2023 is just around the corner and it’s time to make some good resolutions for your digital life. From screen time to best practices, here are some tips.
From the computer to the telephone via social networks, digital activities require some good practices both in terms of security but also to regain control of uses.
• Spend less time on your phone
The average user spends between two and four hours a day on their phone. Nose riveted in applications, scrolling the screen to infinity, it can quickly become a bottomless pit. What if the 2023 resolution was to get rid of your phone and reconnect to the real world? Uninstall Instagram and you will see that their mobile version site no longer makes you want to spend long hours on your phone.
The first solution can be self-discipline, putting your phone away in moments of concentration, avoiding looking at your device before going to bed or looking at your notifications before you even get up in the morning.
A second solution can be to disable notifications from your phone, all those that are not important or urgent. This will prevent your attention from being drawn to a permanently lit screen. If this is not enough, you can always impose more restrictive measures on yourself, such as limiting the duration of certain applications.
On iPhone, for example, it is possible to lock applications with a code. To configure this function, you must go to the “screen time” option then select “app limits”, choose a code and define the duration for each application. The code will unlock the application even if the usage time is exceeded.
On a android device, the function can be found in the settings in the “Digital well-being and parental controls” tab. By tapping on the graph, the user can set the length of time spent on each app. When the limit is reached, the app closes and its icon dims. There is no code to activate the unlock, you have to delete the application timer.
• Master the use of social networks
Beyond the time spent on social networks, it is a question of regaining control of its use and no longer being passive in front of the content that is offered. The first solution can be to sort through our subscriptions, there are surely Instagram or Twitter accounts that have not interested you for a long time and this pollutes your news feed.
When content does not interest you, it is possible to report it to the algorithm using the tab at the top right of the publication (same manipulation on Facebook and Instagram). And on Twitter, two newsfeeds are possible: the recommended tweets and the most recent, the latter allow you to have better control of your content.
Finally, the networks are full of information of all kinds. It is necessary to check the sources of the information, this also concerns personalized sites like Google News, which works using algorithms based on your reading habits.
• Backup all files
Important personal or work documents, invoices or mythical photos of the year 2022, a computer contains our entire digital life. In order not to lose everything if a device fails overnight, it is essential to back up all your files. There are several solutions for this: either on an external hard drive (remember to organize it into different files, for example, thematic so that it is easier to find a specific document), or on a cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.). ).
On a phone, backup is usually automated. To activate it on Android, the backup is done with a Google account. It includes apps and their data, call history, contacts, photos and videos, and text messages. To activate it, you have to go to the System Settings, find Backup and restore. In the section Google account activate Backup My Data and Auto Restore and verify that the backup account matches your Google account.
On the iPhone side, the device works with iCloud which automatically backs up your data daily. To ensure that the device is backing up your files, you must go to the Settingsselect iCloud then iCloud backup. To perform a manual backup, select Back up now.
• Learn to beware of scams
Parcels delivered, taxes to be paid or even the region which helps to lower its energy bill, SMS scams are on the increase, and this can lead to confusion, especially during the holiday season. It’s about flushing them out to avoid them.
To do this, read the message carefully and identify the formulations, spelling or grammar. Messages from official bodies never start with 06 or 07, but usually display the name of the body. You should never click on the link of an SMS which seems suspicious, which does not concern you directly or comes from a number which you do not know and never communicate your bank details.
• Adopt the right gestures
While the energy crisis increases the bill, there are a few small gestures that concern electronic devices. Starting with recharging your phone. Avoid peak hours to recharge it, i.e. between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. and between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and prefer recharging when the battery is between 20% and 80%.
For other devices, it is advisable to completely turn off your computer and screen at the end of the day, turn off your box if you are away, do not leave any device on standby (box, TV, computer, game console, etc. ). The Co2 impact tool makes it possible to evaluate its annual digital pollution and gives a few orders of magnitude.
• Check your mailbox
If you are not used to regularly sorting through your mailbox, take your courage in both hands. First step, delete all unnecessary emails and spam, it may take time but your mailbox and the environment will thank you.
Second step, unsubscribe from emails and advertisements that you do not wish to receive. This option is usually at the bottom or top of the email. It is necessary to repeat the operation regularly.
• Use a password manager
The golden rule is not to use the same password for all sites and personal accounts. It is customary to use strong passwords, that is to say ones that mix lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers and special characters.
A solution can be useful for managing all your passwords: a password manager like the Dashlane software. You can also favor two-factor identifications for more security if the platform allows it.
