As a Work From Home (WFH) Professional, how do I keep safe?
Nearly a third of working Australians have been working from home (WFH) since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The trend is spreading across most sectors and showing no sign of slowing down.
Working from home is designed to keep you safe as you can avoid most of the COVID-19 risks related to commuting, offices, and face-to-face interactions. However, the home office environment is not risk-free. For WFH individuals, avoiding illnesses, mental health issues, and exhaustion remain everyday challenges. Here is why staying at home isn’t always safe and how to best look after your health.
Alternatives to professional cleaning
Companies have been looking at in-depth disinfection cleaning service agencies as they prepare to reopen their offices. Keeping employees safe requires a hygienic and sanitised workplace. When you work from home, however, there isn’t anyone around to disinfect your office equipment. Unfortunately, many WFH professionals fail to understand the risks of their position. For instance, germs can remain on surfaces for a long time. You only need to touch objects to carry potential germs that you will spread in your office. Reading through your morning post, for instance, means handling envelopes and letters, which someone else could have touched. Alternatively, you could pet the dog after he’s been playing in the garden, where he could have been petting over the fence by the neighbour. To make sure you don’t bring germs into your office, you should learn to sanitise the place. A soft cloth can help clear your phone screen and remove potential risks – because we all touch our phones at all times.
Alternatives to social integration
In an office, it’s easy to reach out to co-workers and have a chat if you’re feeling left out. At home, things are a little different. Loneliness for WFH workers can have enormous consequences on your mental health. Therefore, it’s essential to organise your day in such a way that loneliness is never a burden. Indeed, you can create a strict schedule for your working hours. Keeping active when nobody is around helps you alleviate the sensation of isolation. It also means you’ve got time when your family is free. Make sure to set regular breaks too. Spending your lunch break with the kids, for instance, keeps you centred and focused. It’s not just good for the mind, but it’s also a natural immune boost!
Help, my kids are sick!
Kids are more likely to catch diseases, even if you’re cautious. Children can get forgetful: Theory play outdoors, run their fingers on surfaces and then touch their faces. You’d be surprised to know how often this happens! As a WFH parent, you are directly exposed to your children’s diseases. There’s no secret. If you’re going to stay healthy and fit, you need to be vigilant. Washing your hands remains one of the safest ways of getting rid of unwanted germs on your skin. There’s nothing new about it, and yet, if it hadn’t been for the pandemic, most of us would still pop a vitamin C tablet to protect our immune system. You don’t need supplements; you just need vigilance and plenty of soap!
Your immune system goes through a lot, even if you’re staying at home. Taking good care of yourself and your family needs to be a priority for WFH professionals. From keeping loneliness at bay to avoiding thoughtless germ spread, there’s a lot you can do!
