One of the major advantages of working life in the 21st century is that we can work from just about anywhere on the planet.
Thanks to the modern internet, it’s even possible for business owners to operate from home, reducing overheads and allowing for greater personal freedom.
But there are downsides to this arrangement and challenges to overcome. And among the more pressing of these is the need to get the technology right. With that in mind, it’s worth looking at some of the most common tech mistakes home-based business owners make
Relying on Personal Devices for Business Tasks
The machine you use for work should be entirely separate from the one you use for personal activities. This way, you won’t run the risk of security lapses being introduced by non-work activities. You’ll also have an easier time keeping your data organised. This applies not just to computers like your laptop but, arguably, to your phone as well.
Skipping IT Support Until Something Goes Wrong
You might consider IT support an avoidable expense. After all, if you don’t need to be supported, then what’s the point in investing in support?
The danger of that approach is that it’s short-term. When you one day are in need of support, then you’ll want to be able to react swiftly to deal with the disruption and resume your normal business activities. For example, if you suddenly lose access to essential digital resources, you might find that you’re unable to operate for an entire day. But if you already have support in place to call upon, these problems can be rectified swiftly. It’s for this reason that managed IT services are so often worthwhile.
Ignoring Cyber Security Basics
When you’re working from home, you tend to be more vulnerable to cybercrime. This goes especially if you’re regularly transmitting data between your own machine and a remote server in your office.
It’s possible to limit your risk considerably by simply adhering to a few fundamental principles. Don’t recycle passwords. Use a password manager. Make sure that you install every update, especially for essential software, like your operating system. Make sure also that your machine and sensitive accounts are protected by multifactor authentication.
Poor File Management and Backup Processes
Sometimes, losses occur not just because of security lapses, but because of unexpected problems, like sudden hardware failure. For this reason, it’s important not to keep all of your eggs in one basket. Essential files should never be kept on a single storage drive. A redundant, secure, cloud-based storage solution is often the best way forward for many businesses. That way, if your computer does break, you’ll be able to recover what was lost in a matter of moments.
Using Too Many Unconnected Tools
You might feel as though you’re making progress and building the foundations of future success by simply loading your system and your life with new tools. But when you’re constantly switching from one context to another, confusion is likely to result. What’s more, workflows that require many different apps tend to be fragile and inflexible. Think not just about how you can bring new tools into your workflow, but about how you can consolidate, and eliminate, a few of the existing ones.
written by Alexa Wang
