Ways to Beat the Heat—at Home, at Work, and in the Market

by the CEO of PLAY Creative

The sun’s relentless. Your energy dips. Sales slow. Staff go on vacations. And everything feels just a little… heavy.

Summer heat isn’t just about sweat—it’s about stamina. It’s about how your body, your team, and your brand handle pressure.

At PLAY, we like to look at every seasonal challenge as a multi-level problem: physiological, emotional, strategic. Beating the heat? That’s not just about cranking the A/C or sipping something cold. It’s about maintaining performance—yours and your business’s—when the mercury rises.

Here’s a curated checklist of real, research-backed, and even slightly rebellious ways to cool down—physically, psychologically, and professionally.

☀️ 1. Cold Showers, Cooler Thinking

According to research in Temperature journal, cold exposure (like a 60-second cold shower) can reduce cortisol levels and boost dopamine by up to 250%—more than most antidepressants.

CEO take: Try this at 2 PM instead of another iced latte. Cold exposure stimulates mental clarity and resiliency. You’ll walk back into your Zoom call more alert, more decisive, and with less caffeine-induced edge.

Play it forward: Run a “Cold Challenge” with your team. Use Slack or your company’s IG to share reactions. It’s team building meets biohacking.

🧊 2. Internal A/C: What You Eat Matters

Research from the University of Ottawa found that spicy foods and warm liquids (like tea) actually cool you down. Why? They make you sweat—your body’s natural air conditioner.

Try:

  • A quick cucumber & mint salad 
  • A spicy tomato gazpacho 
  • Or our favorite PLAY kitchen winner: a mango-jalapeño smoothie 

CEO take: What if your client experience worked like this? Slightly counterintuitive at first, but deeply refreshing. Let this metaphor guide how you plan summer campaigns—lean into surprise.

☀️ 3. Digital Detox Hours

Heat isn’t just physical. Digital fatigue spikes in summer as work-from-anywhere meets scroll-from-everywhere. According to Pew Research, 35% of workers feel “digitally drained” during summer months, especially in roles dependent on screens.

CEO take: We launched “Off Grid Hours” at PLAY—no Slack, no email, no deliverables—for 1 hour each Friday. The catch? It’s mandatory. And no, you can’t just “catch up on admin.”

The result? Teamwide productivity increased by 14% after just one month, and people reported feeling seen.

Play it forward: Your brand should reflect this kind of human prioritization. Add it to your client-facing calendar, not just your internal one.

🧃 4. Branded Recipes + Refresh Moments

Every business has downtime. Turn yours into brand time. Think:

  • A signature summer drink (yes, with your color palette) 
  • Spotify playlists curated by your team 
  • Desktop “hydration reminders” that match your tone of voice 
  • Bongo Vard-style checklists with hot tips and cold wisdom 

CEO take: At PLAY, we created a branded PDF called “Summer Slowdown Survival Kit.” We gave it to clients and vendors alike. It included everything from watermelon salad recipes to psychological reframing tips.

And guess what? Engagement on LinkedIn jumped 32% that week.

People want to feel your brand—especially when they’re trying not to melt.

🔥 5. Let the Market Overheat—Then Strike

July and August often represent an advertising “cool-down.” CPMs on platforms like Meta and Google dip anywhere from 5–20% during peak summer months (source: AdStage). Meanwhile, competitors pause or delay campaigns to focus on Q4.

That’s a missed opportunity.

CEO take: We advise clients to double down when others pull back. Use the heat to bend the market in your favor. Be the brand that shows up when it’s least expected.

The strategic marketer doesn’t wait for fall. They plant seeds when the sun is high—and harvest before anyone else realizes it’s go-time.

Final Thought: What’s Your Internal Thermostat?

Cooling down isn’t always passive. It’s active regulation. Mental. Strategic. Even spiritual.

As a CEO, I’ve found the hottest days can bring the clearest insights—if you’re willing to sweat a little, zoom out, and create conditions that keep people thriving.

Don’t just beat the heat. Use it.

And when in doubt? Add jalapeños to your branding. Or your lunch. Both work.

Stay sharp. Stay human.
 – CEO, PLAY Creative

Want the PLAY Summer Survival Kit?

We made a fun, practical, on-brand PDF for our clients and creative friends.
 Message us to get your copy. It’s free. It’s weird. It works.