Office Health Hack: 7 Ways to Avoid Catching Colds and Flu From Co-workers

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The flu season isn't over and, now that everyone's back at work after the holidays, the chances of spreading or catching the disease from your co-workers is higher. Someone's bound to get sick and you should protect yourself from this. Below are some helpful tips:

1) Keep the habit of washing your hands often and do this carefully and properly as it is your first line of defense against colds and flu. Diseases spread faster from the many things you touch and use, like doorknobs, drawer handles, telephones or the copy machine, so washing is imperative.

"Commonly handled objects that are contaminated with these biofilm bacteria could act as reservoirs of bacteria for hours, weeks or months, spreading potential infections to individuals who come in contact with them," said Dr. Anders Hakansson via The Huffington Post. The doctor conducted a study on Streptococcus bacteria published in the American Society for Microbiology.

2) Keep your desk clean and periodically use alcohol to wipe this. Have a box of tissue or sanitary wipes inside your desk drawer, so you can easily reach out for one when you need it.

3) Does your office have a vending machine? It might be a good idea to have this wiped, cleaned and sanitized regularly too, including the button controls.

4) Use paper towels in the break room, so that these can be thrown away after use. Dish or hand towels can only become breeding grounds for bacteria, which will make transmission spread faster. Make sure that trash cans have lids that properly close as well.

5) Pump up your immunity. Have a diet rich in anti-oxidants like nuts and fruits. Pack some of these for snacking at work and have tea breaks rather than coffee breaks.

"Tea is a great source of polyphenols," said nutritionist Heidi Skolnik via ABC News. "Polyphenols clean up free radicals, damaging compounds that can hurt your DNA and accelerate aging."

6) Get vaccinated. January and February are the peak months for flu, but the illness can extend up to May. You can still decrease your chances of getting sick by as much as 90 percent even if you have your vaccine this week, per Everyday Health.

7) Stay home if you're not feeling well. You could be coming down with something already and with your immune systems weakened and compromised, your condition could easily turn worse. Also, staying home means you're not going to spread bacteria to your co-workers.