Washington Works Blog

Washington Works has been serving the Bethesda area since 2005, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Strategies to Combat Prompt Hacking

Strategies to Combat Prompt Hacking

AI is everywhere, helping us do everything from writing emails to analyzing data. It's a powerful tool that can make work more efficient, but it also comes with a hidden risk you should be aware of: prompt hacking.

This isn't some half-baked science fiction. As more businesses rely on AI, understanding prompt hacking isn't just a job for the IT department—it's something everyone needs to know.

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5 Ideas to Visualize Your Data with a Dashboard

08-08-25

Are you making the most of your business’ data? While it’s important to keep tabs on the actual numbers, it also helps to have a visual representation of what that data means so that others can easily understand it. Today, we want to look at five creative ways you can use interactive dashboards and data visualizations to show off your business to both external stakeholders and your staff.

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Cooling Costs are Heating Up

08-06-25

It's a fact that computers generate heat. From the laptop fan whirring away on your desk to the massive arrays of servers powering cloud computing and AI, these machines require cooling to function optimally. As our reliance on the cloud expands, however, the sheer scale of this cooling requirement is transforming into a significant environmental and financial burden.

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Older Hardware Is a Bottleneck on Your Growth

08-04-25

You might want to get as much life as possible out of your technology, but this is often counterproductive. While it might cost serious capital to invest in new computers and servers, even when your current equipment works “just fine,” there will come a day when “just fine” doesn’t cut it anymore. Your outdated hardware comes with all kinds of hidden costs that will slowly leech capital from your business and leave it worse off compared to if you just bought new tech.

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Why VoIP is the Smartest Call for Your Business

08-01-25

The phone is a critical piece of business communications, but it has traditionally been a consistently stationary piece of technology for most of its existence. Basically, if you were anywhere but your desk, you couldn’t answer any important calls or listen to your messages.

Now that remote and hybrid work are pretty accepted, this is unacceptable, but there’s a far better option. Let’s explore how an upgrade to a modern Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone system is the route that savvy businesses take.

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3 Super Simple IT Habits You Can Cultivate Today

07-30-25

Even though it’s incredibly helpful, technology can be frustrating—sometimes to an absurd degree. Businesses can’t function without it, so they have to learn to live with it, but it doesn’t have to be hard. You can develop some habits by using these tricks to reduce some of the friction in your workday.

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How to Use Network Segmentation for Your Internet of Things Devices

07-28-25

How many devices around you are connected to the Internet? While connected technologies inject convenience into our lives, it comes at a cost: security. Let’s discuss how the rise of connected devices, collectively known as the Internet of Things, has taken a toll on network security and what you need to know about it to protect your business.

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Turn Your Technology Costs into Growth Tools

You should actively be asking yourself if your technology is helping your business grow, or is it just another set of bills to pay? For many businesses, technology, with all the constant attention it needs and frustrations it can bring, can feel like a constant, confusing expense. IT has a rare ability to be essential and costly at the same time; but, it really doesn't have to be.

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There’s a VERY Easy Way to Declutter Your Desktop

There’s a VERY Easy Way to Declutter Your Desktop

It can be too easy for anyone’s work desktop to become cluttered and filled with applications and windows, leading to a mess that gets in the way whenever one tries to accomplish anything. Chances are, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a quick and easy way to clean up the desktop and just focus on the window you need to focus on?

If you agree, I have some good news.

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AI Could Be Your New Secret Weapon for Operational Excellence

You hear a lot about Artificial Intelligence these days. It can sound a bit like something out of a sci-fi movie, maybe even a little daunting. However, what if I told you AI could be working quietly behind the scenes in many businesses, acting like the most efficient, data-savvy coworker you've ever had?

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3 Easy Ways to Cash In On AI

3 Easy Ways to Cash In On AI

Artificial intelligence has consumed the zeitgeist and isn’t letting go anytime soon. Businesses can leverage this trend in technology to great effect, provided they can get over how intimidating some of the more complicated use cases of AI can be. That said, there are plenty of easy ways to leverage AI, even for small and medium-sized businesses.

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3 Tips for Seamless Software Integration

Putting new software into your business can feel just as tricky as any other action you are going to take. If it doesn't go well, it can lead to headaches, confused employees, and wasted money. Here are three simple tips to help you add new software without the stress.

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Tips: Get an Hour of Your Day Back

Tips: Get an Hour of Your Day Back

Unfortunately, most people can relate to the feeling when you’re busy, but you really aren’t getting anything meaningful accomplished. Imagine a workplace where being busy actually means brilliantly productive. If that is the sweet spot you’re looking for, this blog is for you.

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The Hidden Costs of Hanging onto Old Technology

The Hidden Costs of Hanging onto Old Technology

For anyone that has a routine, there’s a real comfort in sticking with what you know. For instance, if your grandmother's famous blueberry cobbler recipe has been a hit for decades, you definitely don't mess with it. When it comes to your business’ technology, however, that old adage can actually get you into trouble.

See, ignoring your business tech and letting it get old can actually create some pretty big, hidden costs you might not even realize are there. Let's dig into those so you can truly appreciate why keeping your business tech up-to-date isn't just nice to have, it’s essential.

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Take the Grind Out of Business with Our Managed Services

Take the Grind Out of Business with Our Managed Services

The daily grind is characterized by the feeling that you’re busy all day, but not necessarily “productive.” Your technology could influence this feeling and make the daily grind feel like a slog, but with the right approach to IT, you can focus on technology that empowers rather than overwhelms. How do you make this transition? That’s what we’ll discuss today.

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The 3 Pillars of a Modern Data Backup System

A good data backup system is like having insurance for your data. Yes, you hope you never have to use it, but you’ll be glad to have it if you do. Today, we want to cover three of the biggest components of any modern data backup system and how we can use the latest technology to make your data backups as seamless a process as possible.

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Tip of the Week: The Common File Types and How to Use Them

Tip of the Week: The Common File Types and How to Use Them

Do you ever see the little letters after a file and wonder what they stand for? While you might intuitively know from the thumbnail what kind of file you’re looking at, these letters, called file extensions, help to differentiate them from one another. Let’s go over some of the common file types you might encounter during your day-to-day work.

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Dark Web Monitoring is Your Proactive Shield Against Cyberthreats

07-11-25

When you think of the dark web, images of shadowy figures and illicit activities might spring to mind. Unfortunately for businesses, the dark web isn't just a place of intrigue; it’s where your stolen data goes to get shared and sold.

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Tip of the Week: How to Use Tabs in Your Browser

07-09-25

Chances are you use your Internet browser more than any other tool on your computer, so why not make the most of it? Today, we’re focusing on how you can stay organized and productive with your web browser. We’ll cover all you need to know about tabs, including best practices and shortcuts that are sure to see a lot of use.

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Ditch the Break-Fix IT and Get Started with Managed Services

07-07-25

Are you struggling with your IT management? Would you rather be focused on doing business than resolving technology problems? If so, we have a solution for you, and it’s way easier than finding time in your day to juggle the countless responsibilities of an IT technician.

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