For all the benefits of working from home, there may be occasional days when you wish you were heading to the office. They might be on freezing days when you’re wanting to keep warm and save money. Equally, they may be on those scorching days when you’re looking at how to keep cool when you work at home and the office air con is appealing.
These simple tips can help you to keep cool without spending a fortune on expensive fans or air conditioning. While it won’t lower the temperature outside, they can help minimise heat rising inside and keep you cool while you work. This will help you stay productive when you’re working at home. We also look at what employers need to legally do if it becomes too hot in the office.
DIY air conditioning
Even if you just have a basic small fan, if you place a bowl of ice in front of it or drape a cool cloth over it, it chills the air and you’ve created your own air conditioning!
You can also find rechargeable fans that aren’t running on power in the day.
This simple hack can save you money and keep you cool while you work from home.
Light and loose
Wearing natural fibres such as cotton, linen, bamboo and even merino wool (yes even superfine wool can be lightweight and helps to wick away moisture) will help your skin to breathe.
When it comes to your work from home wardrobe, try to avoid fabrics such as polyester, nylon and lycra which breathe less well and can make you feel hot.
Think about the style and fit as well. Loose, flowing garments such as skirts, wide-leg trousers and shorts will help to keep you cool when you work from home.
The upside of not being in the office is nobody needs to know if you need to sit in your underwear! (Just remember to change before a video meeting!)
What to close, what to open
It might seem counterintuitive to close windows and blinds but this prevents hot air coming in. Keep your curtains and blinds pulled at the hottest part of the day to prevent direct sunlight penetrating your sunny rooms.
Once the temperatures dip later in the day, you can open up and fling open the windows to let in some cooler air.
It can also be a good idea to open up loft hatches so there is somewhere for the hot air to rise to and escape through the roof. In winter you might want to keep it in but on scorching days, try to keep your top levels cooler by letting it out.
Water and more water
When chatting to remote work expert, Rowena Hennigan about self-leadership, one of her daily must-dos is to keep a bottle of water on her desk.
It is simple but on a hot day, even more essential. We understand we need to stay hydrated but most of us don’t drink enough. Having some water at your desk to sip throughout the day can help you to stay focused and productive as drinking water can help when you feel a little foggy or tired.
Water is not just to drink. A small spray bottle filled with water is a great way to stay refreshed as you can gently spritz yourself. Another great tip is to have a bowl or tray of water under your desk to dip your feet into. This helps to keep you lovely and cool.
Skew your hours
Non-linear work days are even more important when it’s hot. If you have flexibility and control over your schedule then consider working earlier in the morning or a little later in the evening when temperatures are more comfortable. This means you can take a break during the hottest hours in the middle of the day.
In summer, when the dawn breaks earlier, it is a little easier to wake early and make the most of the cooler daylight hours.
Change locations
One member of The Homeworker community did once admit to working from her bathroom. The tiles on the floor were a cool alternative and made homeworking more comfortable.
While we are not suggesting taking your Zoom calls from the bathroom floor, do think about moving your workspace to a cooler spot. Shadier rooms or those on the north side of the house tend to be cooler. If you have a small table, portable desk or console table you can use as a desk, this is ideal.
If you can find a shady spot with some breeze, working in the garden could be a great alternative to keep cool when you work from home.
One of the best hacks we like is to take the ironing board out and use it as a standing desk. Portable, good for your posture, and easy to pack away!
Switch off to keep cool
In this instance we are talking about appliances. Many electrical appliances give off heat. The obvious one is the oven so try to limit cooking with the oven. (We generally want to eat cooler foods such as salads in the heat anyway). Save clothes washing until the evening and make the most of the energy and cost-saving as well. Some energy suppliers have better tariffs for using your appliances overnight to help you save money.
Duty of care of employers
For remote workers, employers have a duty of care to ensure their workers have a safe and healthy environment.
Legally, there is no maximum working temperature limit as some work environments are exposed to high heat. However, managers still need to consider how the heat could be impacting their staff.
“The legal responsibilities in respect of health and safety in the workplace still apply and this means carrying out a risk assessment and ensuring that employees work in temperatures that are reasonable and do not place their health and safety at risk,” says William Walsh, partner in the employment team at law firm, DMH Stallard.
If people are working from home, the health and safety obligations still apply to that working environment.
“The risks should be much lower, as home workers are unlikely to be undertaking physical tasks and, even if they were told to stop working, those individuals would still be in their same home environment. But the issue should not be discounted altogether.
If, for example, it was known that an employee was working from their home office set up in a small box room up in a loft conversion, where it could get uncomfortably hot, they should be encouraged to move and, if necessary, given flexibility around their tasks to allow them to do so.”
Embrace home life
Finally, let’s look at how to make the most of remote working on a hot day.
A quick dip in the children’s paddling pool, a quick hose down or spray in the sprinkler, and of course, no judgement if you are wearing a bikini or trunks to work in!
There may be a few sneaky benefits to working from home in the heat that help you to be more productive.
While heat can be uncomfortable, you may be someone who loves the sunshine so being able to take lunch out in the garden or work outside for a period are all wonderful benefits.
Dedicated to helping you thrive when you work from home, The Homeworker publishes articles that are designed to keep you healthy, happy, and more productive in work and life.
