As a mom, you know that in “cold and flu season,” the operative word is “season.” We’re not one and done here. It’s more like all and forever.

One kid gets another one sick, who passes it to everyone else. Lots of snot. Lots of hacking. 

And then for four glorious days, everyone is healthy. 

Until another kid comes home with a fever. And it starts all over again.

And it’s not usually the type of sick where they just wanna lay on the couch all day. It’s that level of sickness that somehow gives them more energy (I have zero medical or scientific evidence for why this happens. But it’s straight #momfacts.) They run around and cough all over each other, making it impossible for you to get any work done. 

Because we know you’re not ACTUALLY taking a day off when your kids get sick. You do as much as you can so that you’re not totally behind when you’re able to go back to work. You have to make sure that people know you’re a valuable employee, right?

But what happens when YOU start to get that scratch in the back of your throat? When you realize that the 2pm slump has actually moved to 9:30am because you feel like you just got hit by a truck? 

It’s one of the most panic-inducing feelings for a working mom: you know you’re starting to get sick.

Most of us try to chug a bunch of OJ, take an extra one of our kids’ multi-vitamins and hope for the best. But here’s the deal: you’re actually making it way worse on yourself by not paying attention to what your body actually needs.

The science is clear: you’re more likely to get sick when you’re not taking care of yourself. And you’re more likely to stay sick longer when you’re not taking care of yourself WHILE you’re sick. 

This is one of the reasons I stress self-care so often. It’s not just so you have time for yourself. By lowering your overall stress hormone load, it actually makes you less susceptible to getting sick. Pretty crazy what some long walks and deep breathing can do, right?

Here’s my top 3 (probably pretty obvious) things busy working moms can do to stay healthy  in the midst of cold and flu season:

GET ENOUGH REST

If you’ve got young babies at home, you’re probably laughing (or maybe crying) right now. I know that seems like a high measure when you’d even love a solid 20 minutes. But sleep is critical to your immune system. When you’re running on empty, you’re begging to get sick.

If getting 8 hours every night isn’t really feasible in your season, think about who you can ask for help. State your needs to your partner, ask your parents or inlaws to watch the baby for a few hours, or even a teenager from your neighborhood who can be there while you’re still at home.

If you’re not in babyland and are at home with older sick kiddos, getting rest is equally as important for you. Resist the urge to work every second you’re not wiping a snotty nose. Taking the time to slow down, even shutting your eyes while Netflix keeps your kids contained, can be so helpful! At night, especially if you’re feeling drained or like something could be coming your way, hit the hay as early as you can in order to give your body plenty of time to recuperate.

WATER, WATER, WATER

It’s one of the EASIEST ways moms can take care of themselves and it’s basically free. You don’t need a fancy Stanley to get your ounces in. Although, I will say, finding a glass or bottle that you love will up your chances of drinking enough throughout the day, simply because you’ll like looking at it.

Staying hydrated while you’re sick or trying to prevent illness is kind of magic. It keeps your kidneys functioning in order to help properly filter out waste and balance electrolytes. It allows your blood to flow properly bringing all of those germ-fighting cells where they need to go. It even helps your mucus membranes act as a barrier for bacteria trying to enter the body!

So, for real, drink plenty of fluids.

EAT FOOD

Actually eating 3 meals is one of the first things to go on a busy day. And if you’re not eating, your body gets depleted of all the nutrients it needs in order to keep doing its best at keeping the germs at bay. So you can’t just make sure your kiddos have food and call it a day.

But I’m not just talking about a cup of coffee and a muffin.

Your body needs balance.

Break it down in terms of macro nutrients (carbs, fats, and proteins) and try to pair two of those together at a time. So don’t just eat an apple (carbs) but add a scoop of peanut butter to your slices (fats). Don’t just eat some yogurt (protein) but throw in some granola or fruit on top (carbs). Sprinkle on some chia seeds (fats) to make the perfect trifecta!

I know that when you or your kiddos are sick, Gatorade and ramen seem like they’ll save the day. But I promise, everyone will feel so much better (and so much quicker!) if you can plan out a little bit of nutrition to go along with it.

As moms, we are tempted all the time to put our needs on the back burner for our kids, especially while they’re sick. And I’m not saying it won’t take some sacrifices. But in order to keep everyone at their healthiest mentally, physically, and emotionally, you’ve to make sure you’re taking care of yourself, too.