The office thermostat: It’s a constant battleground.
It doesn’t matter if you are a small business of ten employees or a multi-floor company with hundreds of workers, you will be hard pressed to find the ideal temperature to satisfy all employees. And since it’s a controlled environment, this is a year-round struggle.
When you find yourself feeling a bit cool (or downright freezing) at work, find the next level of comfort and warmth with the best office chair blanket.
The Debate
Some employers use the Ebenezer Scrooge tactic of keeping the thermostat low to increase overall profit margin, even though some research shows productivity can increase by as much as 150% when the office temp is raised from 68 to 77 degrees.
OSHA recommends an office temperature between 68-76 degrees, but some employees will inevitably be very uncomfortable at that heat level. Often men tend to run a bit warmer than women, but of course, that is not always the case.
The bottom line is there are only so many layers one can shed in the workplace, but there are many ways (including adding a warm, comfortable layer) one can stay warm.
Ways to Stay Warm
While your cubicle neighbor may be working away in rolled-up shirt sleeves, if you are shivering at your desk, you are unlikely to reach your optimal efficiency. But fear not, you can keep those productivity numbers high by warming up with:
- Warm beverages like tea, coffee, or hot chocolate
- Fingerless gloves (or step it up a notch with heated fingerless gloves).
- A heated sweater, hoodie, or jacket
- A small space heater (just make sure to get your employer’s approval first)
- Heated insoles for chilly feet and toes
- A scarf and/or hat
- Heated lumbar support
- A blanket for your desk at work
If you take the warm beverage route, consider plugging a beverage warmer into your computer or using an insulated tumbler for all-day sipping! Believe it or not, some employers will purchase certain items for you. If it means better productivity, why wouldn’t they? It can’t hurt to ask.
Benefits of a Blanket
And perhaps the best idea of all is to get yourself an office chair blanket. Not only can you use it in a variety of ways to cover whatever is cold, you can choose from multiple sizes, colors, and designs to spruce up your workspace. A blanket is also quickly donned or removed for zero time wasted as your body temperature fluctuates.
The Best Overall Office Blanket
Often all you need is a nice throw you can drape over the back of your chair and pull into your lap or over your shoulders when needed. A few throw styles that work great for this are:
- Fleece blanket
- Small chunky knit
- Child-sized minky blanket
- Small handmade blanket
An added bonus with a small office chair blanket is you can take it anywhere you go. Meeting in the conference room at ten o’clock? No problem. Is the lunchroom always freezing cold? Grab your minky throw and your lunch box, and you are good to go!
Take a Blanket Break
A blanket can be used for more than just staying warm. Having a tough day or wrestling with a tricky project? You can use a blanket to help ease anxiety and calm your nerves. A regular blanket wrapped tightly around you can help to lower your heart rate and clear your mind.
Size Matters
When it comes to your office blanket, size really does matter. Type of work, workspace style, and activity level (how often you are in and out of your chair) are just a few of the aspects to consider when choosing the correct size office chair blanket.
Don’t be dissuaded by a label describing a blanket as infant or child. Most times, it’s all the same material, it is merely the size that differs. For example, at Sew Sweet Minky Designs, you can choose from:
- Infant: 30 x 36 inches
- Child: 36 x 60 inches
- Adult Snuggler: 55 x 80 inches
- Adult OMG Nicole: 60 x 72 inches
- Adult OMG Casey: 60 x 82 inches
- Extreme: 82 x 114 inches
The extreme blanket may be a bit… well, extreme… at almost 7 feet by 9½ feet, unless you are allowed to crawl under your desk for a nice mid-day siesta. Usually, the infant or child sizes are ideal for an office throw, but many enjoy the adult sizes for added coverage!
Do It By Design
The color of your office blanket can brighten your workspace or speak in subtle softness, but it can also make a statement either personally or professionally. Do you love the outdoors? Wrap up in a Forest Park blanket. Into classic cars? Put on a daily Car Show with your office chair blanket. Are you a volunteer firefighter? Show your pride with a fire truck theme.
Match your blanket to your business! Employees of a heavy construction company can stay cozy with a Hardhat Royal, and at the farm and tractor supply store, the employees can get in on the action with a fuzzy blanket as well.
Stay Warm at Work
Work may be a grind at times, but staying warm while you’re doing it doesn’t have to be. The long days of shivering and wondering how to warm up can finally come to an end by treating yourself to an affordable office blanket that feels great and looks great too.
Stay comfortable in the office with a lusciously soft minky blanket from Sew Sweet Minky Designs. Handmade by work-from-home moms and grandmas around the world, they put a little extra love in each blanket to keep you warm and cozy!