I received a message recently from someone with an unusual method for keeping cold hands and fingers warm while writing on a keyboard. I’ll let you decide for yourself if it’s worth pursuing.

Cut a board a little bigger than the keyboard/mouse area and elevate it with threaded rod going through your writing surface or just plastic containers of the right height or cut them down to fit. Cut high density foam (about 1/2″) for the bottom as an insulator and a arm/elbow/wrist pad/support.

Drape a thick quilt over the board with a heating source on one side. I put part of the quilt over my hot water radiator. Just a few inches of exposure heats the keyboard nicely to room temperature with lots of radiator exposure to heat the rest of the room.

One could also use dryer venting tubing (about 4″ in diameter) from the exhaust of your computer (if it runs warm which most do because they are cooled so poorly!) as your free heat source since whenever you’re typing that computer is probably switched on. You can also use a hair dryer to give a quick blast to warm it up initially.

In other news, you can receive a fresh pair of The Writer’s Glove when you order directly from me. No assembly required.

I’m not a doctor, and I don’t play one on TV, but there are some tried and true methods for keeping your cold hands warm while you write on a keyboard that don’t involve alcohol or lighting the room on fire (or both, in that order). Here’s a rundown.

1. Turn Up the Thermostat

This one is so obvious it’s almost condescending, but it comes up over and over again on threads like this one. Someone will post an innocent question like, “Does anyone have tips for keeping my cold hands warm while I type on a keyboard?” The wise guys usually chime in with, “Turn the heat up in the room, dummy.”

They’re mostly correct. Yes, turning up the heat will help. However, when I went to research the problems people were having while writing on keyboards in cold weather, this kind of advice didn’t cut it. If it was that obvious, no one would have this problem.

This is because of the tactile dexterity required to write on a keyboard. It’s about more than affecting the ambient temperature of the room. The solution needs to start with the cold, stiff fingers themselves.

2. Light a Candle

 I tried this solution myself shortly before creating The Writer’s Glove. I kept a lit candle next to the keyboard. When I felt my hands and fingers getting cold, I warmed myself up with the candle. The pleasant crackle of the wick and the scent of the wax were nice bonuses.

There’s one big downside to this method, of course. If you’re not careful, you could start a fire. It’s also more of a series of short-term fixes, rather than one long-term one, given the back-and-forth between the keyboard and the candle. Candles aren’t very portable, either, since coffee shops, your cold office and airport lounges won’t appreciate your stab at public pyrotechnics.

3. Wear Warmer Clothing

Heat from the core of the body can warm things up in the extremities, and hands and fingers writing at keyboards are no exception. It only follows that warmer clothing will enhance that effect.

However, bulky clothing isn’t always appropriate. Writing on a computer at home in layers capped off with a hooded sweatshirt is one thing. Heading into the office is another.

4. Get Up and Walk Around

Walking around gets the blood pumping, which can momentarily warm you up. That’s also the downside. It’s not a lasting technique, and breaking your focus isn’t helpful when you’re looking at ways to preserve your production on a keyboard.

5. Buy Fingerless Gloves

Fingerless gloves, as the name suggests, lack fingers. This keeps the hand warm while permitting the tactile dexterity needed to type on a keyboard, but it does leave the fingers exposed. This can defeat the point of the glove in the first place. Fingerless gloves can also be bulky, inhibiting the natural feel of the keys.

6. Consult a Doctor

If cold hands are affecting your quality of life beyond typing at a computer keyboard, you may want to consult a medical professional. This could be a sign of a more serious condition, such as a circulation issue, Raynaud’s Disease or something else.

7. Move Somewhere Warmer

Just kidding. Unless you’re not. In that case, let me know when I can move in.

8. Try The Writer's Glove

With The Writer’s Glove, I wanted to create something that not only kept cold hands and fingers warm while writing on a keyboard, but that also addressed the downsides on this list. It needed to be a long-term solution that fit like a second skin for easy use while meeting the practical demands of writing at a keyboard for a long stretch of time.

I’m happy to say that The Writer’s Glove does exactly that. What other writing glove can do this?

• Keeps cold hands and fingers warm while typing on a keyboard.
• Thin material fits like a second skin.
• Touchscreen capability in the index fingertips.
• Light grip on palm and gloves keeps keys and other objects from slipping.
• Available in every color, so long as you only want black.

If you’d like to try The Writer’s Glove as a solution to keeping your cold hands and fingers warm while you write on a keyboard, I’ll be happy to send you out a pair. I won’t even charge you for shipping.

I hope this helps!