5 ways to stay Healthy at work this winter

Winter is a time for warm foods, holiday gatherings, and time spent by the fire. But winter is also the time of year when people get sick. It’s all too easy to spread these illnesses in the workplace due to close quarters. The good news is that there are ways to stay healthy at work. Here are 4 tips to do just that

1. Don’t Share Items, Shake Hands or Touch Common Surfaces.

Did you know that viruses live for up to 3 days on surfaces? When people don’t feel well, wiping down common surfaces like doorknobs and counters is one way to contain the spread of illness. This is a good practice in the office too. But it should also extend to items like phones, staplers, or anything else passed around from person to person.

To keep everyone in the office healthy, avoid shaking hands with people who are sick. While shaking hands is a sign of professionalism and respect, co-workers and clients will appreciate the consideration for their health during this time of year.

Touching surfaces such as light switches or a paper towel dispenser is an easy way to get sick even after washing your hands. Protect yourself by using a paper towel to open doors or turn on lights.

2. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

The time changes that happen in the fall can throw off sleeping patterns in the winter. It’s important to set a consistent bedtime and get enough rest every night. Without enough sleep, your body is much more susceptible to illness. The average adult requires between 7 and 8 hours of sleep per night. But 36 percent of adults get just 6 hours per night. In addition to being susceptible to illness, the body isn’t able to heal from the day before or prepare for the next.

3. Clean Your Desk

Not sharing items and getting enough sleep is vital to staying healthy in the winter. But so is a clean desk. Spending eight hours every day at a desk means a lot of typing, eating, and, drinking. This provides the perfect environment for germs and bacteria to grow. A desk carries up to 400 times more bacteria than a toilet.

This is due to the fact that people get up, touch other items like railings, counters, and so forth before going back to the desk. To minimize infection risk, carry anti-bacterial wipes and use them on your keyboard and phone.

4. Don’t Forget to Move Around

Sitting for long stretches is bad for your health and your posture. Every 2-3 hours set an alarm for yourself to get up. A little movement around the office positively benefits your health. Support your efforts when sitting by being mindful of your posture, using a back support on your chair, and using an exercise ball. All of these tips help support spine health and keep you at work when as necessary.

5. Office Cleaning Keeps You Healthy At Work

So we already mentioned that keeping your desk clean can help keep you healthy at work, but what if your whole office was kept clean? Germs can live on surfaces for several days, and sometimes, you can pass along germs even when you have no symptoms of the sickness yourself. The best way to make sure there are no germs around on the touchable surfaces in your office, break room and restrooms is to bring in an experienced office cleaning service. Professional cleaners know what chemicals to use on what types of surfaces in order to assure the best results, and the most germs eliminated. They are also trained to know what types of surfaces require extra cleaning. Not to mention that a professional cleaning staff is more motivated to clean then your office staff is.

Working during the winter isn’t easy. Not only is it a time for increased risk of illness but stress levels go up too. But by following these tips and taking care of yourself, you’ll stay healthy at work and have the time needed to be productive.