April 28th, 2020 by Sarah Miles

Whether by necessity, due to the coronavirus lockdown, or by choice, such as self-employment or flexible working, many people are now working from home. Without the comforts that many company office environments have such as air conditioning, water coolers, and large open plan areas, we all need to find ways to keep our home office spaces cool over the coming spring and summer months, whether we’re lucky enough to have a dedicated room or just the kitchen table.

Here are our 5 top tips for keeping cool in your home office!

1. Ventilation and Airflow

The most obvious thing to do is open a window but it’s not always as simple as that. It really depends on the temperature of the air outside. If it’s hot and still outside then opening a window may just allow the cooler air inside to escape. Creating airflow around the space can work well; try opening a window and the door to allow air to flow around the whole space.

2. Use a fan

Fans are obviously a great way to keep cool. Choose an appropriate size of fan for the size of your office. Where you place the fan is really important; you may think that placing it really close to you will give you maximum cooling but actually, placing one near a window or door will allow the fan to use the existing airflow of the room and cool it. Two fans placed strategically in the room can aid this further. If you are particularly sensitive to noise when working, consider something like a tower fan which tends to be quieter due to the blades being on the inside.

A great tip for buying a fan is to do it early in the season. So many people wait until a heatwave to realise they need one and both choice and availability could be limited then due to demand.

3. Use ice

A few chunks in your glass of water will certainly help but actually, one of the most effective uses for ice is to place a bowl of it in front of your fan. This will cool the air directly in front of the fan and allow it to be dispersed around the room. You can actually do this more efficiently by picking up an air cooler! Air coolers are fans which have a water tank built in, and some - like most of the MYLEK models - come with free ice packs for extra chill.

MYLEK 4L Tank Remote Control Portable Air Cooler with 4 Ice Packs

Price: £100.00

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4. Close curtains or blinds

If the sun is beating through the window then closing the curtains or blinds will keep that direct sunlight out. If you know that the sun will come round to that room in the afternoon, don’t wait for that to happen before closing the curtains. Close them earlier to prevent the heat building up.

5. Stay hydrated, but avoid caffeine

If you’re sweating you’ll need plenty of water to stay hydrated but if you’re thirty don’t be tempted to go for caffeinated fizzy drinks or even tea or coffee. Caffeine can increase heart rate and therefore blood flow which can raise your body temperature.

One advantage of working from home is that you can prepare your space before you have to start working in it. Before breakfast, go and open the windows and doors and set your fan going so that it will have cooled down by the time you’re ready to start your day.