File Genie will tell you that Tech is my Achilles heel and lock down has done it’s best to compound the issues I have already, slow and intermittent fault on my internet supply, slowing my laptop performance – File Genie to the rescue; new Apps I don’t understand, File Genie to the rescue and venturing into Apple from Android and Windows, again Ben from File Genie to the rescue.

What have I learnt other than File Genie is a knight in shining armour:

• Well, I need to do more of what I preach to stay calm, relaxed and in the positive, intellectual part of my brain. When I work from this part of my brain, I can achieve and do achieve lots more. I also learnt that every cloud has a silver lining even if a Genie needs to get involved.
• Getting tense and stressed definitely has triggered old whiplash related restrictions and migraine like headaches but much can be done to rectify and to prevent it.
• A mix of physical and mental health remedies self prescribed. Drink plenty, don’t try to do too much, eat properly, structure my day with different activities, ice, the power of just being, catching up with friends, exercise and gardening.
• Mind and body are undisputedly linked, look after one and the other will follow and for your tech headaches, consult File Genie.
• The other thing that I have become very good at is reframing (seeing the silver lining). Lockdown therefore equals Liberation.

 
Bridget Bath, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Forward Focus Hypnotherapy

Covid-19 is having a huge impact on our daily lives and many of us are trying to navigate our way through it by relying on technology. There are lots of great apps to help us stay in touch with our friends, family and work colleagues and as a result our smartphones, PC’s and laptops are getting constant use so it’s important to keep on top of your IT housekeeping to ensure your devices are running smoothly.
 
It’s also worth remembering that phones and other devices can be breeding grounds for germs so it’s vital to ensure you routinely clean them alongside the government recommended regular hand washing.
 
Keeping IT Clean
 
Daily:

• Tablets, smart phones and laptops will need cleaning more regularly than before the outbreak. Aim to clean your phone and other devices every day. You can just use lint free cloth and a screen/lens cleaner solution.
• Do not submerge your phone or device unless it is waterproof with an IP68 rating.
• See how to clean your smartphone effectively using soap and water here.
• Don’t forget your keyboard and mouse, a quick wipe over with a disinfecting wipe will help get rid of any germs.
• As soon as you touch your device you are putting germs back on to it so be sure to continue washing your hands regularly throughout the day.

 
Weekly:

• Check all cables are firmly pushed in.
• Manually run a virus scanner if you don’t have one set to run automatically
• Back up the whole computer on to an external hard drive and to the cloud. You might not be able to buy an external hard drive at the moment so consider using cloud based options such as OneDrive, iCloud or Dropbox. You can also purchase one like BackBlaze.

Monthly:

• Check for any updates of your Operating Systems Windows, Ubuntu and Apple
• Check for any other software updates such as MS Office, Anti Virus software etc...
• Clean your email Inbox - delete unwanted junk mail and sort into folders to keep them well organised.
• Clean all IT equipment with a soft cloth.

 
Every 6 Months:

• Check monitors for dead pixels.
• Run a print head clean on printers.
• Change all passwords.

 
Annually

• Get your computer professionally cleaned and tuned up (subject to government updates ref Covid-19).

Now is a good time to get on top of your IT housekeeping to keep it operating smoothly and efficiently so you don’t end up missing an important video meeting on Zoom or family get together on Skype!

Passwords – they keep our digital lives secure, and at the File Genie blog we have spoken about good Password creation on a few occasions, but how do you keep your passwords secure?
 
Do you trust to your memory? How many different passwords do you have to remember? If you count them all up, chances are there are far more than you might think.
 
What about writing them all down – keeping a special notebook for them? Well that’s risky. Most of all, will you remember to write each and every password down?
 
Password Managers are another way. In fact, they can be really helpful, taking the trial and error out of thinking up and recalling at will a new, complex password. For most of them, all you need to do is to remember one ‘Master’ password. Most are installed into your browser directly, then every time you need a new password the manager will generate one for you, then remember it. It will also pick up any existing passwords and store them securely. All this means you are less likely to need to reset passwords after forgetting them.
 
There are several FREE Password Managers on the market, and many you pay for. Paid solutions will usually have a few extra bells and whistles, but the best of the free options are very good too. Some of the premium options will offer a free trial period so you can try before you buy, which is a good idea, allowing you to make sure you are happy with the way they work.
 
A quick internet search will have you tumbling over dozens of them, but these are some we are happy to tell you about:

Dashlane
www.dashlane.com
 
LastPass Premium
www.lastpass.com
 
Sticky
www.stickypassword.com
 
Keeper
www.keepersecurity.com

Free and Paid for Password Managers - written for File Genie by Freelance Writer Ruth Raymer @WritingWalking