Most people agree that their “laptop is their life.” Or, that is, their life is on their laptop: email, photos, music, chats, proprietary documents, plans, passwords, etc. This is, of course, why any identity thief who has your laptop can have an absolute field day with your identity. It’s a gold mine. For a business, the loss of the laptop carries an average of $169,000 in damage to the business.

Our motto is “Secure Your Life” so obviously we believe that to secure your laptop is essentially to secure your life–not speaking of your physical life but speaking of the rest of your endeavors and well-being.

Amazing, then, is just how effective common sense can be. Most people never give laptop theft one single moment’s thought. It never crosses the mind. Nowhere on the radar screen.

Change that, and you’re immediately in very good shape. Just think like somebody who’s aware of a risk.

If you assume that your laptop is likely to be stolen, you will automatically behave in ways that dramatically reduce the likelihood that you will be the victim 12 seconds from now when the next laptop is stolen.

1. You’ll keep your laptop on your arm or touching your body (such as the bag against your leg) when you are at the airport or in Starbucks.
2. You might invest in a more discrete laptop bag, that isn’t so obviously a laptop bag.
3. You won’t leave the laptop sitting in plain view in the front seat of your car, even if the car door is locked (it’s trivial to pop a window).
4. You’ll probably think twice before having your web browser remember all your passwords.
5. If you have some highly sensitive data, you’ll think twice about saving it on the laptop. If you do save it, you’ll be very nervous, so you’ll investigate protection options.
6. You’ll label the laptop with an indelible marking identifying you and giving your contact information. Or if you’re nervous about that (probably should be), you’ll use a SafeTag.

Sure, you’ll also probably consider MyLaptopGPS. But the main point is that by doing the basic things that any person who is even moderately concerned about the theft/loss of such a crucial device would do, you’ll make enormous gains in security.

If you had a 5-carat diamond, you’d take good care of it and wouldn’t leave it sitting around. Common sense would be very effective.

Same goes for protecting that treasure trove that is your laptop.