How To Avoid The Office Flu

Did you know that cold and flu season costs economies millions of dollars a year with some figures being suggested as much as US$40 billion. This great article by Ally Feiam first published mydeal.com.au gives some truly practical tips to avoid your company being one of the infected groups…

The dreaded flu. It gets around, and it gets around faster when you’re at the office. Crowded and stuffy, the office is the epicentre for getting sick. Since the cold season is in full swing, here are a few easy ways you can avoid the flu at the office.

Avoid Close Contact

At work, it can be hard to avoid people. However, during the cold and flu season, it’s best to steer clear from others. This doesn’t mean avoiding people altogether, that’s a bit excessive. This does mean, however, that you shouldn’t share things that you would normally share with your colleagues, such as phones, pens and cups. Nathan Schokker, the facilities manager for Talio, has the perfect way to avoid the flu at work. “Our number one tip for preventing the cold/flu spreading through the office is through detailed disinfectant cleaning of phones and computers. We've found this to be really effective given that these items seldom get the attention and cleaning they need whilst acting as an incubator for cold and flu germs just waiting to latch on and take you down! A simple 5-10 minutes and you could save yourself from getting ill.” Find out more about Talio by following them on Facebook.

Stay Home When You’re Sick

This seems a bit obvious, but everyone gets trained to work through the pain. If you’re sick and try to stick the pain out, staying at the office, you’re giving the cold the chance to spread across the office. Stay at home if you’re all snuffly and relax. Take a warm shower, drink some tea and get yourself some rest. Steam is a great decongestant for your nose, as well as clearing your head and opening up any blocked pores. So, get in your shower cubicle and embrace the steam. When you go back to work after a day or two, you’ll not only feel better, but you’ll be preventing others from getting sick! Asja Svilans from The Grounded Way has the perfect solution if you're trying to prevent yourself from getting sick and staying home. "In winter we tend to shut all the windows to keep the cold air out - but it also keeps bad bugs in. Try some air cleaning plants like a peace lily or enable plant on your desk - and perhaps a spicy essential oil mix (orange + cinnamon, lemongrass and ginger or geranium and peppermint will work just fine) to keep the air fresh and spirits bright too!" Follow Asja on Instagram and Facebook.

De-Germ

Shane Warren has the perfect way to prevent yourself from catching the dreaded office flu this winter. “The best way to minimise the risk of getting the office flu is to become a ‘clean freak’ - it can be a bit OCD but grab some alcohol swabs and hand steriliser and clean clean clean… The flu virus is airborne but of us get infected by touching telephones, keypads, desks, etc that have been infected then rubbing our eyes or putting a finger on our lips and yeah, you’ve been infected! So wipe the desk down, clean you hands regularly and if you’re lucky enough to be able to install a small vaporiser then grab one and set it up by your desk with a good oil base – Google options but eucalyptus is a good starting point!” Find out more about Shane Warren by following him on Facebook and Instagram.

Get Plenty Of Sleep

As mentioned in a previous article, sleep is one of the best things for your health. Sleep can keep your mental health nice and on track, but it also repairs any sickness in your body. If you’re sick, stay in bed for a while. Make sure your mattress is comfy and you have lots of water around you, your body will recover much faster. Don't tucker yourself out by wandering around the house, instead, snuggle up in bed and sleep the flu away.

Build Up Your Immune System

Your immune system is the vital part of avoiding the flu. Dr Vincent from Renovatio Bioscience has the perfect way to boost your immune system. The most important thing is to maintain a good immune system. Hydration is very important and during the colder months, we tend to drink less water because naturally, we would feel less thirsty. It is important to keep our body well hydrated. 70% of our immune system depends on our gut health. Activated Phenolics will help to increase immune system through helping our body to function more efficiently. It also helps to take away the oxidative stress from our body cells and this gives our body its best chance to fight against getting sick." Find out more about Dr Vincent by following him on Facebook and Instagram.

The flu is a terrible part of the colder season, but if you make sure you treat your body correctly and get plenty of rest, keeping your fluids up and avoiding germs, you’ll be running like a well-oiled machine all year round!

First published at MyDeal.com.au blog