There are so many things to love about summer. It evokes beautiful images of nature bursting in all its shades of greens and smell of fresh wildflowers. Long, sunny days spent on sandy beaches or river banks, picnics, and barbeques, road trips with your bff… the list is (almost) endless. Plus, the majority of people feel happier during this time of the year. More hours of sunlight increase the level of serotonin, your happiness hormone. However, summer also brings higher temperatures which can be difficult to handle, especially in the office. The sweltering heat can have a negative effect both on your mood and productivity, but on the bright side, there are ways to deal with it. Here are some hacks that will help you keep your office cool and your productivity rate high.
1. Keep the summer outside
The first thing you should do is prevent the hot air from coming into your office. Keeping the windows closed means that the heat will stay where it belongs – outside! Of course, this rule doesn’t apply in case there is a cool summer breeze knocking on your shutters. Then you should open your windows and let the cool fresh air fill your office. Depending on your working hours, the best time to make your working space fresh and airy is in the morning and late at night when there is little or no sunlight to heat up space.
2. Protect your windows (and yourself)
If you have a green thumb, then you may want to consider putting a sun-protecting film on your windows. This energy-efficient film offers protection from up to 99% of damaging UV light. It also protects your office from sun damage, glare, and most importantly – heat. We are all familiar with the fact that the sun UV rays can be very harmful. Exposure to UV radiation from the sun can cause many health problems like blindness and skin cancer. By installing sun-protecting film on your windows will keep your office cool and your skin healthy.
3. Air conditioning is your best friend
Staying productive at work while you’re desperately trying to stay cool can be quite a challenging task. We’re all familiar with the feeling of sluggishness that comes with hot summer days. This is because one of the body’s main tasks is temperature regulation. Wasting energy on staying cool instead on that awesome presentation of yours can be crazy-making. To avoid all that, it’s highly advisable to install air conditioning. The best way is to hire professionals like Farran Heit Air Conditioning who will not only install your AC but take care of its repairs and maintenance too. Comfort isn’t the only thing that’s great about air conditioning. It provides us with safety and a better quality of life.
Here are some of the advantages of working in an air-conditioned office:
- Productivity rate is higher. When we work in a comfortable working environment, our efficiency increases. We’re focused on the daily tasks instead of ways to stay cool.
- Air quality is improved. Aside from circulating the air, AC has numerous filters that prevent pollutants from the air. This can be especially beneficial for those who suffer from asthma and allergies.
- Stay calm. With the heat, our mind may slow down, but our bodies do the opposite. Increased heart rate and high blood pressure lead to aggressive behavior, and that’s something we all want to avoid, right?
- It keeps the electronics cool. Heat and humidity can cause great damage to the electronic devices in the office. It can lead to an unwanted loss of an important date or a shorter life span. Air conditioning will keep them cool and safe.
4. Go and get a fan
If your office is still too hot for your liking, go and get yourself a (desk) fan. There is a great span of options to choose from, but be careful not to choose the one that actually emits heat. There are personal and desk fans. Although you are probably tempted to buy them all, keep in mind the size of your office and the possible spots where you can put them without disturbing your fellow colleagues. Another useful hack for keeping your office cool is to place an iced bottle in front of the fan. It will keep the humidity levels in the office balanced.
5. Switch off electronics
We live in an era of constant technological development. This is why it’s become unimaginable to spot an office that’s not stacked with various electrical devices. Sure, they make the job (and life) easier but they also heat up the room – a lot! So the smart thing to do is to turn off all the unnecessary electronics. This may seem like an unnecessary move, but trust me, it will make a huge difference in the room temperature, especially if you work in a small office. Besides, it will not only create a more pleasant working environment but it will also cut down the expenses on your electricity bill.
6. LED there be light
Lighting plays an important role in maintaining a low temperature in your office. Classical light bulbs emit a great amount of heat and usually have a very short life span. You have probably noticed this, especially if you have a desk lamp. Luckily, there is a super-easy solution to that problem. By replacing the old light bulbs with the LED ones will make your working place cool and more energy-efficient because of they last longer. So that’s undoubtedly a win-win combination.
7. Her Majesty – the Chair
A typical day at the office usually involves hours and hours of sitting. Whether it’s on the computer, on the phone or at the meeting, it can make our attempts to stay cool quite difficult. That’s why is very important to invest in a high-quality chair that will not only support your back but keep you nice and cool too. Another option to explore is getting a cooling chair cushion. It will make your seat comfortable, cool, and ventilated.
8. Keep yourself cool
This may seem like a totally irrelevant hack when we talk about keeping our office cool, but let’s take a step back and think again. The choice of fabrics you wear can change the game completely. By wearing lighter and more breathable materials will make you feel nice and cool. Your skin loves them too. Go for cotton, linen, viscose, and silk and avoid heavy synthetic materials as they will make your day at the hot office a living hell. Oh, and don’t forget to hydrate! Try to drink more water than experts recommend because you lose a great amount of it through sweat. Avoid icy-cold drinks because they give the signal to your brain that it needs to heat up the body, and that’s the last thing you want, right?
A busy day in the office can be really exhausting. Sweltering heat can only make that even more challenging. On the bright side, there are ways to make things better and our working environment more pleasant. There are many ways to achieve this. Some are more costly than others, but everyone can find a solution that best fits their needs. With these hacks, you will not only keep your office cool but also enjoy the numerous benefits it brings along. As a result, you’ll feel better and healthier so your productivity will increase naturally. You’ll achieve better results at work, and that will make you burst with confidence. You’ll be ready to tackle the new tasks with bells on.
