Disclosure: I received one or more of the products for free so I could review them. However all opinions are sincere and are my own.

The flu and cold season is in full swing and with the holidays coming up it’s important for us to take as many precautions as possible to prevent getting sick.   Many times we bring home the cold and flu viruses from our workplace or office and then get our families sick.

Flu season poses a big problem for businesses– each year it causes an estimated 70 million missed workdays and billions in lost office productivity. It’s critical that both employees and employers take notice and promote healthier habits.  Not long ago as I was working two part time jobs at two separate businesses I was always wondering why people came to work with the flu and then everyone got sick.  It was like a never ending cycle.  According to the Flu Season Survey from Staples nearly 90 percent of employees go to work even when they know they are sick.  These findings show a growing trend when compared to last year’s survey indicating 80 percent go to work sick, up from 60 percent in 2011.

Tips for Preventing Cold and Flu at the Workplace

Being proactive early in the flu season ensures health and productivity throughout the season.  And staying healthy at the office also means less chances of bringing those viruses home.

• Wash Your Hands many times a day or sanitize with an alcohol-gel hand sanitizer, especially following contact with potentially contaminated surfaces including: other people’s hands, doorknobs, refrigerator and microwave handle, copier machine buttons, phone, someone else’s keyboard, coffee pot handle and any other surface that comes into contact with a lot of hands.  Following washing, turn off the faucet with a paper towel.
• Avoid touching your face, eyes, or rubbing your nose.
• Clean shared items such as phones, keyboards, handles and door knobs with alcohol wipes or other sanitizer-type wipes.
• Grab a Staples “Office Illness Prevention Kit”. Mine included Clorox Clean Up Wipes, Lysol Antibacterial Cleaner, Purell Hand Sanitizer, Soft Soap Hand Soap and a Kleenex Tissue Box but you can find everything you need to keep your office or office space clean and germ free HERE.

• Sneeze and cough into a tissue, throw the tissue away, and then wash your hands. If you don’t have a tissue cough or sneeze into your elbow rather than your hand

• Drink plenty of fluids, but do not share drinking cups or straws and clean your water bottle daily.
• Take care of yourself. Get lots of fresh air, exercise regularly and frequently, eat healthy foods such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, don’t smoke and decrease alcohol consumption. It’s also important to find ways to relax as stress can decrease immunity.

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Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz

Paula moved from her native Guatemala to SW Florida with her husband and two children and together they are discovering what it means to live life between two languages.

Paula studied architecture and now makes a living as a freelance writer,traveler and amateur photographer.She started her writing & publishing career as the editor of Bebé y Mamá, the first parenting magazine in Guatemala.She is the founder of www.GrowingUpBilingual.com and www.365thingsswfl.com and writes articles in Spanish and English for both magazines and the web on travel,food and bicultural and bilingual parenting .

When she is not on a plane or road trip she likes to create recipes inspired in the flavors of her native Guatemala.

Latest posts by Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz (see all)

• Guatemalan Dulce de Chilacayote Recipe (Crystalized Chilacayote Candy) - February 26, 2024
• Guatemalan Naranjas en Miel Recipe (Candied Oranges Recipe) - February 25, 2024
• Traditional Guatemalan Candy - February 25, 2024

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