How to stay cool in the office during the summer heatwave

The sun is out, the sky is blue, the mercury's rising... and you're in the office.

It's the time of year when workers sweat in sauna-like offices, counting down the hours until they can go home - while employers count the cost of sluggish employees.

So here are some top tips to keeping cool - and staying productive - in the office this summer. After all, the quicker you work, the sooner you can get out and enjoy the weather...

Dress appropriately

If you want to stay cool at work, the first thing you should look at is what you're wearing. Thick shirts are perfect for winter, but wearing them in the scorching heat leaves hideous sweat patches. Make sure you're dressed appropriately, otherwise you'll be in permanent discomfort from the start of your day until the end.

Personal fans

Getting your own fan is an investment that will go a long way, particularly if your office doesn't have air-con. Prop one up next to your office computer, and the only time you'll need to worry about the heat is whenever you get up from your desk.

Keep hydrated

This may sound obvious, but a lot of office workers tend to forget that being sat at your desk for most of the day doesn't mean you're not quickly dehydrating. Try putting a water bottle in the freezer overnight, meaning that the next day you'll have a constant supply of ice cold water throughout the day.

MORE: Is it too hot to work? This is what the law says

Cut out the coffee

Having a hot drink at work doesn't mean that your body will start to feel hotter, but the caffeine in tea and coffee can increase heart rate and subsequently blood flow, causing your temperature to rise.

Avoid a big lunch

Small meals are a must if you don't want to become too overheated and sluggish at work. Eating big portions means that your metabolism must work harder to digest it, which increases your body temperature.

Keep windows closed

Naturally, you'll be inclined to think that opening a window lets in a breeze and therefore cancels out the hot air in your office. In fact, the complete opposite is true, as having windows open replaces the cold air you built up in your office with the outdoor heat.

Avoid your lunchtime walk

When sat at your desk all day, there's nothing you want more than to get outside on your lunch break and go for a stroll. Of course, in sweltering heat it only takes a quick walk around the office block to leave you dripping in sweat, so as painful as it may feel, your best bet is to stay inside so you're close to the cooler air.

Keep the blinds closed

As much as we all enjoy working in offices with plenty of windows, if the piercing sun is proving to much then it's time to close those blinds. You'll have to work by artificial light, but you'll be a lot cooler for doing so.

Water on your wrists

You might look slightly bizarre going to the bathroom and running your wrists under the tap, but this cools the main veins that run through them and will lower the temperature of your blood flow.

Avoid electronic devices

Phones, computers, tablets – electronic devices are crucial to the day-to-day working of office life, but they also give off a lot of heat. It's impossible to avoid using them while at work, but limiting your usage wherever possible can keep you that extra bit cooler.

Chris Meredith from Londonoffices.com, which compiled the list, said: 'Keeping cool at work is crucial to making sure that employees stay comfortable, alert and productive throughout the working day.

'If the building doesn't have air-conditioning it can start to feel more like a sauna than an office, so finding other ways to reduce the temperature is a must.

'Most of these solutions are simple but effective ways to keep your office thermometer from going into overdrive, so if you can't stand the heat at work you might want to try a few of them out.'

Do you have a top tip not on this list? Leave your comment below.