Heatwave dilemmas: Staying cool in the office!

“When the weather outside is delightful, and the office is so frightful…” That’s the lyric, right?

It’s July 25^th, 2019, and the UK is currently on day 3 of one of the hottest heatwaves it has seen in a long time. We hear it’s on course to break some records! You’ve probably read plenty of advice on how to get your beauty sleep during the hot weather, but what about during the day?

It’s true, many offices now have air-con to keep everyone cool, but when the weather is this hot, it’s easy to get flustered. Here a few quick tips to help you and the team not only keep cool but keep motivated! Dreams of lazing in the park or enjoying a cold one in the beer garden will have to wait…

• Drink water: It's an obvious one! This isn’t just to keep you cool, but to keep you hydrated too. It's good to get yourself hydrated quickly in the morning, and keep water refrigerated for later in the day when you will need some extra cooling down! 
• Ice cream…lots of ice cream: OK, so maybe not loads of ice cream but it’s a nice afternoon treat for the whole team. It will cool them down and keep them going until the end of the day. So, at the 3pm dip, go to the nearest shop and grab a handful of Calippo’s, Solero’s, Magnum’s and, a personal favourite, Fruit Pastille lollies!
• Desk fans/Electric Fans: If the noise doesn’t start to bug your colleagues, these are a great way for a quick fix of cool! In fact, the noise probably won’t be a problem…everyone will be so desperate to have a try that you’ll be the office star for the day. The handheld electric fans come in particularly handy on the underground! 
• Utilise breakout areas: It could be very likely that it’s hotter outside than it is in your office. However, computers, laptops and phones can heat up quite easily and omit quite an unpleasant heat at times. It’s good to let things cool down, take five minutes and sit in a breakout area.
• Ice cubes will become your best friend: Keeping a small cube of ice in your mouth and letting it melt is a great way to have a nice cold sensation present as you get through your to do list. It’s also proven that rubbing some ice on pulse points, particularly to the wrist, is an instant way to cool your body down. Give it a try!
• Your other best friend, coffee, is taking a break: That’s right, a hot drink and caffeine are not a great mix. If you are really in need of that coffee fix, try an iced one!
• Lunch time nourishment: If you can, avoid hot lunches and settle for a nice salad or a yummy wrap!
• One for the management: Are you able to offer some flexibility at times where commuting isn’t going to be super pleasant for your team? If employees can commute at less busy times, like arriving a bit later and leaving a bit later, you should see if they would like to consider this.

Enjoy the sunshine!

We’re certainly going to be enjoying the weather while it’s here – we hope these tips help to keep you cool in the office so that you’re not so overheated to enjoy the outdoors. One more tip…don’t forget the sun cream!