Want to save yourself some time? Start using LastPass!

Working online is incredibly convenient. But trying to remember password after password can be time consuming, and just …

Picture this:  you’re at your computer or on your laptop or any other device of choice. You are on a deadline, you need to log into a certain website, and you can’t remember your password.  You THINK it is xyz123… but when you try to enter it that doesn’t work. So then you have to go through the hassle of resetting the password. That is NOT time well spent.

Or this: You’re in the middle of a project and your creative juices are flowing. Things are going great when you realize that there is just one thing you need… from another website. So, you go that other website and try to quickly log in, but you can’t remember the password. You know you wrote it down… somewhere.  And the next 20 minutes are spent looking through scraps of paper for that secure password you made specifically for this website.  By the time you find the password, your creative juices have stopped flowing. Meh.

It doesn’t have to be this way.  Stop the struggle. The biggest time-saving tool I use in my business is LastPass.

WHAT IS LASTPASS?

LastPass is an online password manager that securely stores the passwords for all your websites.  You can also use it to generate strong passwords, securely store information, and share access to your websites with your collaborators.

WHY DO YOU NEED IT?

Gone are the days of using the same 6 letter password for every website you visit. For security purposes,  you should use strong passwords with at least 8 characters. These include upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters.  Each website should have its own password.  

SPECIAL FEATURES?

Password Generator. Lastpass generates strong passwords for you, from 4 characters up to 100 characters long. You can choose to make the password pronounceable, whether you want upper or lowercase letters, numbers, or special characters, the minimum number of numbers you want in the password, and more.  

Password Sharing. You can share access to your websites with your collaborators or assistants, and other people can share theirs with you. This feature allows the work to get done, and keeps everyone honest. I think it’s a great security feature.

Browser Extension. This is where the magic happens.  With the LastPass Extension installed in your browser, you will know if the website you’re visiting has a stored password.   And if you have more than one password stored (one of you, one for your client, one with a collaborator) you can easily choose which login you want to use at that time.

Secure Notes. This feature allows you to enter other information that you want stored securely.  From random notes, to addresses, email account info, membership info, and much more.  If those pieces of information are hard for you to keep organized, I definitely recommend that you use this feature.

WHAT DOES IT COST?

LastPass is FREE!

There is also a Premium Plan for $2 a month and a Family plan for $6 a month (billed annually).

I recommend starting with the free plan, getting used to the features offered, and if you feel you need more, look into the other plans. They are certainly affordable and well worth the price.

WHY I LOVE IT

Out of all the tools I use in my business, LastPass is my favorite. It saves me SO MUCH TIME.  Before I found LastPass, I had quite a “password journey.”

For years, I used the same password on every. Single. Website. [gasp! It makes me cringe to think of it.]  

Then I had a spiral bound pad of 3×5 notecards. I’d just write down the website and password as I created them. It got out of hand rather quickly. I was constantly flipping through the cards trying to find the password. And I didn’t always write down the user name, so that became too much of a headache.  

THEN I bought a notebook specifically designed to keep websites, usernames and passwords listed. Everything was in alphabetical order, which was helpful, but…it still took more time than I wanted. And I didn’t ALWAYS write down the passwords.

(You know..the course that you sign up for at 10:30 at night… OF COURSE you’ll remember that very strong password you just made up randomly… you don’t need to write that down.  WRONG!)

Then I found LastPass.  

It takes me SECONDS to log into each website I use.

I can share passwords with collaborators.

As a Virtual Assistant, it is important for me to be able to access my client’s websites, apps, and software at any time. With LastPass, they can share access with me to any site they use… without actually giving me the password. I love the added security of that feature. I don’t have to remember their usernames or passwords, and I don’t have to remember their web addresses. They are all stored within LastPass.  

I can create folders, and categories, and organize the websites in the way that I see fit.  

LastPass is the hub of my business. I don’t have to think about what website I’m going to or what the password is. LastPass does the thinking for me, keeps things secure and saves me time.

I’d like to help you save some time as well, so I’ve created Getting Started With LastPass – The Quick Start Guide.

In the guide, I’ll show you how to:

• Set up your free LastPass account
• Install the LastPass web browser extension
• Add your websites and online software to your LastPass Vault
• Share access to your sites with your collaborators
• Create and organize folders within your LastPass Vault

Ready to get started with LastPass?

Sign up for The Entrepreneur’s Toolbox, my free resource hub. It’s full of time saving resources, such as Getting Started with Last Pass – The Quick Start Guide.