All posts by Type B Consulting

It’s not unusual to change a mobile number from time to time. For example, when you move, you may want a number that is local to the area you just moved to. Companies also may end up recycling mobile numbers throughout their staff as people come and go.

If you don’t properly detach your mobile phone number from all the accounts it’s used with, you can leave yourself open to identity theft, credit card fraud, and other crimes.

In a 2021 Princeton University study, it was found that 66% of mobile numbers listed as available by major mobile service providers were still connected to accounts on popular sites (Amazon, PayPal, etc.). 

So, after the former owners had turned in the number, it was available for someone else to use when signing up for mobile service. And that number was still being used on the former owner’s cloud accounts, allowing those accounts to easily be breached.

Because our mobile numbers are connected to much of our online and offline life, it’s important to take certain steps to ensure that you don’t leave yourself at risk when recycling your phone number.

Change Your Phone Number for Online Accounts

We all generally have more online accounts than we immediately remember. The average person must juggle 100 passwords, and most of those passwords will be to a website or cloud app service of some kind.

The first thing you want to do is begin visiting your online accounts and cloud applications to update your mobile phone number. Many of these apps now use a text message to your number as a form of verification if you’ve lost your password.

You want to ensure any password reset messages go to you and not someone that has requested your old number for the express purpose of identity theft or account compromise.

Change Your Number for Social Media Accounts

Technically, a social media account is also an online account, but many people think of them as a separate entity. When a Facebook or LinkedIn account is compromised, the hacker often will send social phishing messages out to your friend connections to try to gain access to sensitive data or scam them out of money.

Make sure to change the phone number listed in your social media accounts. If you are using WhatsApp, which is tied directly to your mobile number, make sure to follow their instructions on changing your number so your communications will remain secure.

Change Your Phone Number for Service Providers That Send You Texts

Text messaging is beginning to replace email for many types of communications. This includes things like shipping notices, confirmations of payments from utility companies, appointment reminders, and sale notices from retailers.

This puts you more at risk if you change your mobile number because the texts you receive from various service providers can be used for identity theft.

Make sure to connect with any services you use that contact you by calling or texting your mobile number to update your information. These offline services could be a:

• Plumbing or HVAC company
• Dentist or doctor’s office
• Pharmacy
• Local retailer
• Utility company

Double Check All Your Multi-Factor Authentication Prompts

One of the big dangers of having a stranger able to receive your text messages is that they could have access to your codes for multi-factor authentication (MFA).

MFA is designed as a safeguard to help prevent an account breach, even if the perpetrator has your username and password. But if the criminal gets the MFA codes sent to your old number, they can easily get in and change your password, locking you out of your own account.

As you go through the process to update your mobile number in your online accounts, double-check the MFA prompt for any that use this form of authentication security. You want to make sure it’s been properly changed to send a message to your new number.

Review Your Text Message History for Anything You’ve Missed

Inevitably, there will be online accounts or service providers that you’ve missed. For example, that place you always order flowers for on a loved one’s birthday every year but never visit at other times.

Scroll through your text message history to find any other accounts that you may have forgotten to update.

Text Friends, Family & Colleagues from the New Number

Once your online security is taken care of, you want to stop friends, family, and colleagues from accidentally texting your old number. This can happen in both one-on-one and group SMS chats.

Send a text message from your new number asking them to immediately update your contact with that number when they receive it. Then go the additional step by asking them to delete any messages that used your old phone number. This can help prevent them from accidentally grabbing that message instead of your new one when texting you in the future.

How Secure Is Your Mobile Device?

Mobile devices are increasingly being attacked by malware and phishing. Is your device properly secured? Don’t leave yourself at risk, request a mobile security check to protect your personal data and identity.

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Featured Image Credit

This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.

Low productivity can be a massive obstacle to growing your business. Luckily, there are many ways to solve this problem.

Many people struggle to finish the task at hand. No matter how long they’ve been in the business, productivity seems to evade them regularly. 

And this probably happens to you, too, even if you’re an experienced business owner. 

Your to-do list is long… but you can’t focus when you try to get down to work. 

You try to concentrate… but you can’t make any headway. 

You might have been doing something all day… but none of your tasks are finished. 

Simply put, you’ve been busy but not productive. 

Luckily, there are many methods to get out of the slump. You need to work on your productivity, and this article will provide some of the best ways to do so. 

7 Methods to Boost Productivity 

Method #1. Improve Your Focus

When you have many obligations, you can easily get overwhelmed by the sheer number. As a result, you end up sitting idle and unable to do anything. 

Instead of tackling many things at once, choose the most important task. Hone in on it, and don’t let anything else distract you. Your mission should be to complete the job to make your day successful. 

Once it’s out of the way, you’ll get a powerful sense of accomplishment that will drive you to keep going. 

Method #2. Don’t Forget the Importance of Good Sleep

One of the main reasons affecting your productivity is a potential lack of sleep. Working while feeling sleepy is counterproductive, and the only way to combat it is through this:

Get some sleep. 

Experts recommend getting at least seven hours of sleep every night to improve workplace productivity. It lets you wake up fresh and ready to take on your office assignments. 

Furthermore, avoid going to work as soon as you get out of bed. Prepare yourself mentally for about half an hour before starting your workday. 

You should also figure out your ideal bedtime. Most people go to sleep early and wake up early, but that may not be effective for you. You’ll need to determine the most suitable timing. 

Method #3. Give Intelligent Planning a Shot 

Intelligent planning teaches you how to boost productivity by enhancing your time management. Research suggests your working intervals shouldn’t last more than 1.5 hours. Rest periods should be distributed between, allowing you to recharge your batteries. 

That said, trying to leave work early might be tempting, but it’s usually counterproductive. You skip your rest time, and job quality plummets. 

To remain productive and focused throughout the day, clear your mind by doing exercises. They can improve your performance while benefiting your mental and physical health massively. 

Some of your best options include yoga and a short gym session. They help reset your brain and fill you with positive energy to help you handle the rest of your workload. 

Method #4. Get Rid of Distractions

Another great way to increase productivity is to weed out distractions, such as chatting with your team members and surfing the web. The urge might be strong, but you’ll need to resist it to enhance your workplace efficiency. 

To do so, turn off computer and smartphone notifications. You may still encounter some interruptions, but they won’t be caused by social media or other trifles. 

Method #5. Do the Most Challenging Tasks First

Most productive days start by taking care of the most difficult task first. 

You’re at your best in the morning, which is the perfect time to address the biggest problem for the day. It’s during this period where your mental energy surges and you’re more likely to produce innovative ideas to solve tough challenges. 

After tackling the most complex tasks, the rest of the day will be much easier. You’ll be left with routine activities (e.g., checking and answering emails) that require no creative efforts. 

Method #6. Don’t Work Without a Break

This might sound counterproductive, but you need to take breaks during your workday. Remember, you’re not a machine that can work non-stop and produce impressive results. And if you try to be like one, your productivity is bound to plunge. 

To avoid mental exhaustion and productivity lapses, get up from the desk and stop working for a couple of minutes. 

As previously mentioned, you can perform a few exercises to refresh your energy. Another option is to have a cup of coffee or go for a walk. You should return more focused and ready to complete your tasks. 

But don’t go overboard with your breaks. Try to limit them to about 30 minutes and avoid watching YouTube or going to entertaining websites. It can lead to further procrastination and less productivity. 

Method #7. Learn to Delegate

Everyone needs help, even the most skilled business owner. 

So, delegating your assignments should be a staple of your workday, as it helps you save time and remain productive. Best of all, it allows you to focus on complex duties that can make or break your business. 

The easiest way to delegate duties is to assign them to trustworthy team members. 

After entrusting your responsibilities, don’t supervise your workers closely. Otherwise, you may start micromanaging them, which may cripple their motivation and confidence. 

Instead, provide your employees with all resources necessary to complete the task and let them work in peace. If possible, teach them how to automate the assignment using modern technology. 

Again, this can help take your productivity to new heights by enabling you to deal with essential duties only. 

Don’t Let Your Workplace Performance Suffer 

Running a company is satisfying, but you need to perform consistently to obtain the best results. Hence, your productivity should remain high, and we’ve given you the seven best ways to increase it. 

The key takeaway is to eliminate distractions, take appropriate breaks, and tackle the most daunting tasks early. Don’t forget to allocate some of your workload to your team members and get a good night’s sleep to keep a sharp focus. 

For more tips on staying productive in your office, contact us today. Let’s arrange a 10-15 non-salesy chat to figure out the biggest productivity challenges your business faces and how to overcome them. 

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Featured Image Credit

This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.

Getting used to Windows 11 shouldn’t be too challenging. On the contrary, the OS comes with several intuitive features to enhance productivity.

Microsoft recently introduced Windows 11 as the company’s latest operating system. And compared to Windows 10, this OS has various features that can increase your productivity and provide a better user experience. 

As soon as you start using Windows 11, you’ll see a marked improvement over its predecessors. 

For example, it has refined several household features, such as video conferencing and video management. You also get enhanced note-taking, data input, and a user-friendly interface that should help you complete your duties more efficiently. 

Many other features can help boost your productivity, and this article will talk about them in detail. We’ll also look at some features Microsoft didn’t include in the new version. 

Windows 11 – What’s New?

Feature #1. New Taskbar

Previous Windows versions feature an iconic taskbar, but it can sometimes get clunky. Windows 11 deals with the cruft and provides a streamlined solution. 

The new taskbar is perfect for expediting work, as it can contain a list of recent cloud and local files. You can also pin various apps to improve access and utilize a search bar that allows for convenient web browsing. 

Another highlight of the taskbar is clean lines and widgets that display essential information (e.g., weather, photos, and news). 

This should be a tremendous upgrade from the busy display of Windows 10. 

Feature #2. Windows Grouping and Snapping

The enhanced Snap Group and Snap Layout features allow you to resize and manage windows more easily. You also get to keep essential apps grouped to maintain high productivity. 

Using the features is relatively straightforward: Just hover the mouse over the maximize button on the desired app to reveal your layout options. You can choose between several arrangements, such as four-app grids and side-by-side layouts. 

And if your team needs to perform basic window management, they can still grab and pull windows to the edge of their screen. 

This feature improves desktop organization, which is especially useful for people working with two or more monitors. They can reduce clutter rapidly, enabling them to focus on their tasks. 

Feature #3. Improved Accessibility Options

Windows 11 follows in the footsteps of many smartphones to simplify setting changes and make them easily accessible. Pulling up your control panel now only requires one tap or click in the taskbar coroner, replicating Apple’s Control Centre. 

Furthermore, Windows 11 apps feature aesthetic, curved corners, and your Settings incorporate more options you can tweak. For instance, blind or vision impaired users can take advantage of cutting-edge audio cues. There are also desktop themes to help reduce eye strain, which is essential if you work long hours. 

On top of that, the new operating system has revamped voice typing. You can activate this with a simple keyboard shortcut. This feature supports most major languages, including English, German, Italian, French, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, and Portuguese. 

Windows 11’s better accessibility means your team will no longer have to keep relying on your IT service provider to set things up for them.

Feature #4. Better App Store 

Many apps can enhance workplace productivity, but you’ll first need to find them on your PC’s app store. Fortunately, Windows 11 came up with an organized and coherent platform to make the search easier. 

Besides universal apps, you can check out the applications compatible with your devices. The platform can also handle programs from third-party stores and manage app installation on the internet. 

Feature #5. Smooth Notetaking

If you’re using a touchscreen device, taking notes in Windows 11 should now be highly satisfying. This feature offers haptic feedback to generate physical sensations when drawing lines on the screen or checking boxes with your pen. 

Moreover, the Ink Workspace allows you to add preferred apps instead of using the standard snipping tool and Whiteboard. It gives you easy access to creativity tools the moment you pull out your pen. 

Which Features Were Left Behind?

Overall, Windows 11 should work great for your business. But bear in mind that Microsoft left out some features that were a staple in previous versions: 

Excluded Feature #1. Taskbar Customisation

Windows 10 users can move their taskbar from the horizontal position to the left, right, or upper part of their screen. In contrast, the Windows 11 taskbar is fixed at the bottom of the display, and you can’t customize the dimensions. 

The taskbar customization feature would have been helpful because it would let you use space more efficiently. 

Another significant change is that you can no longer move the Time and Date on your taskbar. Windows 10 didn’t have this problem since you could toggle off the Clock feature in your Settings. 

The default taskbar layout might be fine, but some users prefer higher customizability than what Windows 11 offers. 

Excluded Feature #2. Drag-and-Drop Features

Windows 10 and some earlier versions allowed you to drag several items to change their position. For example, you could drag a Word document onto your Word icon on the taskbar to open it. 

This function is disabled in Windows 11. There’s no way to drag and drop or save any program or file onto your taskbar. 

Excluded Feature #3. Cortana

Cortana is a voice assistant counterpart of Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. Many people are used to it and may be disappointed to hear that it’s not a part of the Windows 11 system setup. You can’t even locate it in your start menu. 

The good news is that the Cortana application can still be found – it’s just hidden away. And you can enable it by visiting Settings and navigating to Apps & Features.

A Wise Investment

While Windows 11 isn’t perfect since it removed many valuable features, it’s still an excellent platform to help increase your productivity.

 Whether you need to organize your desktop more conveniently or take enjoyable notes, the OS won’t let you down. Plus, you get a revamped taskbar and powerful Voice Typing compatible with most major languages. 

Overall, Windows 11 can be a terrific asset for your business.

If you want to find out more about incorporating this new OS to boost productivity in your organization, contact us today. We can have a 10-15-minute chat to help you address key productivity issues in your company with the help of Windows 11. 

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Featured Image Credit

This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.