Referring to good or bad habits, we say that “it all begins at home.” On careful thought, shouldn’t it be “it all begins at the workplace?”

We spend 8-12 hours on average at work. The rest is spent at home, which includes 6-8 hours of sleep time. The point is that a large chunk of time awake is spent at the workplace. In short, it serves as an institution that shapes our habits, of which cleanliness is prime.

Hygiene comes first, and there is no room for slack.

Personal hygiene can be felt even from a distance. This makes it even more crucial at the office where people work together at close quarters.

We hope this is your schedule every day:

• Brushing and flossing your teeth.
• Taking a shower and shampooing as often as required.
• Using a deodorant.
• Wearing clean clothes and shoes.
• Shaving and trimming the beard.
• Wearing a mask.

Wipe the dust off your feet while entering the premises.

Sounds trivial, but carrying dust and dirt into the workplace, through the elevator and onto the floor is careless and avoidable. Spend a minute or two rubbing your shoes on the dust rug placed at the entrance.

Start the day with an empty desk.

To achieve this, it is required to end the day with an empty desk. Putting files, papers and stationery away before leaving the workplace should be a habit. Regular filing of papers and digitizing documents greatly help.

The pantry area is as important as the work floor.

We all look forward to that tea/coffee break in between work. Couple of things to remember:

• Do not stand cup-in-hand in the corridor.
• Do not play target games with paper cups, stirrers and tissues. Dispose them directly in the dustbin.
• Do not place cups randomly on the counter, but in the tray for used cups.
• Do not spill sugar over the counter or floor.

Making the best of the cafeteria.

Lunchtime can be relaxing or traumatic for co-workers, depending on how things get going in the cafeteria. It must be instilled that the cafeteria is for all and thinking about others is a pre-requisite at the facility. These are the basic guidelines.

• If you have a predilection for chatting, don’t use the pathway.
• Reheating food in the microwave takes just 20-30 seconds.
• If you use office cutlery, make sure to wash and replace them.
• Office cutlery belongs to the office and must be left there.
• Do not spill food or water on the table. If you do, clean up after yourself.
• If the cafeteria is small and has to be used in batches, ensure that you adhere to your time slot.

Last but not least, the restroom.

Most of the complaints received by housekeeping are for the restroom. The simplest way to keep things in order is to look at them from a personal perspective. If you are happy using a clean, fresh and dry restroom, so will others. These rules are sacrosanct.

• Flush the toilet after use.
• Avoid spilling water on the floor.
• Dispose tissues and sanitary napkins in the bin, not in the commode.
• After using the restroom, wash your hands with soap and water, followed by a hand sanitizer.
• Do not use the restroom as a place to make or attend phone calls.
• Do not use the restroom to smoke.
• It is good to look well-groomed at the workplace, but do not leave hair in the washbasin.
• Turn off the taps and lights when you leave the restroom.

It is a pleasure to be around co-workers who exude confidence and inspire others by the way they carry themselves. That can be you.