Summer isn’t officially here but in many areas of the country you would never know it. Ninety-plus degree temperatures abound in the middle Tennessee area where I live and heat warnings and precautions already dominate the news.
You don’t have to be outside very long to feel the effects of hot temperatures, high humidity and no rain. We seek relief for both our comfort and health.
So are there any workplace lessons that involve this heat? Consider these four weather truths and the possible implications to your character in the workplace:
#1 Drastic heat zaps your energy.
Spend just a few minutes outside in the sun doing a chore and you quickly feel your energy deplete. The sun dehydrates us of the liquids and electrolytes our bodies need. Could that also be said of you? Are you a drain on those around you to the point that if given the chance, someone prefers to not be around you?
#2 It’s important to plan your time outdoors.
Warm weather doesn’t stop the need for lawn care or other outdoor jobs and chores. Work must go on. But in extreme heat we must get smart about our time by beginning earlier in the day or perhaps waiting to mow the lawn until the cooler hours of the evening. So what is the workplace connection? Sure, everyone has a bad day now and then but this truth typically results in a leader who is so unpredictable in his/her reactions that others learn to plan the best time to approach you.
#3 Extended exposure will burn you.
Companies like Coppertone have created a niche industry with their sun care products. Without sunscreen or sun block our bodies burn and it is painful. We can also be burned in the workplace. It’s a sad reality but nonetheless true. The real question here is: how often are others burned by you? Can you let bygones be bygones or is there a need to get even?
#4 Real health dangers can exist.
Continuous exposure to dangerous sunrays has been proven to cause a dangerous form of skin cancer and sadly, it is deadly. For our final weather truth, consider this question. How do others describe you? Are you someone to be trusted? Are you reliable? Are you competent? Do you have character? If not, then on some level you are a danger to your peers, team and organization.
So let the dog days of summer begin. Enjoy it but be smart. Don’t let the heat harm you. And in the workplace remember these four truths so no one is finding much needed relief from you too.