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As January draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on the changes we resolved to make in 2019 – so let’s talk New Years Resolutions! Did you make them? Already break them? January signified a fresh start and brought with it the opportunity to change our ways by adopting new habits and making some empowering goals. You’re probably familiar with more popular resolutions like spending less, getting fit and calling it quits on those nasty habits – but have you heard of Technology Resolutions? These are tech related practices that you should adopt and break to improve your relationship with technology. It’s not too late to start, 2019 has only just begun!

Outsmart your Smartphone 

In today’s world, our phones are our lifelines and without them, we all would feel a little lost. Think about how much free time we dedicate to scrolling through photos and stories, playing on our apps and texting back and forth.

The only way to end this cycle is to outsmart our smartphones- and how do we do that? We learn self-control and put down our phones, or if you need that extra support, try downloading an app that limits your screen time – this way you can avoid phone distractions and shift your focus to something more important.

Detox your Inbox

Throughout the year, we all experience an accumulation of junk emails in our inbox. This build up can make your inbox feel overwhelming and cause your important emails get lost in the crowd.

This year, try to dedicate some free time to clean up your inbox and unsubscribe to that pesky spam mail. A simple click of the unsubscribe box should do the trick! If you don’t have a lot of free time, spread this task out over the span of a couple weeks and see how many emails you can discard. We guarantee you’ll feel a lot less cluttered and a lot more organized!

Be More Eco-friendly

You don’t need to install solar panels on your house or buy a smart car to be more environmentally friendly; making even the smallest sustainable changes can lead to huge results!

Did you know that the average household uses between 5-10% of it’s electricity to power appliances and home electronics that are left on standby mode?* Start turning off your appliances and devices when you finish using them. This will save on electricity, power and BONUS – you’ll save money!

Next, try going paperless – cut back on printing hard copies and save digital copies instead. If you need to print something, print your documents double-sided to save on paper. Lastly, skip out on those paper bills and switch to e-billing! Are you aware that Execulink offers paperless billing? Call 1-877-393-2854 or email customercare@execulinktelecom.ca to make the switch today!

Be Careful what you Click on

In today’s world, we live in an always-connected digital age and setting resolutions to protect yourself online is an important step to becoming more aware of online threats like phishing. Phishing may sound like an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday afternoon at the cottage, but that’s not quite the activity we’re taking about. Phishing – not fishing – refers to “the impersonation of reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers, online” (Oxford English Dictionary).

Jump-start your online safety by keeping yourself educated about digital threats. Avoid clicking links, attachments, ads or anything else that looks fishy in your inbox. Never give out your personal information online, avoid opening emails from senders you don’t know and try downloading a virus protection program for extra backup.  Want more tips and tricks? Check out our blog post on the subject and learn how to stay vigilant about your online security and stay skeptical whenever confronted with suspicious emails – you’ll thank us in the long run.

Stop being so Social – Online that is!

We’re all guilty of checking our social media feeds every 10 minutes to see how many likes our new photo received.  It’s a very addicting habit and an easy way to kill time. Far too often, we get caught up in scrolling through other people’s lives and falling down the rabbit hole of posts, photos and tweets – think about how many HOURS you actually spend on social media daily when you add it all up.

This year, we encourage you try to cut back on your social media usage and shift your focus on something more productive instead, like learning a new hobby, getting lost in a book or calling an old friend. We bet you won’t even miss it that much!

So, as the calendar flips over to February, remember to stay on track with these 5 technology related resolutions! Let us know how you do!

*Natural Resources Canada. (2010). Standby Power – When “Off” Means “On”. Retrieved from:
https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/oee.nrcan.gc.ca/files/files/pdf/residential/personal/Standby-Power_E_Jan2013.pdf

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