Many students are adamant about not leaving the heating on too often to save money, but this can make at-home study sessions cold and uncomfortable. The good news is that staying warm while you study doesn’t need to break the bank. With a few small changes, you can create a comfortable workspace at home without increasing your energy bill.
Why Staying Warm Matters for Focus and Productivity
If you’ve ever tried working in a cold environment, you might have found typing uncomfortable, felt distracted, and struggled to concentrate. The brain tends to work best at comfortable temperatures, as it can focus more effectively on the task at hand rather than on physical discomfort. When you feel warm enough, it’s much easier to stay productive and get work done.
Heating Yourself
Dressing for Warmth
Instead of wearing one thick item, think about layering your clothes. For example, you might wear a long-sleeved top, with both a hoodie and a dressing gown over the top. Choose clothing made from materials that retain heat well, such as wool and fleece. While layering clothes, make sure you still feel comfortable and not bulky or stiff.
Using a Hot Water Bottle
When studying, you can put a hot water bottle on your lap, behind your back, or on your feet to provide warmth. Study sessions can be stressful at times, but a hot water bottle can help you feel more relaxed.
Eating Warm Snacks
Snacks like toast, crumpets, and warm croissants can fill you up without feeling too heavy, provide an energy boost, and keep you feeling warm. At the same time, why not make a warm drink to sip on while you work, such as a hot chocolate, tea, or coffee?
Keeping Your Space Warm
Using Draught Excluders
If your doors and windows are shut, but you find they still let a lot of cold air in, you might benefit from using draughtproofing. This seals gaps to keep the room you’re studying in feeling warm. At the same time, weighted draught excluders can be placed at the bottom of doors to stop cold air from entering. If you don’t have a weighted draught excluder, you can use a blanket or a towel instead. Sitting away from any windows or doors while studying can also keep you away from cold draughts.
Adding Rugs to Hard Floors
If you’re working in a room with hard flooring, such as wood, heat can escape more easily. Adding a rug provides insulation and has other benefits too, such as reducing noise to help you concentrate and preventing floor damage.
Using the Heating Efficiently
Here are some tips for using the heating without breaking the bank:
- Set the thermostat at a comfortable temperature, but make sure it’s not too hot
- Heat only the room you’re in, not the rest of the house
- Use a timer so that the heater is only on for the time you’re studying
- Sit close to the heater
Energy-Wasting Habits To Avoid While Studying
When you’re so engrossed in studying, it’s easy to overlook small habits that could increase your energy bill. Here are some common energy-wasting habits to watch out for:
- Using high screen brightness: If your laptop’s screen brightness is set too high, it can use more energy and cause eye strain
- Having too many lights on: Make the most of natural light if you’re studying in the day
- Leaving devices on standby: Technology like desk lamps and chargers can still draw power if they’re plugged in, even if they aren’t in active use
- Boiling too much water in the kettle: If you’re making a hot drink, putting more water in the kettle than you need can waste energy
How The Student Energy Group Can Help You Stay Warm for Less
At The Student Energy Group, we understand how important it is to budget and save on your energy bill while at university. We offer a bills package for students, combining all your household bills, including energy, gas, internet, water, and your TV licence, into one simple monthly student bills package. This can then be split equally among everyone you live with to avoid unnecessary headaches. Get a free no-obligation quote from us today to reduce your bill stress. If you sign up with us, we’ll plant a tree!
