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

7 Jan 2026

Every January, millions of people commit to Dry January. They cut out something 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 its own Dry January list too. It’s not cocktails—it’s tech habits.

We all know these habits are risky or inefficient. Yet they stick around because “it’s fine” and “we’re busy.” Until it’s not fine.

Here are six bad tech habits to quit cold turkey this month—and what to do instead.

1. Clicking “Remind Me Later” on Updates

That little button has caused more damage to small businesses than most hackers ever could.

Updates aren’t just about new features—they patch security holes that cybercriminals actively exploit. When you delay updates, you’re leaving the door wide open.

The WannaCry ransomware attack crippled businesses worldwide by exploiting a vulnerability Microsoft had patched two months earlier. Victims had clicked “remind me later” one too many times.

Quit it: Schedule updates for after hours or let your IT partner handle them automatically. No drama, no surprise resets, no open doors for attackers.

2. Using One Password Everywhere

Your favourite password feels strong. It meets requirements. It’s easy to remember. So you use it for everything—email, banking, accounting software, even that random forum you joined years ago.

Here’s the problem: Data breaches happen constantly. If one site leaks your credentials, hackers can try them everywhere. This is called credential stuffing, and it’s one of the most common causes of account breaches.

Quit it: Use a password manager like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden. It creates unique, complex passwords for every account and remembers them for you. Setup takes minutes. Peace of mind lasts forever.

3. Sharing Passwords Over Email or Text

“Hey, can you send me the login?”
“Sure! It’s admin@company.com, password is Summer2024!”

Quick fix—but now that message lives forever in inboxes, backups, and archives. If any account gets compromised, attackers can search for “password” and harvest everything.

Quit it: Use secure sharing features in password managers. If you absolutely must share manually, split credentials across channels and change the password immediately after.

4. Making Everyone an Admin Because “It’s Easier”

Someone needed to install software once, so you made them an admin. Now half your team has full access to critical systems.

Admin rights mean power—and risk. If those credentials get phished, attackers can wreak havoc fast.

Quit it: Apply the principle of least privilege. Give people access to what they need, nothing more. It takes minutes to set up properly and saves thousands in potential damage.

5. “Temporary” Fixes That Became Permanent

Something broke. You found a workaround. “We’ll fix it later.” That was 2019.

Workarounds waste time and create fragility. They depend on specific conditions and tribal knowledge. When something changes, everything collapses.

Quit it: Make a list of workarounds. Then let your IT partner replace them with proper solutions. You’ll save time, reduce frustration, and eliminate hidden risks.

6. The Spreadsheet That Runs Your Entire Business

One Excel file. Twelve tabs. A formula chain nobody fully understands. If that file corrupts or the person who built it leaves, what’s your backup plan?

Spreadsheets aren’t built for critical business systems. They lack audit trails, backups, and scalability.

Quit it: Document what the spreadsheet does, then move to tools designed for the job—CRM for customers, inventory software for stock, scheduling tools for rosters. These systems have backups, permissions, and don’t rely on one person’s memory.

Why These Habits Stick

You already know these habits are risky. You’re not uninformed—you’re busy.
Bad habits persist because:

Consequences are invisible until catastrophic
The right way feels slower in the moment
Everyone else does it too

Dry January works because it forces awareness. It breaks autopilot. Same principle applies here.

How to Actually Quit (Without Relying on Willpower)

Willpower doesn’t work. Systems do.

Businesses that break bad tech habits don’t rely on discipline—they change the environment:

Password managers deployed company-wide
Updates pushed automatically
Permissions managed centrally
Workarounds replaced with real solutions
Spreadsheets migrated to proper platforms

The right way becomes the easy way. That’s what a good IT partner does.

Ready to Quit the Habits That Hurt Your Business?

Book a Bad Habit Audit.
In just 15 minutes, we’ll identify the habits costing you time, money, and security—and give you a roadmap to fix them for good.

No jargon. No judgment. Just clarity.

https://bluereef.com.au/contact or call us on 08 8922 0000.

Because some habits are worth quitting cold turkey—and January is the perfect time to start.

08 8922 0000