I’m a huge germaphobe. And I do all that I can to avoid germs and prevent catching the flu. My jobs are important to me as is my responsibility to my clients.
I’ve worked 2 jobs for as long as I can remember and I never could afford to be sick as I had obligations to clients. Luckily for me, I’ve never been sick on a client event date. But I also have developed habits to avoid getting sick.
How to Avoid Germs and Prevent Catching the Flu
Here are my 5 biggest germ avoiding tips that I use on a daily basis, and I hope you can implement these into your own habits in how to avoid germs and prevent catching the flu.
1. Avoid door knobs and door handles. I know this sounds impossible, but it’s not hard in the winter time. I wear long sleeves quite often during the fall and winter and I tug my sleeves a bit over my hands to use a barrier when opening a door. Or if you are about to head outside anyway, put your gloves on before you have to touch the door. My elbows make for a good way to open a door handle. And if you are arriving at a door at the same time as others, let someone else get the door for you.
2. Avoid using the railings in stairwells. If you have any stair falling phobias, this could be tough. But just go slower and try not to touch the railings. I’ve also been told that those who have bad knees turn sideways and walk down sideways. It’s less stress on your knees walking down sideways.
3. Take your vitamins. At times I’ll get busy and forget. But, I try as hard as I can to remember vitamins in the winter time, especially Vitamin D. You can get it naturally from fatty oils in fish, too.
4. Wash your hands. I know this one sounds silly. But I wash my hands so much in the winter that my hands get dry. Keep lotion in your purse or at your desk to help with this problem. I was taught that you should sing your ABCs 3x as you wash your hands before entering the room of a very sick child at the hospital, so I would imagine the same goes if you are wanting to keep germs from being on your hands to avoid the flu.
5. Take extra precautions in public restrooms. Try tip 1 for opening a bathroom door if you can. Grab a paper towel as you head inside so that you can use the paper towel to close (and reopen) the bathroom stall door lock. After you use tip 4 and wash your hands, keep the paper towel you used to dry your hands to open the bathroom door before you throw it away. Often there is a waste basket close enough to the door so that you can open the door, then throw away the paper towel.
What tips would you add to the list?
I hope my simple tips will help you this winter in avoiding getting colds or the flu. It’s always better to be safe, than sorry!
