Like it or hate it, we live in a digital age. And the older you are, the less accustomed you are to the ever-changing world of technology. It’s perfectly normal if you find yourself overwhelmed and struggling to even take a photo with a smartphone. Yet, as much as you might see technology as your enemy, the truth is that it can help us in a multitude of ways. From helping us find a freight unloading company to accessing millions of articles, the Internet is a wealth of information.
The good news is that help is here. Tech doesn’t have to be your enemy; you just have to know the right tips. If you consider yourself tech-impaired, here are some of the best tips to make navigating tech more manageable.
Use Strong Passwords
Once upon a time, you could choose the name of your pet, the year of your birthday, and a simple punctuation mark to create a secure password. However, the world isn’t the same as it was 20 years ago. Hackers are getting more and more gifted at guessing passwords. It’s important that you choose a password with multiple characters and punctuation and avoid choosing words or years that would be easy to guess.
There is an auto-setting on browsers like Google Chrome that will automatically create a strong password for you. If you can’t remember the password, don’t worry. You can save your passwords in your browser settings. Above all, make sure that you don’t use the same password for every single website.
If someone guesses your password in one place, then they’re going to have your password on every website—from banking to personal email. So, make sure you’ve got a wide variety of passwords spread out across the board.
Read the Manual
One of the biggest reasons why people struggle with tech is because they don’t know how to use their gadgets. Believe it or not, you’d be surprised how educational the manual can be. Take a few minutes and read the manual for whatever gadget you’ve acquired. From common troubleshooting tips to how to store and care for your tech, get to know the insides and outs of how it works. Not only will you find you’re much less frustrated when using it, but in many cases, you’ll extend its life by knowing the right instructions.
Enlist Help
Hey, we know not everybody likes to stop in the middle of a road trip and ask for directions. But, sometimes you just have to put your pride aside and ask for help. Enlist a younger family member who is well-versed in how technology works.
Don’t be afraid to ask them your questions from time to time, even if it feels like a silly thing to ask. There’s absolutely no shame in being a beginner at something. In addition to your immediate network, you can also check out blogs and forums to expand your knowledge of technology.