• Frank Elsner, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, shares a time-boxed plan individuals can use to cut common security risks without turning life into a full-time project.

British Columbia, Canada, 25th February 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Most people do not fail at security because they do not care. They fail because they are busy. Bills, messages, logins, kids, work, errands. Risk sneaks in during the rush.

At the same time, the stakes keep climbing. IBM reports the global average cost of a breach reached USD $4.88 million. Verizon reports the human element was involved in 68% of breaches. Verizon also reports ransomware was present in 32% of breaches. The FBI’s IC3 reports 859,532 complaints and reported losses exceeding $16 billion.

This release outlines a practical plan built for limited time and attention, based on repeatable habits and a short checklist mindset.

Early warning signs matter, and small signals get missed most often when people feel hurried.

“Early in my career, I watched a small issue turn into a national headline because no one wanted to escalate it.”
“In intelligence work, the biggest failures happen when people dismiss small signals. A strange pattern in data. A rumor. A minor breach.”
“In policing, we trained constantly. You do not wait for a crisis to test your system. You practice before it counts.”
“When I moved into corporate leadership, I stopped talking about threats first. I talked about downtime. Insurance costs. Regulatory exposure. Once you frame risk in business language, boards pay attention.”

The Practical Plan for Limited Time

The 10-Minute Plan

Best for: People who want quick protection today.

Steps (10 minutes total):

• Turn on two-step verification for your main email account.

• Change your email password to a long passphrase (12+ words beats 12 characters).

• Add a second recovery method (backup email or phone).

• Pick one rule for money requests: never act from a message alone, always verify via a second channel.

Expected outcomes:

• Harder for account takeovers to stick

• Faster recovery if something goes wrong

• Fewer rushed payments based on fake urgency

The 30-Minute Plan

Best for: People who want a stronger setup with a bit more coverage.

Steps (30 minutes total):

• Do the full 10-minute plan.

• Turn on two-step verification for banking, payment apps, and your primary social account.

• Review account recovery settings for those services. Remove old emails or phone numbers.

• Create a simple contact list called “Verify List” with 3 to 5 trusted people (family, work lead, bank contact line).

• Set one “pause trigger”: if a message says urgent, time-sensitive, or confidential, you stop and verify.

Expected outcomes:

• Fewer weak links across key accounts

• Lower chance of losing money through rushed approvals

• A clear habit that blocks most social engineering attempts

The 2-Hour Weekend Plan

Best for: People who want a clean, repeatable system.

Steps (2 hours total):

• Do the full 30-minute plan.

Make a short “recovery sheet” (notes app or printed page) with:

• Bank phone number

• Credit provider phone number

• Key account recovery steps

• A list of accounts that matter most

Set alerts:

• Bank transaction alerts

• Card-not-present alerts if your bank supports it

Clean up old access:

• Sign out of old devices where possible

• Remove unknown sessions

Run one practice drill:

• Pretend you lost your phone

• Write the exact steps you would take in the first 15 minutes

Create a monthly 10-minute “account check” reminder:

• Review alerts

• Review recovery options

• Spot anything strange

Expected outcomes:

• Clear recovery steps under pressure

• Less panic if an account gets hit

• A simple routine that keeps protection from decaying over time

What to Avoid

• Clicking fast because it feels routine

• Acting on money requests from a single message

• Reusing the same password across important accounts

• Leaving old recovery emails and phone numbers attached to accounts

• Treating security as a one-time setup instead of a light monthly habit

• Ignoring small anomalies like unexpected login prompts or odd account emails

Start with the 10-minute plan today. Set a timer. Do the four steps. Then choose the 30-minute plan this week or the 2-hour weekend plan when you want a stronger reset.

About Frank Elsner

Frank Elsner is Chief of Safety and Security for the Natural Factors Group of Companies in Vancouver, British Columbia. He has over 30 years of policing experience, including seven years as a Chief of Police, and has worked in undercover, investigative, intelligence, tactical, and senior leadership roles. He also leads Umbra Strategic Solutions, providing security solutions for local and international organizations.

• David Torske, a Calgary, Alberta-based Project Coordinator and Associate Project Manager, shares practical fixes for common project assumptions that lead to delays, scope creep, and avoidable stress.

Alberta, Canada, 25th February 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, David Torske, a construction Project Coordinator and Associate Project Manager with experience in residential and commercial coordination, is calling out five common myths he sees derail projects in the Calgary area. Torske’s work focuses on scheduling, documentation, workflow optimization, and trade coordination, and he says the biggest problems often start long before anyone picks up a tool.

Most project issues do not begin with bad effort. They begin with bad assumptions. As Torske puts it, “Most delays aren’t a mystery. They’re a chain reaction from one small assumption that nobody wrote down.”

Below are five myths he says show up again and again, along with a simple correction and a tip anyone can apply immediately.

Myth 1: If you have a start date, you have a schedule

Why people believe it
A start date feels like a plan. Many people assume once work begins, everything naturally follows in order.

Correction (fact)
A schedule is a sequence, not a date. Trades have dependencies. Templating must happen before fabrication. Fabrication must happen before installation. Plumbing, tile, and electrical often have critical timing windows around installations.

“People think a schedule is a calendar. On site, it’s more like a relay race,” Torske says. “If one handoff slips, everything behind it shifts.”

Practical tip
Ask for a one-page sequence list before day one. It can be simple: Step 1, Step 2, Step 3. If there is no sequence, create one with the contractor in 10 minutes and confirm it in writing.

Myth 2: The cheapest quote is the best deal

Why people believe it
It is natural to compare and treat projects like products. In the chase for the best deal, people still expect the same outcome but at different prices.

Correction (fact)
Quotes are only comparable when scope is comparable. Lack of a comprehensive plan missing line items, unclear allowances, and vague descriptions often reappear later as extra costs or schedule delays.  

“The number on the quote is not the whole price,” Torske says. “The scope is the actual price.”

Practical tip
Before accepting any quote, highlight every item that is not specific. Replace general lines like “install as needed” with a measurable description. If a line cannot be described clearly, it cannot be priced clearly for later procurement.

Myth 3: Materials will be available when you need them

Why people believe it
Many assume materials are easy to source, especially for residential builds and common renovations.  Customers often are not as familiar with or understanding of the nature of project procurement as commercial stakeholders.  

Correction (fact)
Material timing drives project timing. Even when the work is ready, the job can pause if the right material is not on site. Procurement is part of scheduling, not a separate step.  

The coronavirus epidemic increased supply and transport management obstacles and issues.  Knowledge of the supply chain needs to be current and constant.   

Torske’s coordination work has included determining materials needed, procuring them, and building procurement and fabrication tracking in Excel to keep work moving.

“Procurement is not a shopping trip,” he says. “It’s a timeline.”

Practical tip
Create a simple materials checklist with three columns: Item, Who orders it, and When it must arrive. Confirm it before any demolition or site prep begins.

Myth 4: Changes are easy if they are small

Why people believe it
A small change feels harmless. People assume it can be absorbed without affecting the rest of the project.  They often feel such changes can be done at any stage in the process without an increase in scope.

Correction (fact)
Small changes can trigger big ripple effects. A minor layout adjustment can force rework across measurements, ordering, fabrication, and trade coordination. That creates cost and scheduling impacts, even when the change looks simple.

“The most expensive words in a project are ‘quick change,’” Torske says. “A change is only quick if nothing else depends on it.”

Practical tip
Use a one-sentence change rule: No change gets approved until it answers two questions in writing: What does it do to the schedule, and what does it do to the cost?

Myth 5: Good work speaks for itself, so documentation is optional

Why people believe it
People want to trust the process. Documentation can feel like bureaucracy.

Correction (fact)
Documentation reduces confusion. Clear records help keep scope, cost, and quality aligned.  Responsibilities and scope are provided.  Proper documentation prevents trade conflicts and misunderstandings, especially when multiple parties are involved.  

Torske has emphasized documentation throughout his career, including earlier work focused on research and technical writing, and later work coordinating job activities, work orders, and workflow systems.

“Documentation is not paperwork,” he says. “It’s how you keep promises measurable.”

Practical tip
After any decision call or site meeting, send a three-line recap: what was decided, who owns it, and the due date. Keep those notes in one place, like a single email subfile or shared folder.

If you only remember one thing

Most project problems come from unclear scope and unclear sequence. Write down the scope. Write down the order of work. Then confirm who owns each step.

Readers are encouraged to share this myth list with anyone planning a renovation or construction project in Calgary and try one tip today. Start with the simplest: write a three-step sequence for your next project conversation and confirm it in writing.

About David Torske

David Torske is a Calgary, Alberta-based Project Coordinator and Associate Project Manager specialising in scheduling, documentation, workflow optimization, and trade coordination for residential and commercial construction projects. He completed a Project Management in Construction Certificate at Mount Royal University and holds the Certified Associate in Project Management designation from the Project Management Institute.

• Terra Ziolkowski, a dental assistant in Miami, Florida, created a quick self-audit checklist to help people spot small issues early and keep a simple routine consistent.

Florida, US, 25th February 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Terra Ziolkowski has released a free resource for everyday individuals called the “15-Minute Mouth Check,” a one page self-audit and mini script designed to help people catch common oral health slip-ups before they become expensive problems.

The guide is built for real life. It uses short prompts, a simple checklist, and plain language notes that people can complete at home, then bring to their next dental visit if they choose.

“Most people do not need a complicated routine,” said Ziolkowski. “They need a routine they can actually repeat, even on busy days.”

The “15-Minute Mouth Check” includes:

• A quick daily habit check (morning and night)

• A gum and tooth scan you can do with a mirror and good lighting

• A “what to mention at your next appointment” note section

• A short script for asking clear questions at the dentist without feeling awkward

“Perfection is not the goal,” Ziolkowski added. “The goal is a routine you can keep when life gets messy.”

The real-world cost when small problems get ignored

Ziolkowski created the guide to address a common pattern: people delay care, rush routines, and only react when pain shows up. The costs can add up fast.

• A single cavity filling can cost about $100 to $1,150 per tooth, depending on the situation and materials. 

• A dental crown can range from about $800 to $2,500 per tooth without insurance. 

• Emergency department dental visits average about $749 for patients who are not hospitalized, and ED care is often far more expensive than a dental office visit. 

• Lost productivity time due to untreated dental disease is estimated at $45 billion per year in the U.S., tied to oral pain and unplanned dental visits. 

“People are often surprised that the basics still matter most,” said Ziolkowski. “This guide keeps the basics clear and easy.”

Use this in 15 minutes

Set a timer for 15 minutes. Grab a mirror and turn on bright lighting. No special tools needed.

1. Check your routine (3 minutes)
   Circle what you actually do most days: brush once, brush twice, rush at night, skip between-teeth cleaning, snack late, fall asleep without brushing.

2. Do a quick scan (6 minutes)
   Look for:

• Gum bleeding when brushing

• Sore spots

• A tooth that feels sensitive to cold, sweet, or pressure

• A spot you always miss (same side, same back tooth)

1. Write your “next visit notes” (4 minutes)
   Use the guide’s prompts to jot:

• Where it hurts or feels sensitive

• How long it has been happening

• What makes it better or worse

1. Use the short script (2 minutes)
   Pick one question to bring to your next visit, such as:

• “Can you show me the one spot I keep missing when I brush?”

• “Is this sensitivity something I should treat now, or watch?”

• “What is the simplest routine you want me to follow for the next 30 days?”

Common mistakes people make

Ziolkowski says the same issues show up again and again, even for people who care about their health.

• Treating oral care like an all-or-nothing routine
  Doing nothing because you cannot do everything perfectly.

• Brushing fast and skipping the gumline
  Speed usually means missed areas.

• Waiting for pain before taking action
  Pain often shows up later than the problem.

• Not asking questions at the dental visit
  People leave without a clear plan, then repeat the same habits.

“This is about small checks that prevent big problems,” Ziolkowski said. “You identify the simple change you can keep, and you stick with it long enough to see results.”

How to use the resource today

Use the “15-Minute Mouth Check” tonight or tomorrow morning. Complete the checklist once, write down two notes, and choose one small habit to keep for the next seven days. Then bring your notes to your next dental visit and read your questions directly from the script.

About Terra Ziolkowski

Terra Ziolkowski is a dental assistant based in Miami, Florida. She supports patients through chairside care, clear communication, and practical oral hygiene education focused on simple habits people can maintain.