Don’t let a cold office get the best of you when you’re trying to work.
It’s that strange time of year when you can’t be entirely sure whether it’s going to be freezing cold or blistering hot by the end of the day. And since it’s not quite winter yet, your boss may still be unwilling to turn on the heat. Making your office comfortable is essential for improving productivity and well-being. Here are a few strategies you can take for warming up your office cubicle.
Start at the Core
Your body naturally shuts down blood flow when your core is chilled. Wearing layered clothing is one way to combat this. However, make sure your feet remain insulated. A professor of biomedical engineering at University of Texas at Austin found that, when heating the lumbar spine for more than an hour, heat can leak from the core through palms and the soles of feet. If your footwear leaves you with cold feet, consider swapping them out for slippers.
Go Big with Headphones
A good way to prevent heat from escaping your body’s car is to insulate your ears. If you’re already regularly listening to music while you work, opting for a pair of cans that cover the entire ear is a convenient way to warm up your body.
Heated Chairs and Pads
Some office chairs come with built-in massage and heating elements. If yours doesn’t, heated chair pads are also an option, or you can drape a heated blanket/pillow over the back of your chair. The most important thing is to get coverage for your neck, as good blood flow goes through that region. If a heated accessory isn’t in the budget, wearing a scarf around your neck will make the biggest difference.
New Furniture & Layout
If you aren’t running the heat yet, empty spaces will help cold air circulate–something you don’t want. Rearranging furniture to fill out your office can warm up the atmosphere. If your space is still lacking, it may be time to add some new office furniture installations. A large woolen rug on the floor can also help insulate the room from the cold.
Clean Out Clutter
Many people see spring as the time to do a fresh cleaning, but it can make a big difference in the fall and winter months. Clutter restricts airflow, which could be making it harder for warm air to reach your space. Cleaning out clutter will also make you feel less overwhelmed and stressed, making for an overall more comfortable office environment.
Office Moving, Furniture and Planning from Edwards & Hill
Need help with your next office move? Edwards & Hill can help you plan and install. Edwards and Hill is a leading office, medical, and hospitality furniture supply and installation firm. We provide quality design and installation services that can fit any style and scale. If you’re interested in talking to a professional about any of our services contact us at 301-317-4250.