Protect Yourself from Winter Illnesses at the Office

For those of us who work from home, cold and flu season is yet another reason to be glad we don’t have to leave the house to do our thing. But if you’re working in an office during the fall and winter months, all is not lost. Here are some easy ways to cut down on your risk of picking up your coworkers’ ickies:

• Wash your hands after touching doorknobs, copiers, elevator buttons, and phones. Anything that lots of people are touching is chockablock with other people’s germs. If you can’t wash your hands, use a liquid hand sanitizer such as Purell — but make sure it has the right alcohol concentration or you’re wasting your time.
• Don’t touch your face, including rubbing your nose or eyes. Your mucous membranes are little sponges that suck in germs, so the less you touch these areas, the less likely you are to introduce the flu virus.
• Try not to shake hands if you can avoid it. Most people understand, especially if you mention that cough you’ve had lately — “I wouldn’t want to pass anything around!”
• Stay away from sick people in the office and on your way to work. Change seats at the meeting or on the subway. Switch to a different carpool. Do what you need to do.
• Stay away from people with sick kids. Enough said.
• Wipe down your phone, mouse, desk surface, and keyboard regularly to keep them clean.
• Use your own pen, not someone else’s.
• Stay hydrated.
• Take a multivitamin, or at least a vitamin C supplement. What can it hurt?

Do you have other tips for staying flu free? Leave a comment!

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King

(photo via SXC.hu)