Injuries are common and happen both in the workplace, at home and when you’re out and about. Often enough we feel like we’re invincible until the worst happens and we’re cruelly reminded of how fleeting life can be.
With that being said, it’s important to understand how to keep yourself safe and to put that awareness into action. Keeping yourself safe from injury is something that you want to focus on at all times because it’s often when we are haphazard with our health and wellbeing, that something ends up going wrong.
Here are some helpful tips to keep your body in good shape and out of harm’s way this year.
Don’t use your phone while you’re driving
It’s a given that when you’re driving, you should have your attention wholly on the road in front of you, as well as the surroundings around you. Unfortunately, not every driver is a good driver and that means you could find yourself getting into an accident that doesn’t end up being your fault.
In these cases, it’s good to get a car accident lawyer on speed dial but to help avoid any accidents in the first place, you want to be attentive at all times. The use of a phone is a real distraction and one that could seriously put you in danger even if you’re using it just for a second or two.
When you step into the car and behind the wheel, put your phone on aeroplane mode or if using it as a Sat Nav, don’t acknowledge any calls or messages that come in. Make sure you’ve stopped somewhere first before answering those calls or messages.
Declutter your home and workspace
The home and workspace are equally dangerous environments if you don’t look after your clutter. It’s therefore important to look after your home and workspace when it comes to clearing up the mess.
Be aware that there are plenty of tripping hazards around the home and tripping hazards alone can cause some real issues if you’re rushing about. Think about regularly decluttering your home and workspace so that you can rest safe in the knowledge that you’ve reduced the risk of causing problems for your health and wellbeing.
Be aware of your surroundings at all times
It’s a morbid thing to think about but there are lots of dangers present at all times, wherever you may be. You shouldn’t become too paranoid at this thought but it’s worth being aware of what’s around you and what dangers you might be susceptible to.
For example, if you’re someone who does a lot of exercise, you might want to be wary of what sports you play or equipment you use that could come with a certain level of risk.
Just being aware of general dangers like checking before you cross over, to watching your back when walking home alone late at night. Awareness of your surroundings is something that can be seriously important to your well-being and to those you love, so make sure to spread that awareness. You might not always be aware of the dangers that exist until it’s too late.
Don’t overexert yourself
Your body can only take so much and even though everyone is different, it’s important to be aware of how much your body can take personally. You might be someone who goes to the gym every other day and is therefore relatively fit. Or it might be that you do a lot of weight lifting and therefore consider yourself to be strong.
Even being in this position can cause harm to your body if you’re doing too much without resting or knowing where your limits lie. While it’s great to push those limits, you don’t want to push them too much that you end up causing yourself injury, which is often painful to endure.
Consider taking a rest when you’ve done too much within a short space of time and remember that having a rest day is important, even if you enjoy working out frequently.
Remember black ice can be deceptive
Black ice is one of those hidden dangers that crop up every so often. Typically, when it gets really cold, it’s always worth being mindful of any ice that might appear in and around your home or around the workplace.
With black ice, it’s one of the most dangerous to drive on or walk on, so it’s useful to know how to spot it and understand how deceptive it can be. It can be extremely slippery and catches people out because it almost looks invisible to the eye. Be aware of its transparency and where possible avoid walking on it or driving on it.
Get insurance for yourself and your loved ones
Insurance is something that you shouldn’t ever take for granted when it comes to keeping you and your loved ones safe. Certain insurances like life insurance, are there for those scenarios where the worst happens and often at times, is unexpected.
Whether you’ve got this insurance in place or not, it’s important to get it if you haven’t and to assess it once it’s in place. It’s helpful in situations where you’re the sole earner of your household or you’re the breadwinner when it comes to the amount you earn.
Insurances are also great for when you are injured and need to protect yourself and your loved ones financially.
Wear safety gear to keep yourself from harm
Finally, one of the best ways to keep you safe from injury is to consider wearing safety gear. For example, if you work in an environment where there’s a lot of falling debris or risk of injury due to the equipment or tools used, then safety gear is a given.
However, in day-to-day life, safety gear is handy to wear, such as riding a bike or doing rock climbing indoors. It helps to have a little extra padding to protect your body should you get unlucky.
Make sure that you’re looking after yourself and keeping all of your body parts in good shape for 2024.