How to compute better
Small habits that compound: security, speed, and sanity for your digital life.
- 01
Use a password manager
One strong master password; unique random passwords everywhere else. This single habit kills most account takeovers.
- 02
Turn on two-factor authentication
Prefer an authenticator app or hardware key over SMS. Start with email and bank — whoever owns your inbox owns everything.
- 03
Keep everything updated
OS, browser, router. Most real-world attacks exploit bugs that were already patched.
- 04
Back up 3-2-1
Three copies, two different media, one off-site. A backup you have never restored is a hope, not a backup.
- 05
Block ads and trackers
A content blocker makes the web faster, quieter, and safer at the same time. uBlock Origin is enough.
- 06
Encrypt your disk
FileVault / BitLocker / LUKS. If the laptop is lost, only the hardware is.
- 07
Learn your keyboard
Every mouse trip has a shortcut. Ten shortcuts learned well save hours every month.
- 08
Separate work and life in the browser
Profiles keep logins, cookies, and distractions apart — and make you harder to track across contexts.
- 09
Own your files in open formats
Markdown, JPEG, PDF, CSV. Anything locked in a proprietary app is one shutdown away from disappearing.
- 10
Automate the boring parts
If you did it three times the same way, script it. Computers exist to repeat things — let them.