Top Tips for Staying Cool in the Office this Summer

It’s the time of year where we get short heatwaves, horrid humidity and the occasional thunderstorm – yes, it’s summer, or at least the British version of the season. While most of us look forward to the warmer weather in our free time, it seems that effective air conditioning is yet to hit our offices and other workplaces.

That’s why we’ve put together our top tips for staying cool this summer.

Be smart with your style choices

Dressing appropriately for the heat can be tricky in the UK when our weather is less than predictable, but it is the best way to stay cool when the mercury rises.

Dressing in layers is the easiest way to achieve this with a short-sleeved shirt under a suit jacket. If short-sleeves aren’t an option in your line of work, make sure you understand your fabrics. Avoiding heavy materials like wool and opting for ‘breathable’ fabrics like silk, linen and cotton poplin are the best way to go.

Be travel wise on your commute

While not in the office as you travel, getting things wrong here can lead you to being hot and frustrated before you’ve even set foot in the building. Setting off earlier is a good way to avoid the stress of crowded buses, tube trains and trams and when walking make sure you stick to the shady side of the street.

One thing that can cause you to overheat as you travel is carrying too much with you. Ditch what you don’t need and travel light.

Consider your food choices carefully

Breaking down food takes a lot of energy out of your body, and where there’s energy, there’s heat. Surprisingly, the best way to cool down is to have spicy food for lunch! The capsaicin found in chilli stimulates sweat production, which is the body’s natural way of cooling down. Just make sure you wear the right material to avoid any unsightly sweat patches!

It goes without saying that staying hydrated is important too, keep topping up your body’s fluid levels with water throughout the day.

Keep curtains and blinds shut in the office

You want to prevent a ‘greenhouse effect’ in your office caused by light being reflected by the glass. Keeping curtains and blinds closed prevents this from taking place. There is some debate over keeping windows open or closed when it’s getting too hot. The answer is to figure out if it’s warmer inside or outside – the last thing you want is to let more warm air into the office when you’re trying to keep it cool.

And our last tip? Make sure you turn off anything electronic that isn’t in use. Electrical items generate a lot of heat that can add to the overall temperature of the office, so if it’s not being used switch it off. You get to stay cool and help the environment at the same time.

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