Imagine this, it is a blistering hot day, from the open window
in the study you can hear the sound of people in the park listening to quality
music, the smell of BBQ wafts past your nose, a belly rumbles erupts and
makes your desire lunch. Your mind drifts off to thinking about slashing your
feet in the cool water of the swimming pool, with the sun on your face.
Just as you start drifting deeply away the phone rings and
it is Derek from accounts asking for the next quarter forecast. As you are
listening to Derek, well, half listening you realise just how hot and stuffy
the room is and how much you wish you were in the office with its ice-cool air
conditioning and temperature-controlled environment.
We have all lived through uncomfortably hot days, at home,
trying and failing to work and feeling, hot, sweaty tired and realising that
life is too short for this s…. I’ll stop there and get to the main point of this
article.
I have collated a range of high and low-tech gadgets that
will make life far more comfortable working from home and make the above
situation a thing of the past.
Sadly, I cannot get rid of the need for quarterly
forecasting.
Desk Fans
Desk fans are your classic “heatwave” accessory, many
offices, especially in the UK are fond of only having desk fans and the
cornettos that managers go out and buy in the afternoon as cooling aids for
their staff.
Sadly, your boss is not around to buy cornettos whilst
working from home.
Now, desk fans come in all shapes and sizes from the small
to the large, and in all types of abilities.
Below we have outlined five desk fans that you will just
love.
Amazon Basics 5-blade
digital fan – this is one of the best high-quality/high-value fans that we
found on the Amazon marketplace. It has digital controls, including a remote
control, dual blades for increased cooling and a seven-hour set-and-forget function.
This is a great all-around fan.
Ocoopa USB Desk Fan –
this is a lovely small, USB-powered desk fan that is an Amazon choice. This is
a great option if space is at a premium and there are no worries about plug space,
as you can plug it straight into your laptop. This version comes in a choice of
colours; However, we really love dark blue.
Now, last, but no means least is the Lanyard Fan from Letour, this is the tube
and train commuter’s best friend. It is USB charged neck fan, that has three
speeds to keep you cool on that rather packed sardine tin that passes for
public transport, and it hangs around your neck, so it is easy at hand in any
situation.
Ice Packs and a Towel
Now, this sounds very low tech for an article about gadgets,
but this is probably the cheapest way of keeping cool in a heat wave. Simply
use this cooling towel, surrounding this cool frozen ice packs used for keeping lunch
fresh, as a back support and you will have an instant ice pack.
Water misters and portable air conditioning units
Some people swear by misters and portable air conditioning
units in heat waves. Personally, I am not sold on the idea of adding extra water
to the air, given it is my personal office and I have paperwork and computers
around. However, in the interests of fairness to a category of heatwave gadget
we have ‘cyber sleuthed’ around Amazon and found these two products which I
think will fit the bill.
Firstly, we have the Homasy
Cool Mist, which has a 30-hour capacity for water, 1-minute cleaning and a
range of features and controls that give you an unparalleled level of control
in your mister. It even looks funky as well.
Next, we have the personal air conditioning unit, there are
a lot of air conditioning units on Amazon, and many of them look suspiciously
similar. However, our research ended up with this one from FitFirst, which has the option to
be both battery or mains operated and also has a four-star review level. It is
lightweight (without the water in) so can be taken almost anywhere, British
summertime weather permitting of course.
Creatively repurposed products
Okay, so we are going back to the future again with this
selection of gadgets. Although these gadgets are not specifically for home
workers, or indeed people looking to keep cool, they both have the ability to
be used to help you cool down. Although we would caution against using them too often as
you might get chilly, so please always follow the manufacturer's guidelines.
First, we have the headache cap, a product designed to be
kept in the fridge or freezer, to help with headaches and migraines. Its
cooling features can give it another life as a home worker's best friend during
a heatwave. Just pop it in the fridge first thing in the morning and get it out
and pop it on when it gets too warm. Once it warms up, put it back in the
fridge. This version of the headache cap has 600 reviews, so we think it is the bee’s chilly knees.
Next, we have another product that is being creatively
adapted for the same purposes a cooling cape for want of a better word. It
will keep you cool and allow you to play superhero with the kids. This version has “magic gel”, we have no idea
what it is, but it does the trick.
Last, but in no means least, is the humble car sun shield.
This bestseller on Amazon has over 2,000
reviews on Amazon. Just pop it out your window early in the morning and it will
keep the sun out of the room all day. Although it is not intended for this
purpose, it can be used to reflect away the sun. Just be careful that the
reflection does not go into someone’s garden or home office. Remember always be
careful when reflecting sunlight.
Cool Down
Hopefully, we have brought you some hi-tech and low-tech
solutions, gadgets and gizmos that will help you ride out the heatwaves of the
summer as a home worker, and just remember, there is absolutely nothing wrong
with going and getting an ice cream at lunchtime. You deserve it, treat
yourself.
What is your favourite ice cream on a warm summer’s day? Let
me know on my
twitter.
*****
Thank you for reading this article.
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