The cold weather is upon us and so is flu season. With all the chaos that comes with the winter holidays, taking care of yourself may be the last thing on your mind, but it is important now more than ever to prevent yourself from getting the flu! Keep reading to learn 5 effective ways to prevent getting the flu and how to protect yourself in the office.
3 Tips to Prevent the Flu
There are hundreds of different things you can do to try and prevent the flu, but during this particularly busy time of year it is impossible to stay away from every potential flu threat. Instead, here are just 5 quick and easy tips to incorporate into your daily routine to prevent getting the flu (and the cold, and COVID, etc., etc.)
- Wash your hands often – We do not realize how fast our hands get dirty and how often we tend to touch our face! When we touch our nose, eyes, or mouth with dirty hands we are spreading potential flu like germs, not to mention this is the most common way we tend to catch the flu. Wash your hands often and thoroughly, and it wouldn’t hurt to have hand sanitizer as well!
- Eat more fruits and vegetables – Foods that increase your vitamin D levels and that are rich in antioxidants are key in boosting your immune system and helping you fight against the flu! Try including more spinach, kale, oranges, and berries into your meals.
- Get some deep sleep – When you’re not getting enough sleep you are not allowing your body to rest and recover. This is vital in avoiding the flu so that your body is not working overtime. Try to get at least 8 hours of deep, uninterrupted sleep every night!
These are simple, but effective ways to help you boost your immune system during the peak of flu season. While it is wise to incorporate these tips into your life especially during flu season, the number one way you can prevent the flu is by getting the flu vaccine. Getting your flu vaccine early into flu season will help you develop antibodies to fight against the flu and help prevent other illnesses that may arise from contracting the flu such as pneumonia, ear infections, or worsened chronic illnesses. With all of these factors combined, your chance of contracting the flu has significantly decreased!
Preventing the Flu Does Not Stop with You!
It is extremely important to take personal responsibility in protecting yourself against the flu, but it is also the responsibility of your workplace to help aid in the fight against the flu as well! One of the best ways a company can help protect its employees from the flu is by providing flu shot clinics at work. Having a flu shot clinic at work makes it more convenient for employees to get vaccinated and more likely that they will get it, which ultimately decreases the spread of the flu at work.
Another way employers can support employees in preventing the flu is by creating a supporting environment and culture around flu season. When an employee starts feeling sick, employers should not make them feel guilty for calling out of work or pressuring them to stay while they are ill. Managers and leaders need to show employees that their health and wellness comes first and promote a culture that makes people feel comfortable doing what is best for them when they are sick.
Lastly, there are some small changes your workplace can make to prevent the flu from spreading in the office, similarly to the tips mentioned above! Providing healthy snack alternatives in break rooms or vending machines and ensuring all commonly used objects and places at work are cleaned and sanitized daily can go a long way in preventing the flu. Employers can also push to promote more exercise by creating workout groups for after work, or even trying to get a discount for employees at a local gym.
While all these efforts may seem small, they will go a long way for employees. Building these suggestions into your workplace will show employees that they are more than just their work and that their employers do care about them as a person, thus making a better work culture overall.
Use hug to Track Employee Wellness
Hug is an award winning service that allows employers to track employee health and wellness and provide feedback on what employees need more support in. Hug also allows employers to upload content regarding different benefits and other important documents that employees may need access to – like the protocols for when someone at work is sick. Try out hug’s demo here to help better understand your employees needs!