Some words of advice I just shared to my colleagues in Austin who have a winter storm they don’t have the infrastructure to deal with, including power outages.

  • Please stay safe.
  • Stay inside.
  • Turn your phones off in case you need it in an emergency and there is no power.
  • Get lots of blankets and multiple layers of clothes.
  • Especially protect extremities and wear a warm cap. Put it over your ears.
  • Put tea/coffee in thermos and drink it slowly over multiple hours, that gives you some warmth over the day.
  • If you have large glass windows or doors, put blankets over them. The air trapped between the window and the blanket is isolating.
  • If you run a gas stove, open the window (a little bit) when using it.

Oh, and don’t expect to be productive or clear thinking when it is very cold. Your body needs the energy to keep warm. That’s normal.