Rick's Daily Tips

Finding synergy in a high-output home office

Posted on February 20, 2026

In the modern freelance economy, your home office is no longer a secondary workspace; it is the command center of your professional life.

As a virtual assistant and writer navigating the complexities of 2026, I have learned that productivity is not merely a byproduct of discipline and software—it is deeply rooted in the physical infrastructure of our environment.

The transition from a “makeshift” setup to a professional-grade office is a milestone every freelancer must face. However, the most effective approach isn’t just about buying a better chair or a larger desk in isolation. It is about understanding the synergy between your tools. [Read more…]

Q&A: Are SSDs just as reliable as hard drives?

Posted on February 19, 2026

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Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Wesley: Hi, Rick. I hope you’re doing well.

I recently read that you can speed up your computer by replacing the hard drive with a much faster solid state drive (SSD).

I’m leaning towards doing this but I have one concern that’s holding me back.

I’m worried that an SSD might not be as reliable as a hard drive, and I really can’t afford to lose my files if it were to crash on me.

What’s your opinion on this? Are SSDs as reliable as hard drives? [Read more…]

Scam alert: Beware emails that link to a login page

Posted on February 18, 2026

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If you ever get an email that appears to be from your bank or some other online service saying you need to click a link in the email to log in to your account and update your personal information, don’t do it.

These types of emails are almost always fakes. And even the rare few that are legitimate should never be trusted.

ALL such emails should be assumed to be malicious, regardless of how authentic-looking they are. [Read more…]

Scam alert: Beware this dangerous ‘CVS Gift Card’ scam

Posted on February 17, 2026

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As you probably know, scammers love to target the customers of popular retail establishments by sending out fake “offers” in those company’s names.

The Lowes and Target scams (and several others) make the rounds at least once a year so most folks nowadays know to simply ignore them, but now another recurring retailer-related scam making the rounds once again.

[Read more…]