The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on almost everyone across the globe in terms of health, finances, and lifestyle. In the midst of these times, it’s more important than ever to stay positive and work together to help prevent the spread, and maintain our mental well being! This will pass, but until then, let’s take a look at some of these tips. The list will cover tips for protecting yourself from going outside, best practices in your home, and finally working from home tips. If you have more tips to contribute, please comment at the bottom and we will include it in the blog!
Let’s start with good practices for necessary outings and sanitizing.
1. Stop Using Your Fingertips, Don’t Touch Your Face, and Wash Your Hands
There are plenty of high “touchpoints” when you’re outside, such as a traffic light button, door handles, POS systems, gas pump handles, and more. Use your knuckle, elbow or even a pen instead of fingertips. If you have to open a door, use your sleeve rather than your hand, or if you can push it open with your hip. Carry sanitizer with you remembering to apply before and after leaving an establishment. When you get home, put your clothes in the laundry, and wash your handles for at least 20 seconds remembering to get under your nails. Remember, do not touch your face, and if you have to, make sure your hands have been washed multiple times.
2. Social Distancing
The Centers for Disease Control recommends keeping a distance of 6 feet from others to prevent the spread. When an infected person sneezes or coughs, COVID-19 viral particles travel up to 6 feet and may be inhaled into the lungs. So when you’re outside, keep your distance and don’t forget to constantly sanitize your hands.
3. Sanitize Your Phone, Keys, Wallet, or Any Pocket Items Frequently
You’re going to be touching all of these pocket items frequently such as your wallet to pay, or keys to unlock your car. Even though you are taking the measures above, always sanitize these items to be extra careful. When sanitizing them, read the instructions on whichever product you’re using. Most recommend letting the sanitizer spray sit for 10 minutes before wiping.
4. Sanitize Your Items After Grocery Shopping
These items are handled by many people. Consider wearing gloves while shopping, and when you get home, sanitize all of the items you purchased. If the items have cardboard packaging, place the product into another container and throw away the box, making sure you wash your hands after.
5. Sanitizing Your Home
First, be aware of all of the areas that you touch frequently in your home. It may even be a good idea to make a list of things to sanitize multiple times a day. The list may consist of light switches, door handles, faucet handles, keyboards, cupboard handles, stove buttons, microwave, kettles, controllers, phones, vape pens, charger cables, thermostat, security keypads, and more. the best thing to do is look around, and really analyze what you frequently touch. Again, let the disinfectant sit for about 10 minutes, and then wipe everything down, being careful not to overspray electronics and damaging them. Leave all sprays and clothes out in the open to remind you to sanitize frequently.
6. Sanitizing Your Car
Don’t forget about your car! Leave a spray bottle in your car with a cloth, and sanitize it every time you leave and when you come back from your outings. Key areas would be your steering wheel, buttons or touch screens, window switches, shifter, inside and outside handles, and anything else you press or touch.
A lot of people are working from home under these current circumstances. There are some things you could be doing to help make it easier and keep things “normal” in a sense. Also, staying inside isn’t a bad thing! You can use this time to catch up on tasks that you’ve wanted to do or put off for some time. Let’s explore.
7. Get Ready Just as Usual
Working from home could take you out of your normal day to day routine. However, getting dressed, fixing your hair, showering at a time you normally would and so on will help keep the normal flow in your day, even though you’re at home. This will also make you feel less sluggish, and make you feel more prepared for the day.
8. Make a Designated Work Area
It’s important to set a designated area for work in your home. You’re used to going into the office to start work, and making an area in your home for work recreates that feeling which helps with productivity. Make sure the area is clean and organized and if possible, allow natural lighting. Also, try to set an area that’s away from distractions like a tv, or high traffic areas in a house to help keep you focused. It also may be tempting to turn on the news to hear any updates on COVID-19, but this should be left for your break time or after work.
9. Keep Communicating
Don’t let working from home isolate you from your co-workers. Make sure you are using the tools you have to keep in contact to ask questions, give updates or even ask how they’re doing. This will help keep everyone working as a team and maintain high morale!
10. Stay Active
Working from home and staying in quarantine can make you feel sluggish if you’re not keeping active. Consider streaming some light or hard exercise programs from home after work to keep your body moving and avoiding back and neck pain. Exercise is also proven to reduce stress levels, which may be high right now, and also maintain and boost your immune system.
You’re routine is different right now, and everyone is feeling the impact. Even though this is temporary, these tips will help you keep healthy and will make it easier to transition once again once things are back to the way they were. If you have any further tips you’d like to see in this blog, please let us know in the comment section below!
Sources:
Daily Muse Inc.: https://www.themuse.com/advice/coronavirus-work-from-home-tips
CBS Interactive Inc.: https://www.cnet.com/news/13-stay-at-home-essentials-for-under-20/
Insider Inc.: https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-passes-between-people-6-feet-apart-2020