We all procrastinate, some of us more than others. Whether it’s resetting your password, updating your software, or cleaning the dishes, there’s always something that we would rather leave until tomorrow. But should the same apply to cybersecurity?
When it comes to cybersecurity, procrastination can cost you more than your time. It can cost you your identity, your money, and even your reputation. Is it really worth putting your online security off in the long run?
Procrastination can feel harmless
We’ve all been there, pushing a security task to the side for later. How many times have you paused an update for days, “forgot” to change your password until it expired, or didn’t add MFA because it was too much extra effort?
And that’s the new hacker – not doing what you need to when you need to do it. Leaving cybersecurity holes in your account and devices makes it easy for real hackers to gain access and steal your info.
Cybersecurity isn’t always loud and urgent. It’s like a slow leak in your bathroom that keep building up until the damage is done and it’s too late.
Hackers rely on your procrastination – it makes their jobs so much easier. They need you to be busy and distracted. They don’t need you to fall for a sophisticated scam. Sometimes, not updating your software or changing your password is enough to give them access to your information.
5 Cybersecurity tasks people love to delay
Let’s look at a few easy tasks that you should do but usually delay for as long as possible:
- Using the same password for different accounts. This is in addition to using weak passwords. Remember that if one of your accounts is breached, it’s easy for the hacker to access any of your accounts that use the same password.
- Ignoring software updates. Yes, I get it, updates can be annoying. But updates are usually fixing critical security holes to protect you.
- Not using 2FA. The extra step of authentication that 2FA/MFA provides can really help in preventing someone from accessing your account, even if they already have your password.
- Not backing up your data. If you don’t have a backup, there’s a good chance that you won’t be able to recover anything if you get hit by ransomware.
- Not really doing any security awareness training. Anyone can fall for a scam and it’s easier if you don’t know what you’re looking for. We all know someone that starts the awareness training but then disappears to get coffee.
So, what can we do to stop procrastinating?
Tips to stop procrastination
Of course, we can beat procrastination. We already know what we need to do – use secure passwords, use 2FA, a password manager, do our updates, etc. I don’t think that’s the problem. We need to enjoy doing it.
Here are a few tips to stop procrastinating and even have some fun improving your cybersecurity:
One song challenge
Choose a fun, upbeat song that you love. Choose a task that you need to do like enable MFA on your email account. You only have the duration of the song to complete the task. And GO! This is fun because a catchy song makes you want to sing along instead of changing your password.
Hacker countdown challenge
Pretend you’re a hacker. Set a 5-minute timer and do one security task before the hacker accesses your account! It could be as simple as changing a password or running an update. The key is that you can only do it in the allotted time. Add some suspenseful music to make it even more exhilarating.
Cyber boardgame challenge
This challenge can be done in one day or over a few days, depending on how many tasks you’ve listed. Take a piece of paper and write down 5 to 10 tasks you need to get done. Think of deleting old apps, running a device scan, changing your password, adding your passwords to your password manager, etc. Either select a number or roll a die, but then you must do the task corresponding to the number.
Cyber streak challenge
The aim is to complete one security task each day. Once the task is completed, you mark it off on a calendar. If you miss a day, you end the streak and must start from scratch. If you’ve completed a 30-day streak, then you can reward yourself with a brownie or anything else you may like.
Cybersecurity can be fun
It’s easy to procrastinate, especially with cybersecurity. But we spend so much time online that we need to be conscious about it and improve our online safety, even if it’s just a few minutes at a time.
Have fun with improving your cybersecurity knowledge and improving your awareness. The joy that comes with knowing that you’re not an easy target is very fulfilling and rewarding. Let’s do it! Be secure!
