Millions of people do Dry January every year.
They cut out the one habit they know isn’t helping them—because they want to feel better, work better, and stop pretending “I’ll deal with it later” is a plan.
Your business needs a Dry January too.
Just not for cocktails—for IT and cybersecurity habits that quietly put Louisville-area small businesses at risk every single day.
At Service Solutions Inc., we work with small and mid-sized businesses across Louisville, Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and Ohio, and we see the same tech habits causing the biggest problems—breaches, downtime, lost productivity, and expensive cleanups.
Here are six tech habits to quit cold turkey this January—and what to do instead.
Habit #1: Clicking “Remind Me Later” On Updates
That button has caused more cybersecurity incidents than most hackers ever could.
Software updates aren’t just new features—they patch known security vulnerabilities that attackers are actively exploiting. Every time you delay, you’re running systems criminals already know how to break into.
Real-world example: The WannaCry ransomware attack shut down businesses worldwide by exploiting a Microsoft vulnerability that had already been patched—two months earlier. Victims weren’t unlucky. They just kept clicking “later.”
Quit it:
Schedule updates after hours or let a managed IT provider like Service Solutions Inc. deploy them quietly in the background—no interruptions, no surprise reboots, no open doors for attackers.
Habit #2: Using The Same Password Everywhere
If you’re a small business owner in Louisville, this one is almost guaranteed.
One “strong” password. Used for:
- Banking
- Accounting software
- Vendor portals
- That random platform you signed up for years ago
When (not if) one of those services gets breached, hackers use credential stuffing—trying that same email/password everywhere until something opens.
Quit it:
Use a password manager (1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane). One master password. Everything else is unique, encrypted, and secure. Setup takes minutes. Protection lasts indefinitely.
Habit #3: Sharing Passwords Over Email, Text, Or Slack
“Hey, what’s the login?”
“Here you go!”
Now that password:
- Lives forever in inboxes
- Gets backed up to the cloud
- Is searchable if anyone’s email is compromised
This is one of the fastest ways attackers gain access to small business systems.
Quit it:
Password managers allow secure credential sharing without exposing the password itself. Access can be revoked instantly—no cleanup required.
Habit #4: Giving Everyone Admin Access Because It’s “Easier”
Admin access means the ability to:
- Disable security tools
- Install malicious software
- Delete critical files
If an employee with admin rights gets phished, attackers inherit total control.
We see this mistake constantly in small businesses across Kentucky and Indiana—and ransomware loves it.
Quit it:
Follow the Principle of Least Privilege: employees get only the access they need. It’s slightly slower to set up—but far cheaper than a breach or accidental deletion.
Habit #5: Temporary Fixes That Became Permanent
“We’ll fix it later.”
Later was 2019.
Workarounds pile up. Extra steps multiply. Productivity quietly drains away. And when something changes—software updates, staff turnover, new equipment—everything breaks.
Quit it:
Document your workarounds and let Service Solutions Inc. eliminate them properly. The goal isn’t duct tape—it’s systems that just work without tribal knowledge.
Habit #6: The Spreadsheet That Runs Your Entire Business
You know the one:
- 12 tabs
- Fragile formulas
- One person understands it—and they’re thinking about retiring
Spreadsheets lack:
- Proper backups
- Access controls
- Audit trails
- Scalability
They’re great tools—but terrible platforms for running a business.
Quit it:
Identify what the spreadsheet actually does, then move those functions into proper business systems (CRM, accounting, scheduling, inventory). These tools are secure, backed up, and designed to grow with you.
Why These Habits Are So Hard To Break
Small business owners aren’t careless—you’re busy.
Bad IT habits persist because:
- The consequences are invisible until they’re catastrophic
- The “right way” feels slower at first
- Everyone else is doing it, so it feels normal
That’s why willpower doesn’t fix IT problems.
Systems do.
How Louisville Small Businesses Actually Break These Habits
The businesses that succeed don’t rely on discipline—they change their environment:
- Updates are automated
- Password managers are mandatory
- Permissions are centrally controlled
- Workarounds are replaced with real solutions
- Security monitoring runs 24/7
That’s what a managed IT and cybersecurity partner does.
At Service Solutions Inc., we don’t just tell you what’s wrong—we make the right behavior the default.
Ready To Quit The IT Habits That Are Quietly Hurting Your Business?
Book a Free 15-Minute Bad Habit Audit
We’ll:
- Review your current setup
- Identify your biggest risks
- Give you a clear, practical roadmap—no jargon, no pressure
Serving small businesses across Louisville, KY, Southern Indiana, and Ohio.
👉 Schedule your free 15-minute discovery call today
Because some habits are worth quitting cold turkey.
And January is the perfect time to start.
Written by Steve Edrington, CEO of Service Solutions Inc. in Louisville, KY
