one page and taught them at onboarding.
Are you Ready?: Schedule a 15‑minute Bad Habit Audit? (541) 243‑4103 • (971) 915‑9103 • https://www.10dtech.com/15min-assessment
Notes for our region: Oregon, Washington and Idaho
Seasonal spikes hit local teams: year-end filings for Salem firms, tax preparation in Vancouver, and the new-hire season in Boise. That’s when rushed clicks happen. Set the guardrails before the rush.
Time to act: Need quick wins before the month's‑end? Book a call today.
FAQs
1) What’s the fastest security win this month?
Turn on MFA for email, VPN, and admin portals.
2) Should a small team really use a password manager?
Yes. It stops reuse, shares safely, and speeds offboarding.
3) How often should we run phishing tests?
Quarterly, plus refreshers after real incidents.
4) Should we auto‑update everything?
Yes for endpoints and browsers; schedule servers and line‑of‑business apps.
5) How do we deal with shadow IT apps?
Inventory logins, approve a few, shut down the rest. Need help? See Managed Cybersecurity and Data Backup & Disaster Recovery.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
Cut risk without drama. Book your Free IT Checkup: call (541) 243‑4103 or (971) 915‑9103, or pick a time: https://www.10dtech.com/15min-assessment.
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