It happens to the best of us.
You sit down to pay a bill or buy concert tickets. You type in your usual password. The screen shakes. Incorrect Password.
Okay, fine. You probably capitalized the first letter. You try again. Incorrect Password.
Now you are sweating. You try your “backup” password (the one with the exclamation point). Account Locked. Please try again in 30 minutes.
Welcome to Password Purgatory. It is a special kind of hell. You spend 20 minutes proving to a robot that you are real.
We need to talk about why this is driving us all crazy.
The “New Password” Paradox
The most infuriating part isn’t forgetting the password. It is what happens when you try to reset it.
First, you click ‘Forgot Password.’ Next, you wait for the email. Finally, you click the link. You type in a brilliant new password. And then you see the message that makes you want to throw your computer out the window:
“New password cannot be the same as your old password.”
So, I did know the password! I typed it in correctly, and you told me it was wrong, but now you are telling me I can’t use it because it’s already my password?
If this makes you want to scream, you are not alone. This is what experts call “Security Fatigue,” and it is exhausting.
3 Ways to Stop the Madness
We cannot escape passwords, but we can stop letting them ruin our day. Here are three strategies for people who just want to log in and get on with their lives.
1. The “Analog” Backup
Tech experts will tell you never to write passwords down. Tech experts are wrong.
Are you a secret agent? Probably not. So, the safest place for your passwords is a physical notebook. Please keep it in your desk drawer. Remember, hackers cannot hack paper.
Get a small notebook. Write them down. Hide it in a drawer. The next time your brain goes blank, you have a physical backup.
2. The “Core + Variation” Trick
Stop trying to memorize 50 different random words. Instead, pick one “Core Password” and add a “Variation” to the end based on the website.
For example, if your Core is “BluePizza99”, then:
- Your Facebook login is: BluePizza99!Face
- Your Amazon login is: BluePizza99!Amz
- Your Netflix login is: BluePizza99!Net
You only have to remember the one Core, and the rest is logic.
3. Just Embrace the “Guest Checkout”
Do you really need an account for that online store you will only visit once? No.
Whenever possible, click “Check Out as Guest.” Do not create an account. Do not save your info. It is one less password to forget later. Protect your mental space.
Conclusion
Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, but sometimes it feels like a pop quiz we didn’t study for.
Be kind to yourself. You have a million things on your mind, so it is okay if you can’t remember the login for a website you haven’t visited since 2018. Take a deep breath, click the reset link, and write it down this time.
Tell me in the comments: What is your most hated tech struggle? Is it passwords, printers, or when the Wi-Fi stops working for no reason?
