SELF-CARE TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF VIRUSES (INCLUDING COVID-19) ON YOU AND YOUR PROJECTS – PART 1 PREVENTION

By Sheila Roberts

Our projects are all feeling the impact of the Covid-19 and one of the things we can do to reduce this impact is to look after ourselves and our co-workers. This is blog is to support and re-inforce the advice which is available nationally and also to add a few basic approaches which have been gleaned from many years in healthcare (my first career was 20 years in the NHS – originally in ITU).

The other aspect is to consider the virus from another perspective. That is that during the pandemic it is likely that you will need to fight more cyber and other opportunists trying to derail your projects.

This blog does not address those as they will be unique to each situation.

Basic Daily Self Care to Boost Your Immune System to fight any virus:

  1. Stay away from others – it works.  Others who may not know they are infected expose you to a larger viral load that makes it harder for your body to fight off an infection.
  2. Get your rest – now is not the time to binge-watch Netflix until 2 AM, do zoom drinking parties with friends, etc.
  3. Get some exercise – it stimulates your immune system.  Do dance parties with friends on zoom, go biking, running, gentle stretching.  Make it priority.
  4. Wash your hands frequently, especially before and after you run a quick errand.
  5. Eat whole foods, stay away from sugar and processed foods.
  6. Drink enough water – about two litres per day should be a target. 
  7. Gargle several times a day with warm water, salt and baking soda – the baking soda can help break up any mucous.
  8. Don’t smoke or vape ANYTHING.  You need your lungs in tip-top shape right now.
  9. Deep breathe – breathe in deep and count to four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold it for four. Do this five to ten minutes several times a day.  It helps your oxygen levels.

Whether you are fighting to boost your resilience for a project or to stay healthy in the current pandemic the same advice works. Without you being healthy your project can’t be healthy.

Do take note of any current or new advice from government as they will have the latest scientific evidence. In addition, we all need to be self-reliant where possible.

These are good practice preventive steps, whatever virus you may encounter.

A Dr with over 30 years of experience said recently that it is not so much the virus spreading but people spreading the virus. Stay distanced, protect the health services and stay safe.