1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to set up routines that will help you, 4 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: your family, and your colleagues or employees stay healthy during 5 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: the winter. Illness feels horrible, of course, and it can 6 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: also wreak havoc on your schedule, whether it's you getting sick, 7 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: your kids getting sick, or both. Organizations likewise, can wind 8 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: up in a tough spot when the entire sales department 9 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: comes down with the stomach bug. If you're running an organization, 10 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: here's what you shouldn't do. Be stingy with sick days. 11 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: This just backfires. One study from Accountempts found that of 12 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 1: professionals had come into the office sick, generally because they 13 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: felt they had so much work to do, or because 14 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:00,960 Speaker 1: they felt they had to spare the or sick days 15 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: for something. Even worse, sick people get other people sick, 16 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: and when they don't take it easy, they prolong their 17 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: illnesses or make them worse. Now I know there's some 18 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: gray area and some of those nine might be just 19 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: a small case of the sniffles. One way to deal 20 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: with this is to have a very liberal work from 21 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: home policy. If your company does this sort of work 22 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: that can be done flexibly, then make it clear that 23 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 1: anyone feeling under the weather but mostly functional is welcome 24 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: to work as they can from home without taking pt O. 25 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: Anyone caring for a sick child who doesn't need constant 26 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 1: attention is welcome to do the same. You will buy 27 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:46,559 Speaker 1: incredible employee loyalty this way. As for individual habits, well, 28 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: I know this sounds trite, but really wash your hands 29 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: when you use the soap in a public restroom. Do 30 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: you check that you get a big glob? Do you 31 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: really scrub it around everywhere? Front, back, your wrists, your nails. 32 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: Does your hand washing take the full twenty seconds? It's 33 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: supposed to be careful what surfaces you touch after washing 34 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: your hands, too. Door handles and light switches can be 35 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: interesting places under a microscope, especially in winter. Make it 36 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: a family rule that everyone washes hands when they come 37 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: in the door. Kids getting off a bus can drop 38 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: their backpacks, take off their shoes, and head straight to 39 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: the sink before getting a snack. Put a bottle of 40 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: hand sanitizer in your car so people can use it 41 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: whenever they get in after touching the outside world. Kids 42 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: can attach portable bottles of hand sanitizer to their backpacks 43 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: or keep them in their lockers to use before lunch. 44 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: Put a big bottle of hand sanitizer on your desk 45 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: and use a squirt every time you get back there. 46 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: If someone in your household does get sick, it can 47 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: be really tough to keep it from spreading. I know 48 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: in my house, if a stomach bug has hit three children, 49 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: it's just a matter of time before it hits the fourth. 50 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: But using disinfecting wipes on surfaces like door handles can help. 51 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: Aside from hand washing and disinfecting, part of staying healthy 52 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: is just taking care of yourself in general. So get 53 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: enough sleep. Remember that going to bed early is how 54 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: grown up sleep in. Eat your fruits and vegetables, manage 55 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: your stress, and get some physical activity. But if you 56 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:23,919 Speaker 1: do go to the gym, make sure you use the 57 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: hand sanitizer after touching cardio equipment or weights. Bacteria and 58 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 1: viruses turn out to be more faithful JIM goers than 59 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: many of us are. In the meantime, this is Laura, 60 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 61 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 62 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 63 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 64 00:03:55,560 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast Pod. That's B the number four, then Breakfast 65 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: p o D. You can also shoot me an email 66 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeartMedia dot com that Before 67 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 68 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 69 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 1: a production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from 70 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: I heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 71 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:29,600 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.