Should You Take A Flu-Cation?

If you were like me and the millions of other Americans this winter, you battled with the dreadful flu. My husband and I were both victims this month.

For days, it was a symphony of coughing, sneezing, and moaning. There was also a never-ending sheets battle as we could never quite synch who was in the chills portion of the fever and who was in the overheated portion.

Since we were feeling so miserable, we thought we’d surely have to cancel our staycation we had booked in the city that weekend. We discussed whether it made sense to leave the apartment and head downtown when we’d just lay around like logs. Well, we decided to stick with our original plan, and it was the best decision ever.

We took a flu-cation.

The two of us had been stuck in the apartment for days. Dirty laundry was piled up. We hadn’t eaten a decent meal. And we didn’t feel like cleaning. A hotel is a cure for all those things.

When we walked into our room at the Thompson Gild Hall, we instantly felt more relaxed. We weren’t surrounded by our germs or mess, had clean non-fever-soaked sheets, access to room service, and a soaking tub to ease our body aches. We could even have our choice of watching TV on the couch or bed, so vegging out was a cinch. It was better medicine than the Tamiflu.

After a good meal and peaceful night’s sleep, we woke up feeling tremendously better and actually human again.

In these 24-7, always-on times, it’s so common for us to try to push through an illness, show up to work, and not take care of ourselves when we need it the most. I admit I do the same. But this flu-cation was a reminder that instead, we should be pushing to take care of ourselves.

Of course, it’s not always an option to stay at a hotel when you’re feeling under the weather. But next time you’re feeling stressed at work or a cold coming on, ask yourself what’s that little extra something you can do for you, so you’re not running on fumes.

Self-care is some of the most important care you can give. So, go on, take a flu-cation, sleepcation, or whatever vacation you need to because otherwise, you won’t be able to properly nurse all of the other important things in your life.