Our days are filled with little routines to keep ourselves safe, such as looking both ways before crossing the street and buckling our seatbelts before starting our cars. But what do we do to keep the business and personal information on our mobile devices protected?

We asked our security expert friends at RIM to provide us with some security tips for BlackBerry smartphones and PlayBook tablets. Here are some you can act on today. (These tips are for BlackBerry 6 OS. Instructions for other operating systems may vary.

Password Protection

Ensure that only you have access to the information on your smartphone. To add a password, simply select the Options menu, then Security, then Password. Type and confirm a password in the Password field and click the Enable checkbox.

On the PlayBook, you’ll need to go to the Settings gear in the upper right hand corner, select Security from the left hand menu, then Password. Select Enable then type in a password.

Encrypt Data

Keep your data secure. On your smartphone, open the Options menu, then Security, then Encryption. In the Encryption screen, select the Encrypt checkbox.  You can also choose what to encrypt and the encryption strength.

Bluetooth Security

Keep your device safe when Bluetooth is on. Open the Manage Connections menu and click on the Bluetooth checkbox. While you’re still in the Manage Connections screen, scroll down and select Bluetooth Options. You’ll see a variety of Bluetooth connections. You can change your discoverable status to show up or remain undetected when nearby users search for Bluetooth connections.

Password Keeper

Keep your security passwords and account numbers safe. Open the Password Keeper icon from your BlackBerry home screen. (If you don’t see the icon, type “password keeper” from your home screen and the universal search function should locate it for you.) You’ll be prompted to create a password to protect all your other passwords. Then simply select the Menu key and choose New to add a new password item.

Wiping

Transitioning a used device to a new employee? Keep everyone’s information safe by wiping the device between users. Select the Options menu, then Security, then Security Wipe. You’ll be prompted to type “BlackBerry” to complete the wipe. While the device is wiping, make sure you don’t turn it off or pull the battery out.

Which BlackBerry security features do you currently use?

Haley Morrison is a regular contributor to Redboard Biz