7 Practical, Personal Ways to Keep Warm in the Office
These strategies combine ergonomics, movement, and smart warming techniques to help you feel comfortable throughout the colder months.
1. Focus on Your Extremities
When you're cold, your hands and feet feel it first. Warming these areas can noticeably increase your overall comfort.
Try:
- Under-desk foot warmers
- Heated seat pads
- Fingerless gloves
- Thermal socks
- A heated lap cushion (a safer alternative to hot water bottles)
Keeping warmth targeted at your body—not the whole room—is the key to staying comfortable without affecting others.
2. Use Strategic Layering
Layering is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay warm, especially in workplaces where temperatures change throughout the day.
Consider keeping at your desk:
- A thin thermal base layer
- A warm cardigan or fleece
- A lightweight insulated vest
- Wrist warmers
- Fleece-lined trousers on particularly cold days
Layers help you adjust quickly and quietly without needing to touch the thermostat.
3. Move More—Even in Small Ways
Movement is one of your body’s most natural heating mechanisms. Sitting still for long periods slows circulation, especially in your extremities.
The Leitz sit–stand–move principle encourages frequent micro-movement to boost comfort and improve ergonomics:
- Stand for 10–15 minutes every hour
- Walk over to speak to a colleague instead of messaging them
- Stretch your hands, shoulders, and back regularly
- Take a short lunchtime walk
- Shift your posture often
- Get up to make a hot drink
If you'd like to incorporate movement naturally into your day, consider ergonomic accessories such as the Leitz Ergo Active Balance Board or wobble cushion. These encourage subtle, intuitive movements that promote circulation, support better posture, and reduce muscle fatigue—all while keeping you gently warmed through movement.
Pair movement with personal heating and appropriate clothing layers, and you'll create a comfortable, warm routine that works all day long.
4. Create Warm Habits
Warmth often comes from simple rituals throughout the day.
Try incorporating:
- Regular hot drinks (they double as hand warmers)
- An insulated mug to keep beverages warm longer
- Warm lunches that you can heat onsite
- Brief “warm-up breaks” where you stretch or take a brisk walk
These micro-habits help lift your core temperature without switching on a heater.
5. Optimise Your Workspace for Heat Retention
Small environmental tweaks can help retain warmth without altering the main heating system.
Try:
- Letting sunlight in during the day
- Closing blinds in the evening to trap warmth
- Keeping internal doors closed
- Moving furniture away from radiators or vents
- Minimising drafts around windows or doors
These subtle changes strengthen what warmth is already available.
6. Use Portable Heaters Considerately
If permitted in your workplace, small portable heaters or USB-powered warming tools can be highly effective when used safely and respectfully.
Common personal options include:
- Under-desk heaters
- Heated foot mats
- Heated seat covers
- Rechargeable hand warmers
They’re designed to warm you, not the whole building.
7. Personalise—Don’t Polarise
The golden rule: Warm yourself—not the whole office.
Changing the thermostat affects everyone. Using personal heating affects only you. By focusing on your own comfort, you create warmth without conflict, helping maintain a more harmonious office climate.
Stay Warm, Stay Focused
Shared offices will always have varying temperature preferences. But with smart personal heating tools, thoughtful environmental adjustments, and plenty of movement throughout the day, you can stay warm without relying on building-wide heating.
Your employer provides the baseline.
You control the rest.
Warm smarter, move more, and build a workspace that supports your comfort—whatever the weather.
