If you find yourself gazing yearningly out the window at the sunshine and wish your working life didn’t have to interfere with enjoying the weather, this guide may help you marry the two.
When the summer brings gorgeous weather, the idea of having to retreat inside and stare at a screen for hours on end is a pretty dreadful one.
The pull of nature, particularly when it’s nice out, is a hard one to resist, but it’s surely a necessary evil because you need to get your work done. What if it were possible, however, to marry your desire to enjoy the sunshine with your need to work?
First and foremost, before we can continue, it’s important to emphasise that you should stock up on SPF 30 (one that has a five-star UVA/UVB rating) and apply before venturing out, and then reapply every 90 minutes. Don’t forget to reapply after swimming, showering or towelling off.
Change up your schedule (within reason)
The savviest companies are becoming wise to the importance of offering employees flexibility. The reality is, every individual has unique demands on their time, and it’s becoming apparent that the future of work is a future where organisations are giving their workers the breathing space to tweak their schedules in non-disruptive ways so that they can attend to childcare duties, go to appointments and generally just achieve a better work-life balance.
If your employer allows you flexitime, take advantage and make a concerted effort to get into work earlier so that you can in turn leave earlier, and get some sunshine afterwards.
If your schedule is a little more rigid, for whatever reason, you could set your alarm a little earlier and take some chill time to yourself while enjoying the balmy summer morning. We know, of course, that the idea of leaving your bed earlier than necessary is a pretty painful one, but the value of being able to enjoy some of the weather and take some time to yourself before starting your working day can’t be overlooked.
Incorporate walking into your day
Since the weather is nice, why don’t you try parking your car a little farther from the office or getting off the bus a few stops early? Not only will this give you time to catch some rays, it’s also a great way to sneak exercise into your daily routine.
If you have meetings but don’t fancy the idea of sitting in a conference room, you could suggest a walking meeting. Walking around in sunshine is a great way to get conversation (and your creative juices) flowing, so you may find that you actually end up getting a lot more out of it than a vitamin D boost.
Of course, your lunch hour is always yours, so you can also take a nice promenade during that time. Bring yourself to a park with your lunch in hand and settle in with a good book or perhaps a career-boosting podcast.
Work outside
Many employees have the opportunity to work remotely from time to time. If this option is available to you, you could try setting up a little outdoor office so that you can fill your lungs with fresh air while crossing things off your to-do list.
There are a few things to consider, however. You may have laptop screen glare to contend with, though some laptops have built-in measures to counteract this. You could also make a DIY laptop sun shade or you could just opt to sit in the shade, period.
You will need to make sure that you can access Wi-Fi from wherever you are. If you’re working just outside your home, make sure your Wi-Fi connection extends to your little al fresco office. Check which public parks or spaces have free connections, though always be mindful that public Wi-Fi is unsecured, so amend your behaviour accordingly. You could also bring a Wi-Fi portable hotspot or use your phone to ensure you have connectivity.
