Using digital tools is absolutely essential for doing life admin in today's world, but they are also a major source of life admin too. Every app on your phone or browser has you create a login, set a password or passkey, provide your email, telephone number, and other details. We're constantly managing a growing collection of digital accounts, profiles, and identities across dozens or hundreds of services. This digital footprint—the trail of accounts, data, and activity we leave online—has become both a necessity for modern living and a source of ongoing administrative work.

The challenge is that much like physical possessions that require maintenance and organization, our digital lives require upkeep too. But unlike physical clutter that we can see piling up, digital disorder often stays hidden until something goes wrong: a forgotten password when you urgently need access, a compromised account that leads to fraud, or personal information that ends up in unexpected places online.

A few examples of the life admin of a digital footprint from my interactions in life.

• A woman in her 60s I know recently had her email account compromised. Because she used the same password across multiple services, the attackers gained access to her online shopping accounts and made unauthorized purchases. She spent weeks dealing with fraud claims and updating dozens of passwords. And at the end of it, she didn't feel any safer.
• A 20-something professional long put off updating his computer and phone software because it seems inconvenient. One day, his laptop became infected with ransomware through an unpatched vulnerability, leaving him unable to access important work documents.
• A couple sharing streaming services, online shopping accounts, and a joint bank account struggle to manage their shared digital life. When one person changes a password for security reasons, the other loses access, leading to frustration and repeated account recovery processes.

Most people underestimate how large their digital footprint is. Many people have more than 100 digital accounts associated to your email address. These accounts span across:

• Essential services (banking, healthcare, government)
• Work-related platforms
• Social media and communication
• Entertainment and shopping

What this wide footprint does is put a piece of your digital identity across many places. From a risk perspective, each of these accounts represents a potential point of vulnerability. The Identity Theft Resource Center reports that in 2023, over 300 million individuals were affected by data breaches in the U.S. alone. At this point, it's not a question of if your data will be exposed, it's whether some bad actor will choose to act on your identity information in some way and whether you'll have a form of protection that blocks them.

The trouble with this from the perspective of life admin is that the inevitability also makes it feel less urgent to do something about it. In general, when it comes to your digital footprint, you sometimes need to invent a reason to get things done. To be honest, that's often the function of Wayshaping's 1:1 sessions.

The hidden costs of digital convenience are high

From where I've always understood, the promise of digital services was that they make life easier—and in many ways, they do. But over time, I think we've all learned that the convenience also comes with hidden costs:

Time Costs

Survey research from insights firm Forrester estimates that the average professional spends about 11 hours per year just on password-related activities. This includes:

• Resetting forgotten passwords
• Creating new accounts
• Dealing with two-factor authentication
• Managing password recovery methods

And their study doesn't even mention the work required to get a password manager and authentication tool set up, which is the primary set of standards to decrease this time.

If you talk to many service professionals, from financial advisors to customer service reps, they report that a major impediment to helping their clients is just logging into apps effectively.

Cognitive Load

Beyond the direct time costs, there's significant mental overhead in:

• Remembering which services you've signed up for
• Keeping track of which credit cards are stored where
• Managing subscription renewals
• Deciding which apps get access to your data
• Determining which security alerts deserve attention

Financial Risks

The Federal Trade Commission reported in early 2024 that the median loss from identity theft in 2023 was $500, but for some victims, the costs ran into thousands of dollars. Even when financial institutions cover fraud losses, victims spend an average of 7 hours per incident resolving the issues.

Building Sustainable Digital Security Practices

The key to managing your digital footprint effectively is building sustainable practices that you'll actually maintain. Here's a framework for thinking about it:

1. Centralize Your Digital Identity

• Use a password manager to store and generate secure passwords
• Establish a primary email address for important accounts
• Keep a running inventory of your digital accounts

2. Create Security Layers

• Enable two-factor authentication for critical accounts
• Use biometric authentication where available
• Separate high-security accounts (banking) from casual ones (shopping)

3. Automate What You Can

• Set up automatic software updates
• Use automatic payment methods for trusted services
• Enable security alerts for important accounts

4. Regular Maintenance

Just like you might do a spring cleaning of your home, schedule regular digital maintenance:

• Quarterly review of active subscriptions
• Annual password updates for critical accounts
• Regular deletion of unused accounts
• Periodic review of privacy settings

Making Digital Life Admin Work For You

The goal isn't to achieve perfect digital security—that's impossible. Instead, aim for a sustainable approach that protects what matters most while fitting into your life. Here are some practical steps:

Start with What Matters Most

• Focus first on financial accounts
• Protect your email account(s)
• Secure your phone and computer
• Then gradually expand to other services

Use Technology to Your Advantage

Modern tools can significantly reduce the burden of digital life admin:

• Password managers can auto-fill credentials
• Email aliases can help manage spam
• Security apps can monitor for breaches
• Digital wallets can secure payment information

Build Family Practices

If you share accounts with family members:

• Create a shared password manager
• Document important account information
• Establish clear procedures for account recovery
• Teach children about digital safety early

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Your digital footprint is now an integral part of your identity, as important to protect as your physical wallet or house keys. While it requires ongoing attention, the right practices can minimize the time and stress involved in managing it.

Think of digital security not as an extra burden but as an investment in your future peace of mind. The time you spend now on proper digital life admin is likely to save you many hours of crisis management later.

Remember: You can't eliminate all digital risks, but you can make them manageable. The key is finding a sustainable approach that works for your lifestyle while providing meaningful protection for your digital life.