Quirky tips on dealing with the weather

I spent six weeks in the Canary Islands starting in January,. If you are able to work whilst abroad, it is a simple way to dodge the grim UK weather and come back feeling far more refreshed.

Emigrate to a warm climate!

I volunteer at a local goat farm. They have a thing or two to teach about British weather: stand in it, get on with it, occasionally headbutt something if it makes you feel better.
What works:
Proper waterproofs by the door - not optimistic cagoules that give up after five minutes
Accept you’re going to get wet. Goats don’t own hairdryers
The post-storm cup of tea tastes approximately 400% better when you’ve earned it by doing something daft like paddling home.
In business, stop pretending flooded roads are a test of character. Let people work from home. The commute-through-biblical-weather Olympics helps nobody.
Also, check on your staff. Not in a “we value wellbeing” poster way. In a “is your house underwater” way.

The weather’s turned feral, so I’m treating it like a toddler: snacks, layers, and zero negotiations.
When it’s cold, wet and grim, I don’t “power through”. I set myself up to win. Kettle on. Two pairs of socks. Hot water bottle tucked under the desk like it’s my tiny HR assistant. I keep a spare outfit at work because nobody needs to run a Monday meeting smelling like a drowned spaniel. And I’ve got a pair of “doorstep wellies” for bin day, because slipping on your own driveway is not the vibe.
For small business owners: be kind, be practical. If roads are flooded or trains are toast, don’t play attendance police. Let people work from home if they can. If they can’t, talk options early: swap shifts, take annual leave, make time up later. The goal is safety and sanity, not points for bravery.

Running a tourism business in South Devon during weather alerts like this is… character building. Right now, trying to tempt people down here feels a bit like selling coastal romance while the county is being pressure-washed by the sky. On a serious note, safety comes first. Around half our team work partly from home anyway, but this week we’ve encouraged people to stay put where needed. We’ve already had staff leaving early to beat warnings, and one team member recently aquaplaned off the M5. It stops being “quirky British weather” very quickly. Our coping strategy? Lean into it. Hot tubs become essential infrastructure, guests rediscover board games, and we double down on the promise of a pub fire at the end of a very dramatic walk. For businesses: be flexible, communicate early, and don’t be heroic about travel.