How to Avoid Transmissible Illness When You Work in an Office

Do you work in an office? If so, you'll want to take extra precautions to protect yourself from transmissible illness. The close-quarters nature of the modern-day office means that germs can easily spread. If one of your coworkers shows up to work while sick, there's a good chance he or she may transmit the illness to other workers, including yourself. And while no method is 100% effective at preventing transmissible illness in the office, there are ways to lower your risk.

Avoid Touching Dirty Surfaces

I know this sounds like common sense, but it's worth mentioning that you should avoid touching dirty surfaces in the office. While no two offices are the same, a typical office has several areas where germs accumulate. This includes elevator buttons, phones, keyboards, vending machine buttons and doorknobs.

Wash Hands Regularly

In addition to avoiding or limiting contact with dirty surfaces in your office, you should also wash your hands on a regular basis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this is one of the most important things you can do to protect against infectious illness. Even if your hands look clean, they could be harboring infection-causing bacteria and viruses. By washing your hands with soap and warm water, you'll eliminate 99.9% of germs, giving you peace of mind knowing that your hands are truly clean.

Follow a Healthy Diet

You'll want to follow a healthy diet. This, of course, is difficult for many office workers because they get into the habit of eating fast food and other unhealthy snack foods on a daily basis. If this sounds familiar, try preparing and bringing your own meals and snacks from home. It takes a little more time and work, but the end result is well worth it. You'll feel healthier and more energized by following a healthy diet. And most importantly, it will boost your body's immune system so that you're less likely to catch a cold of flu infection.

Avoid Contact With Sick Coworkers

When a worker is sick with a transmissible illness, such as the cold or flu, he or she should stay home. Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen. Many workers still show up to the office, even when they are contagious, thereby exposing other workers to the infection-causing bacteria or virus. When one of your coworkers is sick, avoid contact with him or her. If you have to talk to them, keep a distance and be sure to wash your hands afterwards.

It's impossible to stay healthy for 365 days a year. Statistics show that the average adult will catch about three cold infections each year -- and that's just the common cold. You can reduce your chance of getting sick, however, by follwoing the tips listed here.