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Creating better online habits

by bernt & torsten

We spend more and more time on digital devices such as laptops and smartphones, do you have a check on everything that you doing online, do you have a backup plan – here are a few tips on how to better having a digital life in 2015.

Add stronger secure option to your online accounts

Setting up two-step verification will give your online accounts an extra layer of security by requiring you to provide an extra piece of information when you log in – such as a code sent to your mobile phone or email, a security key or a token. This means even if someone has your password, they don’t have all the information necessary to get into your online accounts. You can set up two-step verification on Facebook, Google, PayPal and many more websites. For a more complete list of popular websites that support two-step verification visit twofactorauth.org.

Set up a back-up system for your digital files

For your digital files, you need to get a reliable backup system. Many operating systems include automated backup systems like Windows’ File History. You can even just save copies of your files on a second external hard drive or to the cloud. Either way, the most important thing is to ensure your files are backing up properly. Hard drives can become corrupt and automated systems can fail, so regularly check to ensure that you can retrieve your important backup files if you ever need to.

Take control of your email

Reaching “Inbox Zero” is like the Holy Grail of a digital lifestyle. As the number of unread messages steadily increases, it is important to keep your email inbox as close to empty as possible to stay organized and reduce the time you spend on email. Whether you want to reach Inbox Zero with your work email, your personal email or both here are a few ways to help you achieve it.

• Once in a while you should do a cleanup of your inbox, move all your old emails to a different folder – sort through the backlog later when you have time.
• When your inbox is at zero, as soon as you open each new email, act on it immediately by replying, adding tasks to your to-do list or simply reading it.
• After reading each email, file, archive or delete it.
• You can always re-read filed or archived emails, but this gets them out of your inbox and keeps you at zero.
• Don’t use your inbox as a to-do list – if you can’t act on an email right away, add the task to a separate prioritized to-do list.

Bring your home movies into the modern age

How many memories do you have trapped on obsolete media? If you have family videos on old videotapes, bring them into 2015. You can save your old videos as files by using an adaptor that connects your videotape player to your computer. There are also many places that will transfer your videotapes to digital files for a fee. Once you have your memories transferred to new media, recycle your old electronics.

Get everyone on the same page with a shared calendar

If you share a household, life is easier when you share a digital calendar too. There are plenty of apps and online resources you can use to keep track of birthdays, business meetings, play dates, school events, extra-curricular activities and much more. Online access from anywhere via any device gives these calendars an edge over the old family calendar on the fridge.