As summer slowly fades into fall, you may see a rise in office illnesses. Here are three ways to stay healthy at work and stave off sniffles:

1. Purge the junk food
One reason you may be feeling a bit under the weather is the 16 cups of coffee and seven bags of ruffle potato chips you ate last week. It’s understandable; you can’t leave your desk for more than a few minutes at a time, so you grab what’s handy. Kick the junk-food habit, and fill your desk with healthy alternatives, such as almonds or other nuts – even dark chocolate is good for you in small doses. Stock the office fridge with carrots and hummus, yogurt and fruit. Instead of going straight for the coffee, try swapping your afternoon jolt with green tea; it has plenty of caffeine but is packed with antioxidants, so you can fight off any office bugs, and it won’t dehydrate you like coffee does. You will fight off sore throats with gusto.

2. Write it out
If your stress is skyrocketing and you just can’t say why out loud, try using your commute home to write yourself a note. The self-reflective act of writing will help you figure out what’s bothering you and de-stress, keeping you feeling your best mentally. See a friend struggling? Try giving them a boost with a card highlighting how much you admire them. If you feel overwhelmed by shortcomings, try writing down everything you finish successfully for a week and then look through your list. You may be surprised by how much you are able to accomplish, and you will notice that you feel better physically. Stress is a major cause for some illnesses, so by keeping yourself relaxed at work, you can help prevent you from going home with a fever.

3. Clean your space
Keyboards, mice and the space around your desk can become havens for germs, especially if there is already a bug going around. Take a few minutes at least once a week and wipe down everything in your workspace, including your phone. If you have a sticky note, sweep it between the keys on your keyboard to get rid of the dust and debris that gets trapped there. You will be able to fend off illness and keep feeling your best.

Staying healthy at work can be a challenge, but it can be done. And if you need to send any get well cards you can find them at Brookhollow.