How To Stay Warm In A Cold Office
The problem with working at a job is the fact that other people usually have to work at the job too. When you add people that's usually when all the fun goes right at the window. But since we are not islands, although most of us wish were soaking sand on the beach of one right now, we have to learn to deal with others. During the winter months that usually means the battle for the thermostat.
The thermostat controls the heating and cooling of your work space. The problem with that is there is only one thermostat and however many people that work in the space. Chances are somebody is going to be upset that the temperature is not quite right for them. The battle lines are usually drawn along gender lines. The men are always too hot and the women are always too cold.
What can you do to function in a workspace that is so cold you're uncomfortable? Here are some tips that we found. that just might rejuvenate the blood flow to your fingers so you can type a thank you e-mail to us later.
Get Up and Move Around: We all know that getting the blood flowing through the body is a great way to get warm. We don't recommend a full on CrossFit routine but a little moderate movement might be just the thing. Maybe some arm rotations, or bouncing on the balls of your feet, or even the touching of toes. If you're self conscious about it, go find an empty office or break room or even the bathroom.
Drink Hot Tea or Coffee: When we warm up from the inside the rest of the body will follow suit. I also suggest soup. There are a lot of great low calorie soups that you can enjoy at your desk in a coffee mug. These warm liquids will not only warm you from the inside, they will make you get up and move around to walk to the bathroom.
Hand Warmers or Fingerless Gloves: These require some preparation since you have to remember to bring them from home or buy them at the store. The little packet hand warmers do a nice job of revitalizing cold frosty fingers and even toes. The fingerless gloves allow you access to the keyboard of the computer or telephone and the rest of your hand gets the benefit of being warm.
Spare Pair of Warm Shoes Or Socks: This is mainly for the ladies, you want to be stylish outside your desk. Under your desk you can be as obtusely dressed as you need to be. Those God awful fur lined boots make a great pair of spare shoes to park your feet in during working hours. You can slip out of them and into your heels when necessary. We all know when our feet are cold the rest of the body is miserable.
Space Heaters: If you work around a computer, you probably need to check with your building manager or IT department before you plug one of these in. Space heaters suck down electricity like a fat boy on a milkshake. These units draw so much current through the electrical systems they are connected too they can blow up work stations, entire rows of work stations and even servers. These things are banned around the radio station because of the electrical concerns they bring.
Those are some of our suggestions on how to knock the chill out of the office when the office hothead won't let you turn up the heat. If you have some of your own be sure to share them with us because you can bet on a day like today there are countless cold feet, hands, and butts across the frosty tundra of the Bayou State.