Cloud services have become an integral part of our daily lives, catering to various needs such as storage, computing resources, and application hosting. With the increasing amount of data being generated and stored in the cloud, data security has become a major concern for both individuals and businesses. In this document, we will discuss how cloud services protect stored data and provide a comprehensive understanding of the measures taken to ensure the security of our valuable information.
Back Up Your Files NOW!
Here’s the rule of thumb for when and where to back up data.
group of electronic devices
The more important the information
The more often you should back up and
The more distant those back up files should be.
I back up my QuickBooks data every time I do a lot of input. I don’t want to re-build or re-do a lot of entries. So the time it takes to do the back up is a savings compared to the frustration and time required to re-do the work.
If YCL does more than 1 hour of input on a website, we back up the site immediately. No need to risk losing that work!
Really important information like a password list, payroll records, client info, photos of grandchildren, etc. should be in 2 or 3 different places. Maybe a copy on a thumb drive in your office. A copy on Dropbox. A copy on iDrive.
If the thumb drive gets corrupted, you can pull from Dropbox or iDrive. If Dropbox crashes, you can pull from the thumb drive or iDrive.
Yes, even files stored on the cloud should have back ups!
Case in point, I store all of my passwords with LastPass. It’s a great software that I’ve recommended to many of you. One time a few years ago CenturyLink had a nation-wide system disruption that affected the LastPass servers. I couldn’t log in!! The info was still there but I couldn’t get to it. Now I am exporting the passwords once a month and storing them in Dropbox.
I highly recommend that at least one of your back ups be automated. Sync everything with Dropbox. Use iDrive. Buy an external hard drive with back up software. Automating the process will save you time and give you protection even on those super busy days where little tasks get missed.
Don’t wait for a disaster to happen. Plan and implement your system now for peace of mind. Call me if you need assistance making an action plan!
Should I Respond to Update Messages?
Maybe. If the update notice is from a reputable company like Adobe Reader, Java, QuickBooks, etc., yes, do the update. They are fixing bugs, updating security and improving the software.
If you don’t recognize the name of the software, do NOT respond or update. Call Your Computer Lady or your hardware tech to ask first.
Best option: Take a screen shot of the message and email it to your adviser. That will give us all the details we need to give you a good answer.
How do I make a screen shot?
On your keyboard, there is a key titled “Print Screen.” Press that key while the message is on your screen. Now open a Word doc. Right click on your mouse to get a pop up menu and choose “Paste.” This will paste the screen shot into Word. Save the document. Email it to YCL or your IT tech.
Caution: SmartPhones May Be Hazardous to Your Health
Smartphone use isn’t formally recognized as an addiction – yet. But we have all caught ourselves in addictive behavior. Not long ago, I headed to my bank which is a mere 3 miles from my house. About halfway there I realized I had forgotten my phone. I started to turn around to go get it! REALLY?!?! I used to make cross-country trips without a phone. Now I can’t drive 3 miles to the bank? In town on a sunny day?
The addiction is bad enough in adults but children, teens and young adults are even more susceptible as they have grown up with a phone in their hands.
Why is it hazardous?
- Constant notifications and activity interfere with concentration.
- People become less social when they focus on their phone instead of the people around them. Technology can never replace a friendly face and a smile.
- Children and young adults are particularly damaged as they are still developing social skills and miss experiences that help them grow.
- Scrolling through news feeds can be huge time sucks lowering productivity, happiness and even the amount of sleep you get.
- We literally get a hit of happy hormones (dopamine) from some phone activity. We are training ourselves to want more and more.
- Multiple studies have shown increases in depression, anxiety and other mental health issues are directly related to phone usage time.
- Even communities, cities and social groups lose opportunities when people sit in public spaces using their phones instead of interacting with others.
How do you disconnect?
No, don’t throw away the phone! Small adjustments in your behaviors can have big results. Our lives will become more and more connected to our phones with SmartOvens, Informed Mail Delivery, integrated calendars, etc. etc. etc. So there is no better time than TODAY to start intentionally disconnecting from your phone.
Research recommends these actions:
Notifications
Set notifications from social media platforms, your emails, services to come in a one time once a day instead of separate notifications from each one at each little action. (This will also make you more productive as you get into “email mode” and answer several emails at once.) Not having all those dings and blips on your screen will also lower your stress level.
Hide your social media and email apps
Drag the icons for your social media platforms, email apps, service providers to your 2nd or 3rd screen so you don’t see them all the time. You can even put them into a “Once A Day” folder. Or delete the apps from your phone completely and only access the apps from your laptop.
Hide the phone
There really is some truth in “out of sight, out of mind.” During meals, put everyone’s cell phones in another room. In the office, put the phone behind you and on silent for a set period of time to let you focus on a project.
Make access a little inconvenient
Don’t use biometrics or Facebook ID or other shortcuts for logging in. Make logging in a little bit harder to give yourself time to think “Do I really need to do this right now?” Science shows this small pause reduces phone and app usage!
Gray your screen
We are attracted to colors and images. Set a time – maybe 2 hours behind bedtime – to gray out your screen. It will reduce usage. It will reduce anxiety by making the screen less attractive therefore easier to turn off.
Make a list of tasks or set time limits
Before you pick up the phone, make a list of the tasks you need to do. Don’t just pick it up and “walkabout!” Mindless wondering eats up a lot of time. Setting time limits will also help you focus on what you need to do.
Your support team from Building Bridges Business Solutions and Your Computer Lady want you to be happy, healthy and productive with all of your technology! Call us if you need further assistance!
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- (602) 604-5000
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- (480) 929-0335
The Importance of Passwords
I’m back on my soapbox to encourage you to use good, strong passwords. Check out this list of the most common passwords and how long it takes hackers to break them.
Now go change your password!!
How and When To Back Up Your Data
Simply put, the more important the data
the more often you should back up
the more back up copies you should have.
EXAMPLES:
Pictures of my daily Wordle results
Back up once a quarter
One copy on a thumb drive is enough.
QuickBooks back ups for my company
Back up every 2 times I close the program
Keep a copy on my external hard drive and a copy on Dropbox
Payroll records
Back up after each payroll period
Keep a copy on my external hard drive and a copy on Dropbox
Not only can your hard drive go bad, your external hard drive, thumb drive or DVD can also go bad. So important data needs to be backed up in multiple places. For years, when the standard back up method was to a DVD, I kept one copy in my office and another copy in the trunk of my car. I figured the office and the car wouldn’t be destroyed at the same time!!
Now with online options, it’s even easier.
Thumb Drive
Large thumb drives allow you to back up all of your files or a major project quickly. The process is manual which means you have to discipline yourself to do the back ups.
External Hard Drive
BBBS can assist you with purchasing and configuring an external hard drive that sits in your office and automatically backs up your entire hard drive. If the computer hard drive goes, you can download everything you need from the external hard drive.
Online Back Up Services
There are multiple options for you. BBBS can assist you in choosing the best service and help you configure the settings.
- One Drive is part of your Microsoft 365 account.
- Drive is part of your Google account.
- Dropbox is my favorite but there are many Software-As-A-Service (Saas) companies.
How To Determine And Adapt To Your Customers’ Communications Preferences
As you begin implementing your marketing plans, one big consideration should be “How do my clients WANT me to communicate?” If a prospect contacts you via Facebook then it’s reasonable to assume they want a Facebook response. Don’t demand that they call you because you like talking on the phone better. Start with “They’re a FB person” and respond. Then you can move them to a phone call or in person meeting as needed. First you want to meet them where they are. One client I work with never responds to an email no matter how urgent the subject. But they answer to every call. So why frustrate both of us by sending emails? I’m not a big text person. When I have a client who is, I respond by text then forward their text and my answer to my email so I have the continuity that I like. But I don’t expect them to change to fit my preferences!! Communication is definitely a case where the client is always right. Here are some more suggestions.
Clean House!
Get rid of your old electronics and eliminate some clutter.|
Phones, gaming consoles, video games, tablets, Apple and Samsung wearables, MacBooks, CDs, DVDs
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Phones, tablets, iPods, Apple computers
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Walmart.com
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Phones, tablets, all types eReaders, gaming consoles, smart speakers, MP3 players
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Visit their websites for details or call for assistance.
Donate
CellPhonesForSoldiers.com – accepts all types of cell phones and accessories, tablets, MP3 players. You can also buy pre-paid minutes for active and recently returned service members.
Too old for re-use
Staples.com will take any electronic and recycle
AZStRUT.org (Mesa) will take any electronics, accessories, cables, etc. etc. They re-use what they can and recycle the rest.
Videos
If you are considering adding videos to your marketing tool kit, here is a good article describing the process.
All That Tech Stuff!
Here is a cool site with lots of answers and lots of suggestions for you on all things tech – phones, online banking, Alexa, speakers, etc. The content ranges from simple “What is a platform?” to more complex “How to buy the right laptop.”
And it’s FREE!
