Working in an office during the summer can be a particularly uncomfortable place when the temperature rises. When you’re trying to concentrate and focus, being too hot can make it all the more difficult and often it can feel as though there is nothing that can be done temperature-wise.
It’s important to look after yourself during periods of hot weather, particularly when you’re working in a warm environment and there are things you can do to make yourself and your office feel cooler in the summer. Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which you feel more comfortable and productive in the office during warm weather spells.
Reconsider Your Office Design
It won’t be a problem until the weather heats up, but the design of your office can contribute massively to how warm you feel in the office. In typical fashion, good weather tends to happen during the week, so this can only increase the warmth in the office. When it’s warm, it might be tempting to open the windows and let natural light in, but this can be one of the worst things you can do when trying to keep the office cool.
If your workspaces are near windows or doors, then this is probably one of the worst locations for regulating temperature and always makes a room feel hotter than it actually is. If your office space consists of a lot of glass, soft furnishings or dark colours, then these can all trap and retain heat and also increase the internal temperature. If you find that this is severely affecting productivity within your workspace, and it could be that your office space is also severely cold in the winter, then it could be worth considering a full office fit out to make your office more comfortable.
Maintain A Regular Temperature
During periods of hot weather, it is important to avoid going from one extreme to another in terms of temperature. Sure, it can be nice to go into a room that has very cold air con when you’ve just come in from outdoors, but this can affect your body’s ability to regulate temperature and can often end up making you feel warmer.
If the temperature difference between an air-conditioned room and outdoors is cooler than 10ºc, then this can cause you to feel changes in temperature more severely when you leave the room to go back outdoors. It can also cause your sinuses to be affected and can lead to blocked noses or temporary coughs. With air con, look to keep it at a regular temperature, rather than turning it on and off throughout the day, making the room too cool or having it blasting on you directly.
Stay Hydrated
It might seem obvious, but when the temperature increases, it’s really important to stay hydrated throughout the day. Your body loses a lot of fluid when it is warm due to perspiration, so look to replace any lost fluids with plenty of water. If you want to feel more refreshed when staying hydrated, consider adding mint and cucumber to your water for a summery, refreshing beverage. Avoid drinking fluids that are too cold as, even though it is warm and you feel as though you need to cool down, your body will actually use more energy in trying to warm it up again – making you feel hotter.
You might think that when it is warm, you need to avoid hot drinks. But, in actuality, it can help you to cool down. In many warm countries, hot tea is regularly drunk – no matter the temperature – as the heat doesn’t need to be changed massively by your body, so you don’t need to avoid those tea rounds! You should avoid alcohol, however tempting an after-work drink in the sun may seem, as this can lead to you becoming more dehydrated.
