Try something new and refresh your technology habits

Started by BrandPoint, May 26, 2013, 03:30 AM

BrandPoint

(BPT) - Are you using the Internet as if it’s still the year 2000? If you answered yes, you’ve got some catching up to do. Technology has come a long way in the last 13 years; new shortcuts, alternative products and simple tools available today can help you accomplish tasks faster – saving you time and increasing your efficiency online.

Many people don’t realize this, but old tech habits can actually create more work for you. There is no better time than the present to refresh your technology habits and try something new. Forty-five percent of people say they feel refreshed when they try something new and appreciate a change of pace, according to a survey by Bing and Impulse Research. The following tips can help motivate you to update the way you use technology.

* Upgrade your search skills. Not every search engine is created equal, with some offering different features and new ways of finding information. Bing provides the best and most comprehensive information from across the Web, your social networks and experts, so you can save time searching and start doing. In fact, in blind tests people prefer Bing over Google for the Web’s top searches.

And, according to a recent online survey by Impulse Research, nearly two thirds of people would rather give up Google than their morning coffee, so making a change is easier than you think. Take a chance this spring and join the nearly 25 million people who have visited the Bing It On Challenge site at bingiton.com and see if you prefer Bing over Google.

* Update the way you get your news. Are you still reading multiple sites every morning, scrolling through each one to find news that is relevant to you? If so, it may be time to ditch the grueling routine and give yourself a technology upgrade. An overwhelming 93 percent of people say they’re open to trying new things occasionally or frequently, survey results found. So tomorrow, try something new and subscribe to an RSS feed to quickly identify the news you care about most without having to sort through all the rest. Whether it’s attending a new fitness class, tasting exotic cuisine or trying a new search engine, change can be exciting and add an element of spontaneity to your life. Now is the perfect time to take a risk, break out of your comfort zone and try something new – you might just surprise yourself.* Refresh your online password(s). Password protection is an important, but often annoying, part of our daily lives. With 12 percent of men saying they would rather sit in traffic than try something new, it’s no surprise many people still use old passwords and the common “1234.” In order to break the bad habit, create a different password for all of your online accounts and store them in a password manager tool. These tools can even help you create passwords that are nearly impossible to crack. Taking a few minutes to try something new can lead to efficiency and better process.By upgrading your Internet habits and trying something new, you may discover happiness and enjoyment you never knew possible - and learn a few new things along the way.