How many hours of your life have you wasted resetting your passwords?

Do you ever feel you’re wasting too much of your time dealing with password reset? Are you constantly trying to think of creative passwords that can be easily remembered and protect your accounts from being hacked? Are the days of writing down passwords a thing of the past? If this sounds familiar, read on as we explore how much time is spent resetting forgotten or insecure passwords.

Why do people forget passwords?

With the increase in digital devices and technology, many people now rely heavily on passwords to access their personal information. Unfortunately, this reliance also means that forgetting passwords has become commonplace. 

Unfortunately, a new Rasmussen poll shows that many individuals need to take precautions seriously. Incredibly, over half of those polled had experienced a phishing attack in their personal life, and 44% had had one at work. Even worse, 57% of those who had faced a phishing attack did not alter their password security behaviors afterward. 

It is clear that more needs to be done to educate users about the importance of keeping passwords secure and always looking out for potential scams or threats. Doing so will help protect us from further cyber-attacks.

A new report published on Tuesday stated that the average person loses almost 11 hours every year resetting passwords. That’s an astounding number of hours if you think about it.

People may get overwhelmed with multiple accounts, different characters, and special rules, leading to password fatigue and forgotten passwords. 

Additionally, people often choose easy-to-remember passwords, but unfortunately, they are also easy to hack, making it difficult to remember and access our accounts. All of these contributing factors make forgetting passwords a widespread issue that needs to be addressed.

How much time do people spend on restarting passwords?

Everyone has likely experienced the frustration of forgetting a password at least once. Unfortunately, as technology requiring logging in becomes increasingly prevalent daily, the time people spend resetting passwords adds up. 

Individuals spend three minutes and 46 seconds doing this task each time they forget a password. 

A survey across four countries revealed that forgetting login passwords for online banking is a common problem, accounting for close to 30% of the respondents. That figure is higher than those who find it difficult to remember passwords for social media (24%), online shopping (16%), utility sites and apps (9%), and online gaming (8%).

It’s no surprise that so many people struggle to stay on top of their digital identities in this age, with practically every service requiring users to create an account and develop secure passwords. Fortunately, some solutions can make the process much simpler and safer.

How to keep track of passwords easily?

Here are some easy ways to keep track of forgotten passwords:

Use a Password Manager

One of the best ways to keep track of your passwords is to use a password manager. A password manager is a software application that helps you to store and securely organize your passwords. Many password managers also include features such as two-factor authentication and password generation, which can help to improve the security of your online accounts further.

These managers provide secure encryption and allow users only to remember a single primary password that will give access to all other passwords stored within them. Besides added security, the convenience of having all your necessary logins automatically prefilled makes using a password manager all the more appealing. 

Rather than spending extra time trying to remember all your different passwords, the ease and security provided by password managers is the most efficient and intelligent way to go.

Use a Secure Browser Extension

Browser extensions are small software that can be added to your web browser to add new features or functionality. For example, many different password management extensions are available for all major web browsers, and they can be a great way to store and organize your passwords securely.

Use a Physical Password Log

You can always opt for a physical password log if you prefer not to use a digital solution for keeping track of your passwords. This is simply a notebook or journal in which you write down your passwords and store in a safe location. Be warned, there is a risk that it may be forgotten or stolen with no means of recovery – apart from your memory. 

All in All

In today’s digital world, we are constantly inundated with passwords. Every day, a new website or app requires us to create yet another password. This can be frustrating, especially when we need to remember and reset our forgotten passwords. While it may seem like a waste of time, resetting your passwords is crucial for protecting your online accounts. 

While following these simple tips and using a password manager, you can make sure that your passwords are strong and secure to avoid the frustration of having to reset them.