Lifestyle

10 Relatable Struggles You Face Working In An Office That's Always Cold

by Jasmine Vaughn-Hall

"Is it cold in here?" That's usually what you're asking yourself on any given day of the week when you walk into your office. You're not really worried that it's the Monday after a relaxing weekend and you have a ton of work to do. You're rather questioning whether or not your sweater, blanket scarf, and cardigan will keep you warm, because that's just life when your office is too cold.

It's hard to concentrate when your body feels like it's sitting in a tub filled with ice. You find warmth in the oddest places, and I mean as awkward as standing next to the printer while you run 100 copies and touch each warm pages. The struggle is all too real.

How did you not notice these arctic temps when you interviewed for this job? It could have been your nerves keeping you warm, but now that you sit in these seemingly below-zero temps every single day, you use more than nerves to keep toasty. Obviously, you need to make money, so you endure the cold each week. Keeping your financial ducks in a row is a breeze when your office is a frozen pond. (Sorry, too soon?) If even the thought of your office gives you the chills, you know these 10 struggles to be the stone cold truth.

01You Have To Keep A Spare Sweater At Your Desk

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You always have an extra sweater hanging on your chair, because some days feel worse than others. Layering is key in your workplace. Thank goodness you don't have to pay your sweater for that overtime it's putting in.

02You Spend Your Lunch Breaks Outdoors, Because Warmth

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The second it's time for you to eat lunch, you completely ignore the lunch area and head outside. Anything's warmer than your office. When winter hits, you have to choose the lesser of two evils and picking between cold and hardly any warmer is pretty agonizing.

03You're Usually Gripping Your AM Coffee To Absorb The Heat

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When you go to Starbucks, you ask for it extra hot and probably heat it up in the microwave before you head to your desk. Sure, you can't enjoy a sip for a bit, but at least your hands are warm. You wouldn't dare bring iced coffee into that igloo you call work.

04You Wait Until The Very Last Minute To Go In

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You're used to sitting inside your car until the minute you're scheduled to go to work. The less time in the cold, the better. And yes, it's so hard to say goodbye.

05You Don't See The Point Of Wearing Anything But Pants To Work

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You could rock a business casual skirt with stockings, but at what cost? You'd spend the entire day rubbing your legs to keep them warm. You take that "L" proudly, and stick to slacks.

06If You Could Rock Your Ugg Boots, You Would

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In a perfect world, Ugg boots would be acceptable for the workplace if your office made winter seem like a tropical season. Your boots always do the job when you're at home. While you're at work, they are sorely missed.

07Most Of Your Conversations Begin With Mentioning How Cold It Is

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Normal office banter usually begins with mentioning the weather or your weekend. In your office, though, the convo revolves around the frigid temps you work in, as if it were the center of the universe like the sun. Oh, the irony.

08You Blow Warm Breaths Into Your Hands On The Regular

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It's a little embarrassing when someone approaches your desk and you look like a hunched over baby dragon as you hectically blow warm breaths into your hands. It's that cold. After awhile, you stop apologizing for how off guard you look.

09You Likely Have No Access To The AC System

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When you ask where the air conditioning system is, you're probably told that it's not even on your floor. In other words, there's no chance of you getting your hands on it. Yeah, it sucks.

10You Invested In A Small Heater For Your Desk

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You love your small heater. It's the first thing you turn on when you come in, even before your computer. More than once you've found it at someone else's desk because they feel your pain.

If dealing with cold office conditions was an admirable quality on your resume, you'd add that ASAP. For now, you're on a mission to stay warm during that 9 to 5.