March Newsletter 2020
COVID-19 Plans & Schedule
We write our March newsletter in what can only be described as the strangest time in our country in a very long while. 9/11 is the last thing that mobilized our citizens as much as this has, and the effects this time are more wide-ranging and changing very fluidly.
It would be our desire to “not” write about COVID-19, but given the industry we are in, we feel compelled to.
This month’s newsletter will focus on our plans (again, these could change rapidly) and on providing you with some resources that might help during these challenging times. Here goes….
We are still open as of this writing. The shelter-in-place order that came down in Denver this week places us in the exempt category. We believe we can assist you in this time of need and will do so as long as we are able.
We communicated early on with our client base about our response to this virus and that full letter can be found here. As with all other companies, our focus is not on revenue or business as much as it is the safety of our associates and our clients.
We will continue to follow the lead of local, state and federal authorities on what we can do and how we can do it, but for now, we are open. We are in the business of killing germs, and we will continue to do so in your homes as we have for years.
As always, we thank all of you for your loyalty to Denver Concierge. Please know that we value you and will be taking every precaution known to ensure your safety.
Tips on Working from Home
This will be the year a good number of us get to feel what it is like to work from home.
Those of you in field sales, the self-employed, etc., already know many of these tips, but we wanted to provide some ideas on how to make the experience better.
We consulted with several people that do this and we received a lot of great tips.
First and foremost, you need structure. Set your office hours and plan and structure your workday.
You also need a routine. It’s easy to fall out of it when you don’t have to go to an office. Get up, get dressed, and prepare the same way you always have. This was a big one from the folks we spoke with….”don’t work in your PJ’s”.
Finally managing distractions. Family members may be feet away from you (hopefully six feet) and it’s easy to lose focus on what you are working on.
Establish boundaries with family members so they realize this is your new “office”, at least for the time being.
Nextiva published a nice 32 point checklist and that can be reviewed here.
A simpler one from Entrepreneur.com can be found here.
Good luck to all of you in managing these challenges!
52 Ways to Detox Your Home
Hopefully using Denver Concierge takes care of a lot of this.
However, in these times it might be a good idea to think about ways to keep things germ free and clean between our visits.
We also realize that some of you have suspended service until this crisis passes, so we wanted to provide some ideas on just how to take care of things until we return.
According to NSF International, your kitchen is actually the germiest place in your home (yep, we thought bathroom too).
From that article, “The various classes [of chemicals] we’re exposed to every day, from the house-cleaning products we are using to plastics to sprays…have effects on chronic respiratory outcomes, such as asthma, allergies, and lung diseases,” says Dr. Dana Dabelea, professor of epidemiology and pediatrics at the Colorado School of Public Health.
“Others have effects on our endocrine systems.” The good news? Simple changes can ensure your home is a safer place for you, your kids, and even your pets.”
It’s a great read and very detailed. As always, we are standing by to assist you as needed!!!
Immune Building Exercises
The gyms are closed. Some of you don’t have fitness equipment at home, so what do we do?
The largest issue we see is the disruption of our routines. We get up, go to work, go to the gym, all at set times. Some of us go on walks with colleagues at lunch, and all those things are temporarily gone.
So, what do we do to not only get our exercise, but keep our immune systems strong?
Luckily the weather is changing and we live in an amazing place to be outdoors.
Our friends at Medium.com, wrote a great piece on this and we wanted to share it.
From the article “Data shows that that physically active people have a 40-50% reduction in the number of days they’re ill with acute respiratory infections. ”
That was all we needed to hear. Let’s enjoy some time outdoors, six feet apart, Colorado!!
How to Stop Worrying
Did you know that 38% of us worry about something every single day? When we read that, we honestly thought it might be low. In today’s world we are sure it is.
So, how do we stop the cycle of worry?
One of our favorite quotes, often attributed to Mark Twain (we aren’t sure) goes like this: “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, some of which actually happened.”
It’s true. Most of what we worry about never materializes at all, or when it does, it never resembles the way we saw it happening.
What then, do we do to curb the incessant chatter that our minds provide? Do we really need the daily commentary of fear and doubt that we hear in our heads?
One of our favorite people in the world, Eckhart Tolle, has made his mark with the concept of presence.
We are doing our best to remain present in these strange times and enjoy each day regardless of the manic news cycle we are surrounded by and we encourage you to do the same.
Monthly Award Winners
Please join me in congratulating our best performers for February 2020!
Our top Cleaning Associates for the month were Josefina Quinonez, Concepcion Reyes, Maria Zapata, Aurora Dominguez and Maria Renteria.
In the Team Leader ranks, our top Team Leaders were once again, Juana Olivas and Socorro Ibarra, back to back months for them!
Thanks to all our team members for their hard work and dedication!
Congrats ladies!
Queen Bee Corner
by Angela
This month’s message from your sequestered Queen Bee:
1. Be kind to one another.
2. Take care of yourself physically and spiritually.
3. Remember the things in life that are truly important.
Thanks for your continued support and loyalty to our company.
Until next month-
Bee