Like they say in Game of Thrones: "Winter is coming." OK, not really. I'm truly sorry to scare you like that. The sunniest season of the year is actually right around the corner, so you should probably book that beach house for a long weekend while you can. During the week, you might be soaking up fluorescent lighting, a jam-packed schedule, and all the appetizers at happy hour. You'll be sitting inside more than you like to realize, and will likely be bundled up under blanket scarves. AC season is seriously no joke, and you need to know how to deal with a cold office so that you don't freeze alongside your coworkers this summer.
Summertime in the office is always an experience. You find every excuse possible to get outside, even if it's for the simplest of tasks. Suddenly, being the one to grab the afternoon coffee sounds like a good idea, and you'll spend your lunch break soaking up a bit of sunshine. When you were in college and had this season all to yourself, you took it for granted. Who knew the real world came with winter?
Seriously, you want to be eating popsicles, not becoming one! Your coworkers are complaining about the chilly temperatures, too, and you're contemplating just working from home until it's fall. Truth is, you have a whole summer ahead of you, and these seven tips are the only way you're going to survive the office snowflakes.
Maybe you shouldn't put away those parkas quite yet. In the midst of all your spring cleaning, you packed up your favorite oversized sweaters and pushed the floor-length winter coats to the back of your closet. AC season at the office means you'll want at least one blanket scarf on hand, so you start to pull everything back out again. It's a tundra over there!
One day, you're convinced you'll see snow coming out of the air vents, and so your look consists of a lot of layers. You could rely on your jean jacket to get you through the summer, but let's be honest — you need the bulkiest outfit you can find.
You've been drinking iced coffee since the second the temperatures outside got a little warmer, but it's time to trade in your straw. Your coffee order says a lot about you, and this season it will be proclaiming that you're cold AF. Hot chocolate with some marshmallows would honestly fit the mood, considering you're already wearing your winter coat.
Walking around the office, you'll be the girl who's hugging her latte and letting it warm up her hands. Who's in charge of setting the AC again? We'd like to put a note in their suggestion box.
You could try and be subtle with a blanket scarf, or you could just own your cold office and bring in a piece from your bed. Wrapping yourself up in something warm and fuzzy will feel so good, and your coworkers will be trying to squeeze a spot, too. Sure, you could be low-key making a scene. But you don't care, because otherwise, you'd be shivering. How are you supposed to get any work done when it feels like winter?
Truth is, especially on Monday mornings, it's extra hard to get out of bed. Bring all the comfort along to the office, and be cozy instead of cold, too.
Meetings can already be the worst. So, to push through AC season, you'll want to take your team into the sunshine. The cold conference room will still be there when it's actually winter, and word on the street is that there's an ice cream truck hanging out down the block.
Treating your team to some sunshine will make you the cool boss in the office for sure. Sometimes, AC season can really get to you, but it's nothing a quick (and totally work-related) phone call in the park can't solve. Nobody should ever have to wear mittens to meetings. Can we all agree on that?
Your office might as well be a skating rink during AC season, except you forgot the proper shoes because it's technically summer. When the cold air is constantly blowing in your face, it's no surprise that it's not so sunny in your thoughts either. In order to survive the vents, it's key that you think of all things tropical. Taking a vacation isn't always an option, but daydreaming can do wonders.
When it was truly winter, you had no trouble channeling the Caribbean islands. The white sand and salty surf seemed so sweet. You wanted nothing more than to be laying on the beach instead of going to meetings with your boss. At the very least, change the wallpaper on your laptop to the most perfect palm trees to get in that golden state of mind.
What are work best friends for? Spontaneous summertime dance parties in the office, of course. You and your wife have bonded over so much nonsense over past year, and AC season will bring you even more opportunities for making memories and sending memes. Sometimes, when the cold air is just too much to handle, you have to break out your best dance moves. A playlist full of all your favorites from Disney soundtracks and '90s summertime jams will be necessary.
Fresh air will surely put you in all the right feels. Hopefully, your office is one that lets everyone out early on Fridays during the summer, or maybe you at least get a long lunch break so you can take a walk around the block. Getting outside as soon as possible will surely help you cope with — and dare I say, thrive in — the worst moments of AC season.
You're so used to breathing in whatever comes out of the air ducts, that you're convinced are connected to the North Pole. Spending even a few minutes during your day in the sunshine will remind you that it's truly summer and that your office is just an exception.
The vents during AC season are no joke, but dealing with them is possible. Grab your work bestie and all of the blankets you can find. After all, we're all in this together, and it's supposed to be summer.
