How long is your hair? That affects what works, as does thickness.
ETA2: LOL, my reading comprehension today apparently sucks!
Most idiot-proof protective thing I can think of is a basic braid. Works at almost any length that is even thinking about updos. Grab hair, ponytail it if you must (though long term I think it's better not to), divide in 3, braid. Secure ends. Keep it from getting caught on things, between your back and chairs, or eaten by wandering goats.
ETA: OK, I'm going to just keep adding things.
Lazy wrap buns take a little practice to figure out how big to make the first loop, but they're really easy and pretty stable. Again, they work at most lengths, even if you just have your ends sticking straight up after the outer loop. There are lots of videos and minor variations, but this is just like how I make mine, and it's pretty easy to see what she's doing. The bit of twisting at the beginning is something I find useful to help hold it all together. Mind, if your hair is long enough you can do this and just about anything else with a braid instead of a twisted ponytail.
Disc buns get a lot of love around here, and are easy to pull off with shorter and thicker hair. They're not great for me, but I've got a huge length:thickness ratio that seems to work against me for these.
Even easier than a braid, if you're braid-declined is a Caterpillar braid: Make a ponytail. Then grab another band, and secure the ponytail again a few inches down. Band it again, a few inches below that. Repeat... This doesn't get everywhere or tangle up like a ponytail does.
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