The Office Heatwave: How To Cope

It’s often that we’re looking to turn the heating up in English offices, as sunny days are a rare accompaniment to our usual week in the office. But with the weather being surprisingly hot lately, we decided to put a few top tips together to help you cope with oppressive office heatwaves and, hopefully, keep you going until the beer garden calls at the end of the day.

1. Ditch the coffee

Did you know that during these hot summer days you need to rehydrate with at least 2-3 litres of water a day because we tend to sweat more? This brings us to rule number 1 - Hydration. Get this wrong, you might as well bang your head on the desk a few times to match the headache (and potential heatstroke) that you will be suffering with.

You know that water cooler you have in the office? Use it. Our advice would be to bring in a bottle and fill that up, as those tiny little plastic cups can easily fool you into thinking that you’ve drunk enough for the day. (Don’t kid yourself that the ice-cold beer that you’re planning on having after work will help you either!)

2. Dress ‘Cool’

Dress codes will vary workplace to workplace, but this is definitely something you need to think about when it’s boiling hot. We’re not saying come into work in a kaftan or anything, but wear loose fitting, breathable fabrics that aren’t going to stifle you and will stop your skin from becoming irritated. The last thing you want is to be dripping with sweat whilst you work, so be smart and put your comfort first.

3. Turn it Up

You may not have used it since 2013, but make sure to turn the A/C on! Air conditioning units will actually make the office environment far more bearable than opening up all the windows, especially when the windows are only letting warm air into the office. You need to ensure that cold air is circulating around the room constantly to stop you taking that mid-afternoon snooze.

4. Fan-tastic!

As much as having A/C units are obligatory in most offices, you may be in one of those offices where the A/C isn’t very powerful, and this can cause problems. But don’t worry, there is still a back-up plan! You can simply plug in that desk fan that’s been pushed to the back of the storage cupboard since last summer. So, wipe off the dust and sit it on your desk for the rest of the day.

5. Take a Break

You’re supposed to stand up from your desk at least once an hour and, whilst the heat can make you lethargic, it will do you some good to get away from that computer screen. It’s a perfect opportunity to go fill up that bottle of water you brought with you.

Also, if you’re anything like me, you want to soak up as much sun as possible whilst it’s here. Although, in this case it might not be a good idea to go and sit in the sun and then return to your office. Therefore, it might be worth going for a walk in the shady parts of a park or down the road, just so you are getting some air without suffering from the beaming sunshine.

6. Stay motivated

Yes, I know, it can be impossible to concentrate in this weather sometimes. But you can try and take your mind off how hot it is by slamming through the rest of your work and use the weather as motivation to do so. Nothing is more motivating than knowing you can get through the last few hours in the office to then spend the rest of your weekend enjoying the sun with a cocktail in your hand.