SeaChange have identified the 10 safety behaviours we can all do to Starve the COVID-19 Beast! We explain why they are important, what to do, and how make each safety behaviour a long-lasting habit. See below for key information Staying at Home.

This crisis is a marathon, not a sprint. We have all endured a return to a new ‘normal’ through a phased re-opening of businesses / community engagement. However, as seen recently, localised lockdowns and the re-introduction of restrictions is a reminder that we cannot become complacent and must ensure we maintain good habits

Why is Staying at Home Important?

Staying at Home and limiting our Social Interactions greatly reduces the spread of COVID-19

When should you Stay at Home?

You should stay at home & limit your social interactions as much as possible. You should really only leave home for essential reasons such as:

• If you are deemed an essential worker & must travel to work
• To do essential shopping (eg. groceries)
• For exercise

Here are Top Tips to make sure you stay on top of your habits:

1. As many of us still remain to work from home, set up a schedule for sleep, meals, exercise, screen time, work, etc. This will help to maintain a certain normality.
2. Make the most of it: set aside time for a new project you have been putting off, like learning a new language, getting back to painting, learning/ improving your skills, cooking more from scratch, reading more, etc.
3. Make it visual – especially with children at home. Put your schedule in writing, use a calendar, print one from the web if needed. Use colours to differentiate chores from free time, reading time, daily routines, etc.
4. Exercise: the best way to improve your immune system is to practice daily strenuous aerobic exercise. Make use of what you have available: if you have stairs, run up and down several times until exhausted, if you have equipment, use it and look for videos on using them – there are plenty out there. If you don’t have any equipment, there are a lot of exercises you can do that are strenuous, e.g. burpees or mountain climbers – literally anything that will make you out of breath is good. As well as enhancing your immune system, this will improve your lung capacity (can’t have enough of that these days) and help with anxiety and mental health. Practicing breathing exercises is also advisable: take a deep inhalation, keep the air in for 3 seconds, then exhale. Repeat every 30 min to help keep the blood oxygen saturation at an optimal level. This can be particularly useful if experiencing mild COVID-19 symptoms to prevent things from getting worse.

Top Tips for Working from Home:

If working from home, set up your workspace to be safe and comfortable. Try to avoid facing or turning your back to a window to limit glare. Use comfortable seating – changing regularly the type of chair or surface you are sitting on is best e.g. try switching from a gym ball to an office chair to a kitchen chair, etc. Check your posture regularly – avoid slouching and straining your neck. Use laptop risers, wrist cushions, extra monitors, etc. if available. Ventilate your home daily and make it a point to go outside at least once a day for 10 minutes (in your garden, or on a balcony, even just a driveway or at a window).

For more detailed information and consultancy support on how to prepare and plan for COVID-19 onsite, contact SeaChange about our excellent and comprehensive ‘Ready Steady Go Programme’.  Call us now on +353 45 856 028, or email us on info@seachange-intl.com. (SeaChange home page here)

Keep informed via our COVID-19 Support Page here