Working from home has its benefits, but is it worth dealing with the summer heat?
Summertime is a great time for most people. It means time for travel, relaxation and sometimes even some great memories. While many people travel during this time, most of us are still having to work while waiting for our vacation time to build up.
Not only that, but with the current global pandemic, most of us are working from our homes and dreaming of the outside world that houses our next vacation destination. As we all know, Summertime equals very hot weather. No matter where you are, you are going to get hit with that intense Summer heatwave eventually.
Working from home has you experiencing this a bit more than you would be working in the average office space your company provides. Most offices have industrial-sized air conditioning units pumping cold air through the whole building while people who work from home are most likely using their basic air condition when it is necessary.
There are many benefits to working from home of course. You get your own private office space, your travel time to and from work is very convenient, and you also don’t have to worry about those awkward co-worker conversations. You are in your element, but over time the cost of working from home during the Summer can be a bit high.
During the Summer most people only use their air conditioning units when they are at home. If you are working from home you are always home, so of course, your electric bill is going to skyrocket. Not only with just the air conditioning usage, but also with the computer equipment you are running 8 hours a day.
Over time those usage bills are going to hit your wallet hard and most companies people work for are not compensating them for electricity or internet usage. Those will begin to stack up and before you know it, you are working from home just to cover the costs of well working from home.
So, what can you do to beat the Summer heat while working from home and still not let it affect your wallet? Do you go back into the office and deal with some of the stress of being back amongst colleagues?
Before you make any rash decisions, remember that you have options to better your work environment, even if you are working from home. There is never a way to not fix an issue you have in life. It is all about finding a few solutions that best fit your way of life.
One way you can fix that heat issue and save some money is by getting a fan for your desk. Having some circulated air directly on you will benefit you and keep you from having to cool your whole house just to stay cool. One fan that is great for the cost is the Honeywell Turbo Force Air Circulator Personal Fan.
This particular fan is amazing when it comes to feeling the cool air and not needing it as much. It has some great features such as:
- 3-speed settings.
- A chance to feel the air from 25 feet away.
- The fan head pivots up to 90 degrees so it is easily adjustable.
The great thing about using this fan is even on the highest setting it will use less electricity than just running your air conditioning unit all day long. Even with its mid-setting, you will most likely only have to use it for a bit of a cool-off as opposed to running it all day. It is a bit bulkier so one thing to consider is finding a good place on your desk where it can perfectly project cool air right to you.
Another way you can truly beat the Summer heat while working from home is by making sure to stay hydrated. Because we tend to have a subconscious mindset when we are at home that it is all about “relaxation”, we tend to forget that we need to get up, grab something to drink, and get back to it.
While the convenience of working from home keeps it so that you are much closer to anything you need food or drink-wise, you still want to make sure that you are not constantly running back and forth to get yourself something to drink.
The Sankuu 1 gallon water bottle is perfect for this. Not only is it large enough to fit enough water to get you through the day with some ice to keep it cool, but it also comes with some nice motivational time markers.
These time markers are a pleasant reminder throughout the day to keep you motivated to continue staying hydrated. Some of the features with this include:
- Being leakproof to prevent any spills or water damage to your desk.
- A safety lock to make sure the lid doesn’t come open.
- A straw for convenient and comfortable drinking.
- A variety of colors to help reflect your personality a bit more.
It is super important to keep hydrated while you work. Some of us tend to put our noses to the grindstone to get through the workday. Because of this, we forget to take a moment to drink some water and get back to it. You want to stay hydrated not only to help beat the Summer heat while you work from home but also to stay physically and mentally healthy while doing so.
Water and drinking plenty of it throughout the day is much healthier for your health than you think. Drinking water and staying hydrated throughout the day will help with:
- Flushing waste out of your body.
- Regulating your overall body temperature while you work.
- Keeping your mental focus by improving your brain functions.
Most of all it will help to improve your body’s maximum performance as the day goes on. Hydration affects your strength, full-body function, and endurance. It is also a great way to help with your digestive system and to stay healthy while you diet.
Lastly, the best way to beat the Summer heat while working from home is taking breaks. Taking breaks is so important for your physical and mental health while you work. This is even more true while the temperatures outside of our homes are quite excessive. In some areas of the USA, temperatures are staying consistently at 100 degrees daily.
No matter how hard you work, you will need to take at least 2-3 breaks a day. This ensures you are not wearing your body and mind down too much while at the same time giving yourself a chance to refresh when you are having less mental focus.
If you consistently work without breaks, it tends to chip away at your mental and physical health in many ways. You could end up being more fatigued during the week, your stress levels will increase and you may turn to stress eating which could put you at a high risk of obesity.
Taking a nice break to enjoy some cool air with your fan or sip away at your water bottle to stay hydrated will be a great way to stay happy, healthy, calm, and focused. The best thing to remember is no matter how hot it is out there, you have ways to enjoy yourself and stay cool while you work. Not just the ways that were mentioned in this article, but many other ways as well.
Remember that your mental health, happiness, and living your best self while you work are far more important than bearing through it to get through the day. So be sure to stay safe, motivated, and most of all hydrated while you enjoy your work from home experience.