How to avoid the Office Plague

Being sick sucks. It’s one thing to be a little sick and catch up on all the wonderful cheesy daytime tv, however actually being full on sick is quite another thing.  The last two weeks I’ve been sicker than a dog (no offense Max).  The Dr says it’s a nasty cold, however I’m convinced it is some medieval plague-like disease.  And can you guess where I probably caught this virus of black death?  Work!  Damn you work.  The fact is, we need to always make healthy cleanliness habits a priority at work so we can stop wasting sick days on being sick.  I know that’s what they are there for, but seriously.  Sick days should be spent skiing.

Here are a few good ways to avoid the bubonic plague (or COLD.  Whatever DOC, I want a second opinion)

Make sure your keyboard and phone are always clean. Think about it, anyone could come along and  and touch your phone and keyboard with their germy hands.  I thought wiping down my stuff once or twice a week was good enough, but it should really be once or twice a day.

Wash your hands.  And wash them a lot.  And then wash them one more time.

Open the windows. If you are lucky enough to work in an office that has windows that open, take advantage.  Typically, offices have a heavy reliance on circulated air.  This can spread germs faster than human contact.

Use a paper towel on door knobs. Especially in the bathroom.  Gross.

Get a full night’s sleep. I don’t know about you, but when I don’t get my beauty rest, I usually end up sick. And also closely resembling Medusa.

Stay Hydrated. Keep a water bottle at your desk and fill it up as much as you can.

Avoid shaking hands.  I know this might rub people the wrong way, but I always try to get around it.  It’s just plain germy when you think about it.  Seriously, who’s idea was that anyways?  It’s just a step up from dogs sniffin butts at the dog park.

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