Cold Remedies at Work

Well, it finally happened. I'm getting sick.

I knew it would happen eventually given that my job requires that I be in close proximity with children on a regular basis. Let's face it, no matter how hard we try, kids are always carrying around a plethora of germs and sometimes no amount of Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, or hand washing can keep them away. This is especially true if you haven't been working with kids for many years. If you have, you may have built up a highly resistant immune system by this point! Alas, this is only my first year working full time in an elementary school so my immune system isn't yet super immune.

I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a pervasive sense of exhaustion. Since I don't have any other symptoms yet (like a nasty cough), I figured I could still make it through the school day. However, I know that I'm going to need to find ways to combat this cold all day long or I'm never going to get better.

First, I'm alternating my water bottle with a mug of hot Ginger Pear tea. Drinking even more water than usual throughout the day will keep me hydrated (which we all know is one of the best ways to get rid of bugs) while the delicious white tea will soothe my throat with minimal caffeine side effects.

Second, I'm listening to my Relaxation Radio station on Pandora in between working with students. The music is calming and soothing, which puts my mind to rest and keeps me from fretting about being sick. Worrying about it will only make me more stressed, which is a nearly fool proof way to keep from getting better. If I have to be at work, I might as well feel calm as often as possible.

Third, I'm staying aware of my mind and body so that I can listen to myself if I start to feel too crummy to carry on. I've never been good at taking a sick day. I always feel incredibly guilty even though I know all of the convincing and entirely accurate arguments in favor of staying home: you won't infect others, you'll get better quicker, and you'll be in better shape for your students than you would be if you came to work feeling awful. So, I've promised myself that, if I still feel like this or worse tomorrow, then I will need to take a sick day. It's easy to want to give our all to our students, but we can't do that if we are sick. I just need to keep reminding myself of that!

To anyone else who is feeling sick at work but not quite sick enough to stay home, I understand your stress! Get better soon!