Beat the Heat – Stay Home to Work
August 9th, 2007 (6:00am) Sabra Aaron 5 CommentsTweet This
It’s no secret to anyone on the east coast that it’s hot. Really hot. And in urban centers, the heat and humidity make bad things happen with pollution. There are a lot of reasons to avoid going into the office, and avoiding the heat and misery of commuting in cars or on public transportation on extreme heat days is one of the best. Even Dr. Gridlock in the Washington Post recommends it:
Unless the air conditioning at work is better than at home, this is a good week to telecommute…
If you’re only an occasional web worker, take a little time today to plan out some tasks that you can work on constructively from home (or at a very nearby coffee shop… or quiet, contemplative swimming pool). Then stay home tomorrow and be cool.
Web Work 101: How To Escape The Cubicle
Here here. Weather in Charlotte today is topping out at 103. 104 tomorrow. Unbelievable heat – like a blow dryer wrapped in a wet rag is hitting your face. Unfortunately, my poor air conditioner at home can’t keep up. Uptown it is….
But at the office someone else is paying to keep you cool.
102.8 on my covered, north facing front porch yesterday. It’s 101 out there right now.
My home office stays comfortable as long as the door is open. It warms up quick if the door is closed though. Remind me next time to not pick the room farthest from the AC compressor as my office.
At my office, the AC either can’t keep up, or somebody keeps setting it too high. I tend to want it 69-70… I keep finding it at 72… but the humidity is what makes me crazy. I’m sitting at my desk, moving little more than my fingers, and I’m sweating.
I found a few reasonable excuses to stay at home and work though, and life is now much better. I can’t concentrate when the office is so uncomfortable. Employers often pay no attention to the comfort factor when it comes to productivity. Lame chairs, small monitors, lousy climate control, poor lighting, etc.
Peter says:
“But at the office someone else is paying to keep you cool.”
Exactly. I’m trying to figure out how to solve this problem. I telecommute full time from a dedicated office in my house. My computer and related equipment heats up my office so that it’s at least 10 degrees hotter than the rest of the house. I can’t cool the whole house down enough to keep the office comfortable. I have a ceiling fan and a powerful box fan in the doorway but it’s still not enough.
I can’t be the only one dealing with this – please, people, tell me your secrets!