1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,319 Speaker 1: Today's tip is not to press your luck when it 4 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: comes to technology. Don't wait for things to fail before 5 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: repairing or replacing them, and make sure that if something 6 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: were to fail, you've got a backup plan in place 7 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: so you can keep moving forward. Long time listeners know 8 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: that I am a pretty frugal person. I finally threw 9 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: away some socks that had holes in them. My car 10 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: is older than three of my kids. I put water 11 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 1: into the soap dispensers to use up the last little bit. 12 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 1: I want my stuff to last, and I like to 13 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: use stuff as long as I can. This is good 14 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: for the pocketbook, good for the environment, and well satisfying 15 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: to avoid waste. So I'm always tempted to just keep 16 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: using my work equipment as long as I can. And 17 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: in general, I have been able to keep using my 18 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: laptops for many years, but I have had some close 19 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: calls and I have begun to suspect that my current 20 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: laptop might be entering the twilight phase of its useful life. 21 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 1: So I am reminding myself that it is important to 22 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: prepare for and budget for this possibility. That's because having 23 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: holes in your socks is one thing, but having an 24 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: important work tool fail is something completely different. I use 25 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: my laptop every day to do my job, to write, 26 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: to record podcasts like this one, to get virtual speaking engagements. 27 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: If my laptop fails, I'm not working. If I do 28 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: the math, I can figure out that I don't need 29 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 1: to miss much work. Before it would have been pennywise 30 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: and pound foolish not to figure something else out. Waiting 31 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 1: for failure is not a wise choice. Of course. That 32 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: doesn't mean you have to immediately go out and buy 33 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: a new laptop or a new phone at the first 34 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: hint of a problem, but it does mean you should 35 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: figure out ways to keep offering your services reliably whatever 36 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 1: does happen, and to make sure that you don't tempt 37 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: fate by saying, hey, the computer usually does come back 38 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: on after I restarted a few times, so it's all good. 39 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: Right for starters, be sure you can depend on your 40 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: system for backing up your files. If your computer fails unexpectedly, 41 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: at least you'll still have your data. You can replace technology, 42 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: but your data might be irreplaceable. Once you know your 43 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: information is safe. Think through what equipment you need to 44 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 1: do your job. Your specific needs may vary, but for 45 00:02:57,160 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: most of us, the computer is the most essential tool. 46 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: If you are self employed and work primarily on your laptop, 47 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: consider what you would do if it were out of 48 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: commission for a half day or a week, Or what 49 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 1: if it took several weeks for a new computer or 50 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: computer part to be delivered. I mean, you might be 51 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: able to just go to the Apple store and get 52 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 1: a new one, but maybe not. So what else have 53 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: you got? In my case, when I did have a 54 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: week long repair in the summer of twenty nineteen, I 55 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: used my family's desktop, the one the kids used for gaming, 56 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 1: to keep writing and sending those word files to people. 57 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: It was definitely not my favorite option, but it worked. 58 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: We also have an iPad that the kids have as 59 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: a backup for virtual learning. I could use that for 60 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: speaking or zoom calls in general. How about you. Do 61 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: you have an old computer you could use? Could you 62 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: borrow a family member's computer? Could you use a tablet 63 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: for some functions? If so, maybe try a test run 64 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: sometime to make sure you're good. Figure out how you'd 65 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: get all your files if your laptop automatically remembers all 66 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: your passwords, and you've forgotten them and don't have them anywhere, Well, 67 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: maybe figure out some way you can access at least 68 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: the major stuff. You can also plan ahead when it 69 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: comes to device life cycle and cost. Figure out how 70 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 1: long the devices you rely on typically last. For instance, 71 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 1: I just googled how long does a MacBook Pro last? 72 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: And I learned that seven years is a reasonable expectation. 73 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,559 Speaker 1: I'm just at five now, but that's closer to seven 74 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 1: than say, two years. If you see that you are 75 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: starting to get close, you can start setting aside money 76 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: now for a replacement, and, just like you would with 77 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: a car, monitor how things seem to be running. If 78 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 1: your laptop and other devices are starting to act buggy, 79 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: don't just shrug it off it. Maybe find you something 80 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 1: like your hair dryer until it gives out before even 81 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 1: considering getting a new one. Because leaving home with wet 82 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: hair on one day is not a big deal, but 83 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 1: having your technology fail when you're on deadline for an 84 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:17,559 Speaker 1: important project kind of is a big deal. So don't 85 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: press your luck. Your clients count on you, and you 86 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: want to be able to count on your tools. So 87 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: back things up, make a backup plan, and take care 88 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: of maintenance. That way, you're more likely to keep emergencies 89 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: at bay. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, 90 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 1: and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 91 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 92 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 93 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod. 94 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 1: That's B the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 95 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 96 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: podcast at iHeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast is 97 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,160 Speaker 1: spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I 98 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a 99 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 1: production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I 100 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 101 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.