A Gentle New Year Tech Reset (One Hour, Big Payoff)
New Year’s resolutions don’t have to be grand. Give yourself one quiet hour, pour a coffee, and we’ll tidy up the tech you use every day so it feels lighter, faster, and easier for the months ahead.
Start with the easy win: updates. Let your computer, phone, and tablet run their updates while you sip your coffee. You don’t have to stare at the progress bar—just kick them off and let them do their thing. Updates close security holes and fix little hiccups you might not even notice until they’re gone.
When the updates wrap up, make sure your photos and files are safe. Open the app you already use—iCloud, Google Photos, OneDrive, or your favorite backup program—and check that it’s actually backing up. If you prefer a small external drive, plug it in and make a fresh copy. Knowing your memories are protected is worth the five minutes it takes.
Now make logging in easy on yourself. If you use a password manager, open it and sign in so it can do its job. Let it replace any reused passwords with strong, unique ones. Turn on your fingerprint or face login where it’s offered so you don’t have to type everything on tiny keyboards. And when a site offers passkeys, say yes—approving with your face or fingerprint is where the web is headed, and it’s wonderfully low-stress.
Clear just the spaces you actually look at every day. On your phone, move the three apps you use most to the front and delete two you never touch. On your computer, tidy the desktop so you can see the background again. In your browser, drag your favorite bookmarks to the front of the bar and remove the ones you always skip. This isn’t spring cleaning—it’s making the path you walk feel open.
Take thirty seconds for scams and safety. If an email or text looks urgent or odd—“your account will close in 24 hours,” “click to fix a delivery”—don’t click the link. Go straight to the real website the way you normally do, or ask someone you trust to take a look. Slowing down is the best filter there is.
Finish with your technology notebook. Flip it open, confirm your Wi-Fi name and password, check that your recovery phone number and backup email are current, and jot down any new devices you added over the holidays. Future-you (or a family member helping you) will be grateful for those few scribbles.
That’s it. One calm hour, once a year, and your tech will feel like it got a fresh start right alongside you. And if you’d like company while you do it, I’m happy to sit with you—remote or in-home—and walk through the reset together. We’ll keep it friendly, unrushed, and useful.
