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2020 has been a bizarre year for the vast majority of us. Back in January, none of us could have anticipated how the following months would unfold. We had all sorts of plans set out and were well set in our day to day routines. Who could have guessed that a worldwide pandemic would unfold? Over the past few months, governments around the world have set out all sorts of guidelines and measures, requesting that people limit contact with others and stay home whenever possible. As part of this, international travel has been put on hold between many countries, with strict conditions set on travel between countries where flights are still operating. If you had a getaway booked, chances are it’s been called off. But this doesn’t mean that things will stay this way forever. Sure, it may take a while for international travel to get back on track, but now is a good time to start planning a smaller scale, post-pandemic getaway. Not only will it give you something to look forward to, but planning in advance will give you the best chances of making sure your trip is as safe and well thought out as possible.

Consider a Road Trip

If you live with someone you’d like to get away with (perhaps a partner or close housemate) or if you are in a bubble with someone you’d like to go away with, you might want to consider a road trip. Road trips are a good idea, as you will only be spending time in the space of someone you know and have spent time with over the past months. It’s much safer than getting on a flight with countless strangers. Plus, there are countless places you can go in your local area without worrying about potentially spreading the virus to new areas. Just make sure to get a hold of a reliable vehicle from Burswood Car Rentals and choose a location. Make sure that you are permitted to travel to this location and you should be good to go!

Pack Appropriately

Of course, if you’re heading away on a getaway, you’re going to need to pack appropriately. This includes various items that you might not have considered packing pre-pandemic. Some such items include:

• Plenty of face masks for use in public
• Latex gloves
• Hand sanitizer
• Antibacterial wipes

Keeping yourself and everything you come into contact with clean should be high on your priority list right now.

Be Flexible

Of course, now more than ever, it’s important to be flexible with your trip. Regulations and guidelines are constantly changing, meaning you never know when your area could go back into a lockdown mode, or when new restrictions and limitations may be put in place. If you do book anything, such as accommodation, make sure that it is fully refundable up until the day.

We’re all yearning to get away right now. After all, we’ve spent months in isolation. But it’s important not to rush into things and to plan thoroughly to ensure your break is safe for all!

The battle is not over yet, we have to stay vigilant as business owners. The virus is going to be with us for many years to come, experts say. That means that every business owner has to get used to the fact that cleanliness will need to be taken to the next level, and thus, become the norm. We can do this by implementing some common sense policies and instructing our employees to take care of each other. However, we need to merge the practical needs of this, along with the educational aspects. Here’s how you can keep your warehouse clean during the pandemic.

Wiping becomes a habit

Something as simple as wiping down surfaces has to become normal. This should be done by managers and employees. But how often and where? 

Managers need to know what kind of orders in the warehouse they are fulfilling. In other words, which areas of the warehouse will be used for the day? Some products may not have been ordered so the locations where they are stored, need not be disturbed. By knowing which areas of the warehouse will be used, you can set up a cone of cleanliness. Simply use antibacterial and antiviral wipes to clean the palettes, the pump trucks, the shelves which are storing the products/inventory. It should become a habit for both employees and managers. Employees should wipe them down after use, while managers go around and wipe the areas down every other hour.

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Cleaning thoroughly

Once work has stopped for the day or perhaps a shift has come to the end. You need to use the right kind of cleaning supplies to thoroughly clean the areas that have been in contact with your employees. They have industrial floor cleaning equipment, vacuuming, steaming and generally brushing the area so that no dirt or debris will be left. This is crucial for your warehouse as the hard surfaces need to be cleaned with a little gusto. Your simple home cleaning supplies will not do the trick, you need strong equipment for this type of cleaning. Speak with one of their sales assistants or advisors, as they can demonstrate each product for you and explain how it adds value to your business. In times such as these, you cannot afford to have an outbreak of the COVID-19 virus among your workforce, so don’t skimp out.

Reporting and honesty

If one of the employees is not behaving as they should, i.e. wiping their nose with their hands and touching inventory or other people, they have to be reported. This is a very touchy subject for employees because they want to work in a place where there is camaraderie. And telling each other doesn’t really bolster that. But, it’s necessary. Don’t forget this is a life-threatening virus, you have to will employees, to be honest, and report on those among them that aren’t following correct hygiene rules.

A warehouse is a very valuable business, not just to the owners but to the wide economy. Take these precautions and you’ll avoid being shut down by the authorities. 

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Hardly any of us were prepared for the coronavirus pandemic. At the start of the year, we were living our lives as usual. By March, countries around the world were implementing lockdown measures that meant citizens could only leave their homes if they were considered essential workers, or if they needed to head out to get essentials, such as food or medication. This has gone a long way in slowing and controlling the spread of the virus. We’ve been protecting our own health as well as others’ health and wellbeing too! But many of us have experienced extreme boredom during this time. We have been trying to find ways to keep ourselves occupied and safe without having to leave our homes and come into contact with others. Many of our usual hobbies and pastimes have been removed from our day to day lives and many of us haven’t even had work to distract us. Now, it looks like the infection rate of coronavirus is slowly reducing and governments are slowly loosening lockdown measures, opening up different places and permitting more freedom when it comes to what you can and can’t do. But many of us are still reluctant to return to life as usual and would rather keep ourselves to ourselves until there’s more certainty surrounding a resolve to the virus or an end to the virus. If this is the case, here are a few different things you can do to occupy your time and keep yourself entertained without necessarily having to come into contact with others.

New Forms of Exercise

Hopefully, you’ve been getting your recommended one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate aerobic exercise throughout the pandemic. Sure, the gyms are closed, but it’s important for your health and wellbeing that you do give yourself the work out that your body needs to stay fit and healthy. Many people have been taking socially distanced walks, jogs, runs or cycles. But if you’re growing bored of this, it’s important to remember that there are many alternative forms of exercise that you can carry out at home too! You just need to think outside of the box a little. Many people have been following workout tutorials and online workouts that incorporate simple moves such as squats, press ups, sit ups and more. But if you want to try something different, you might want to consider following some simple ballet barre tutorials, yoga or pilates tutorials, martial arts tutorials or other kinds of exercise that can be carried out in relatively limited spaces. Just be safe at all times and don’t push yourself too far or try anything too challenging.

Learn a New Language

Everyone can benefit from learning to speak a language other than the one they grew up speaking and use on a daily basis. Learning a second language doesn’t only challenge your mind. It also provides you with a skill that will allow you to communicate effectively with someone you might not otherwise be able to communicate with. You never know when this might come in useful! Now, many of us think that learning a new language requires face to face classes or tutoring, or that you will need to visit a country where the language is the national language, in order to be able to immerse yourself in it. But this isn’t necessarily the case. There are a number of ways you can learn a language remotely too. Software and apps are constantly improving and offering effective ways to learn and practice reading, speaking and writing your chosen language. Rosetta Stone is perhaps the best known option. But new apps such as Duolingo and Babbel have free options that can get you started out without having to financially invest!

Games

There are so many games out there to play. From games consoles to online games. These might not always be productive ways to use your time, but you don’t have to spend your whole life being productive. You can have some time to do things you want to do for the sake of enjoyment! Just make sure to always be aware of what you are playing. Some games, such as online betting can cost money to engage with. Other games may have add ons that you can invest in, but again will cost. Set yourself budgets and limits to ensure you don’t overspend.

Reading

Some of us have really got into reading during the past three months. Previously, many of us simply felt that we didn’t get sufficient time to read. It just didn’t fit into our schedule. But now, with a bit more free time on our hands, increasing numbers of us have been picking up books and getting back into page turning. It’s a good idea to continue this activity. Reading is good for you. It can expand your vocabulary. It can get your imagination running. Use sites like Goodreads to guide you in the right direction. There are plenty of lists that will help to give you recommendations based on other books you’ve found that you enjoyed. It also contains reviews for most published books, meaning you can decide what books are likely to be worth investing your money, time and effort into.

Arts and Crafts

There are plenty of arts and crafts activities out there that can help to relax you. They can either be challenging options that take up your concentration and can distract you for a few hours, or they can be simple ones that can keep your hands occupied while you watch TV or listen to the radio. Look at different options and determine which appeal to you. Macrame, embroidery, knitting, colouring books, paint by numbers… the list goes on and on. Arts and crafts aren’t just for kids. There are plenty of options that can appeal to adults too!

These are just a few suggestions that can keep you occupied while waiting for this pandemic to completely pass. Hopefully, they’ll come in useful and you can work some into your routine!