What can be worse than having to sit in the office or work indoors when the sun is out and everyone is enjoying the warm weather?
Having to rely on a full battery whilst using your laptop outdoors can be a very frustrating experience as battery life can dramatically reduce and the sun’s glare crates poor visibility and eye strain. So how can you work comfortably outdoors during poor visibility due to the bright sunlight?
Have A Strategy
If you are planning to work outdoors then plan a strategy. Remember all the equipment that you will need and position yourself so that you are sitting facing the sun rather than with your back to it. This will reduce the glare onto your LCD screen any by turning the brightness up this will give you a better chance of visibility although it will reduce your battery at a quicker rate. Have an extension cord at the ready and a mains power source nearby.
Wear the Correct Clothing
By investing in a pair of sunglasses and wearing a baseball cap or a hat with a brim you can greatly improve your chances of visibility. Although it may sound counter-intuitive, by wearing black clothing the light will be absorbed and it will prevent sunlight from being reflected on to your screen.
Laptop Health & Safety
Your laptop faces potential damages if it is kept in direct sunlight for a large amount of time. The internal components can often melt or become deformed and this combined with the heat of the internal fan can be fatal. It can sometimes be common for laptops to buckle under long periods of direct heat and this can severely affect the hard drive.
You may want to invest in an adjustable stand which will allow shielding from the sun whilst enabling you to work. Some stands even come with an in-built cooling fan which will keep your device cool in the hottest temperatures.
Additional Laptop Accessories
There are a variety of accessories on the market that will improve your screens visibility as well as your work efficiency.
By purchasing a laptop with a matte finish instead of a glossy finish, you will no longer have any issues with completing your work outdoors. One option is to purchase an anti-glare screen filter which can be temporarily placed over your screen. Alternatively, you can go the ultra-cheap way and insert your laptop into a cardboard box. By cutting out two sides of the box you get an effective sunshield – although it may look a little odd!
Whichever methods you choose make sure to keep your laptop safe and out of direct sunlight.
