Five Ways to Stay Warm in a Freezing Air Conditioned Office
Working in a blistering-cold air conditioned office? Here's how to stay warm.
July 6, 2012 — -- intro: It's hot out. It's one of the hottest summers in quite a while. But while it's melting outside, you may be freezing inside. We don't have any hard stats, but if the tweets about people freezing in their offices are any indication, lots of people who are in their offices this summer are enduring some winter-like temperatures.
Of course, getting the office and your co-workers to agree on the ideal inside temperature is unlikely, and getting the building to make a change is even more unlikely. But you can take matters into your own hands. We've rounded up some of the best ways to stay warm in those blistering cold offices this summer.
quicklist: 1title: Sweaters, Snuggies, Shawls text: We're going to start with the most obvious solution: bring an extra sweater or jacket with you to the office. If that doesn't seem warm enough (which is the case for many!) you can also invest in a wonderfully comfortable Snuggie and keep it at your desk. Snuggies can be found at Target, CVS, and other retailers for $20. You also might want to order the brown version from MySnuggieStore.com, rather than pick up a bright pink or blue one, which is what you'll usually find on store shelves. If you want a more stylish option, a woolen shawl is always a good route and you can use a nice pin to keep it in place. Scarves are also a stlyish way to go.
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quicklist: 2title: Space Heatertext:The next option is a bit more aggressive. Yes, many people actually buy space heaters and keep them under their desks for warmth. Hey, what better way to fight blowing cold air than by blowing warm air? You can pick up a space heater for as little as $25. Just make sure to turn it off at night and not to position it near any paper or anything flammable. Also, you might want to check with your office manager to see if they are permitted on premises.
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quicklist: 3title: Stairs text: Sometimes the only option is to get up and move around. You can go outside, but sometimes the shock of going from cold to hot or vice versa isn't great on the immune system. Instead, get up and walk around the office or up and down the stairs in your office building. Not only will it warm you up, it will give you some time away from the computer screen and your office chair!
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quicklist: 4title: Fingerless Gloves, Socks text: Of course, you'll have to return to that keyboard soon, and your fingers, as you might know, can suffer the most from the cold air. If you're working on a laptop that gets warm that might help some, but you might actually want to invest in a pair of fingerless gloves. There are plenty of pairs for under $5 on Amazon.com. Also, since you are already at a desk and near a computer, you could also go with a pair of USB heated gloves, which actually heat up your hands. And while you are shopping you might want to pick up a pair of warm socks if you happen to wear sandals or open shoes to the office. Slip on the socks under the desk and no one will ever know!
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quicklist: 5title: Hot Coffeetext: One of the best parts of summer is iced coffee or iced tea, but if you're stuck in a cold office you might be better off getting a mug and filling it up with a hot drink and holding it in your hands. Okay, it's not rocket science, but it works!
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