It can be a big pain-saver to be aware of typical problems and consequences of inadequate, outdated or improperly managed IT for your computer work, and to be informed about affordable solutions. Ideally-functioning updated computer technology can help people be more productive and deliver better quality.
Many people plan their days well and follow through on their time-management strategies. They have adequate systems for handling visitors, phone calls and other interruptions, and putting out the daily fires. They’re entirely focused on their core goals and activities and know how to maximize their efficiency. But, for some, upgrading their technology is last on their list of plans for optimizing their performance. As a result, their work is slower than it could be, and they’re more likely to experience frequent downtime incidents, missed deadlines, broken promises and lost data.
Trying to Work with Bad Technology
These days, for many of us, our success depends on having a laptop or a PC that is functioning correctly. We have to be able to access and work with our data. We can’t be our most productive if our technology isn’t’ up to the task. Old hardware that runs slowly or obsolete software can frustrate our best efforts and severely weaken our productivity. How can we minimize this problem?
If you find your performance suffering due to IT problems, the only solution is, of course, to upgrade your technology so that your equipment and systems are performing at the level necessary for you to effectively manage your productivity. New technology is an investment in faster work processes that allow you to get more done and be more reliable while maintaining your high quality.
How Can a Computer Problem Hurt Your Performance?
Even though we can make up for the lost time when an IT issue stops our work, we can’t regain those hours lost during computer downtime. Downtime can result in missing critical delivery deadlines, which can lead to dissatisfied employers, clients, and coworkers.
Computer downtime can negatively impact your ability to get work done even after your system has been restored and is back up and running. That’s because it can take some time to get back fully to performing at the same level of focus and speed as before the downtime event occurred. At least one study as reportedly shown that, following an incidence of downtime, people work for a period at only about 70% of their regular level of performance.
The interruption of your concentration can wreck your focus, triggering additional stress for you and for everyone who is affected by the impact on your performance.
What Are The Most Frequent Causes of Computer Downtime?
Hardware breakdown, software failure, and human error lead the list of the common causes of computer-related downtime.
- Computer hardware problems account for over half of all downtime incidents.
- Human error is responsible for nearly a fourth of downtime events. (Including incidents like inadvertently deleting a needed folder or data file).
- Software failure causes most of the remaining quarter of downtime occurrences. (Including problems with unreliable or glitchy patches, issues with system upgrades and updates, viruses, malware, etc.).
How Can I Reduce My Risk of Down Time From IT Issues?
All hardware eventually needs repair or replacement. To minimize the likelihood of finding your performance level negatively impacted due to computer breakdown, use the newest and best quality of equipment that your budget allows. Even with more modern equipment, you should guard against unforeseeable problems by preparing in advance for potential downtime occurrences.
- Keep spare hardware readily available, a spare PC or laptop. Even having a replacement keyboard and mouse on hand can help prevent disruptions that can severely impact productivity.
- Hard drive failure can have an especially damaging impact on your productivity. Hard drives sometimes fail gradually, with more and more defects appearing over time. Or, a breakdown can happen suddenly. Keeping a spare hard drive, or pro-actively replace an aging hard drive.
Avoiding Software Issues That Can Negatively Impact Productivity
Issues with updates and upgrades can cause conflicts between software programs. Compatibility issues with your existing software applications can result from bugs that are sometimes not yet discovered and resolved in new versions of operating systems at the time they’re released to the public.
These software issues are another typical cause of downtime, and can severely impact your performance. Before you accept version upgrades for your primary operating system, consider whether or not it’s necessary and worth it for you at that time.
Check to ensure that the new software version already contains critical security patches. If it doesn’t, you may be better off waiting for the first updated version of the newly released OS to become available.
Note: It can be helpful to check online and with your peers for performance reviews of the kind of software upgrade you’re considering before you decide to use it.
Protecting Your Performance By Protecting Your Data
Access to data is the first essential for maintaining performance. If data get deleted or become damaged, serious productivity problems can result. Archived data files don’t often change. But those that have not yet been relegated to archives need to be frequently backed up, especially if they’re regularly updated.
- Confirm that your prescribed process for data backup and recovery work.
- Frequently backup your files on another machine or external drives, to protect yourself from devastating significant losses of data. (Flash drives are a handy data backup storage solution. However, their tiny size increases the risk of misplacing them.)
How to Protect Your Computer Against Malware
Malware presents a looming threat to data security for computer users these days. Just avoiding clicking on the wrong links and adhering to other security practices can only go so far to protect a computer user from cyber-predators.
- Update your anti-virus software, and ensure that it is routinely scanning your system.
- Ensure that your system’s firewall is securely maintained.
- Make sure that software patches issued to correct security gaps are promptly applied to your web browser, web server, email, operating system and other software.Configure your operating system, if possible, to install patch updates automatically, outside of your computer work hours, to prevent losing any of your work time while updates are installing.
How To Avoid Computer-Related Health Effects That Can Reduce Performance
These are just a few of the most basic and essential measures you can take to improve your performance and reduce your risk of developing computer-related adverse health effects.
- Mouse — Use a smaller mouse, to reduce strain on tendons from gripping with the hand.
- Keyboard — Use a keyboard with keys set to a touch pressure that is comfortable. Position your keyboard at a height and angle that is recommended to reduce strain on shoulder, elbow, wrist joints and metacarpals.
- Monitor — Position your monitor at the recommended height for your eye level. Set the frequency high enough to prevent flickering. Set the luminosity to a level consistent with your room lighting. (Try the f.lux free downloadable app. It auto-adjusts your screen fluorescence with the changing time of day and night.) Replace an old or undersized monitor that you must strain to see.
How Can Computer Downtime Help Your Productivity?
Yes, IT-related downtime has an immediate adverse effect on productivity. On the other hand, some of that time can be used to help significantly improve your performance over the longer term. Using the forced downtime to take the necessary actions to avoid similar incidents in the future turns the experience into a significant opportunity. Take that time to assess the causes of the downtime and solutions to reduce the risk of recurrence:
- Is your computer hardware outdated and unreliable?
- Are your software updates resulting in incompatibility issues?
- Have you been losing data and unable to fully restore it?
- Do you have spare hardware?
- Do you have a complete, up-to-date data backup?
Today’s Technology Options
Bringing your technology up to date can do wonders for your productivity and efficiency. Using high-quality equipment and software gives you more power and greater agility to do your work with optimum focus and speed freely. Modern Cloud solutions, such as Microsoft Office 365 empower home businesses with enterprise level IT capabilities, and they’re affordable.
It’s not surprising that small businesses leveraging modern information technology are shown to grow their revenues and profits at significantly faster rates than those using outdated IT tools.
ACT Network Solutions, Chicago IL
Having updated and adequately maintained hardware, software and network are all critical for optimum performance. Having readily available and effective IT support is also essential for helping ensure your optimum performance and protecting against common issues that can severely impact your productivity.
For more information about obtaining proper IT support, contact ACT anytime at (847) 639-7000, to arrange to speak with one of our friendly IT Support Specialists. Or, visit our website for a lot of useful general information about ACT computer services in Chicago.
