The impact of hot weather on the way you work

I like hot weather, I really do. That’s also one of the reasons that made me come to Buenos Aires and not to some other, colder, place. However, I had to realize quite quickly that there is hot and hot...The climate in Argentina is very varied due to the sheer size of the country. In Buenos Aires it is hot in summer (30/35 degrees Celsius +) and not too cold in winter (10 degrees Celsius). However, it is very humid. This means that in winter it seems to be colder because the humidity gets into your bones. And in summer it seems to be hotter. The humidity makes breathing more difficult and if you have problems with your circulation then you will definitely realize it here, especially if you do not have air conditioning at work. Air conditioning is very common in many offices and apartments in Buenos Aires but if you work for a non-governmental organization, like I do, and you only have limited resources available then you are more than likely not to have this luxury.

The hot weather and lack of air conditioning has further implications as well. It does not only affect your circulation but, in my case at least, my brain as well. I find it really hard to focus and get work done when it is that hot. Focusing on a job turns into a real challenge and the more you have to think the harder it gets – up to the point at which you, or at least I, are not able to concentrate at all anymore and just have to take a break. To get around this problem I started adopting the ‘Argentinean’ life style of my boss (and of many people who work in our town): making a siesta. This basically means starting work quite early in the morning before it gets too hot, then taking a break for a few hours later on in the day and starting work again later and working until night time when it is cooler again.

I must admit that I underestimated the impact that heat can have on your performance until I experienced it firsthand. I always thought that a siesta was somewhat of an exaggeration and more of a cultural thing than something done out of practical reasons. Now I know better. Even though it makes your days quite a bit longer, under certain circumstances it is the only way in which you can get a job done or work your required working hours and be productive.