7 Super Smart and Easy Ways to Stay Hydrated at Work
We’re sure you know this all too well that water is pretty cool for your bodily functions and you should pretty much make sure to drink it throughout the day. But how do you manage?
How often do you make it to the recommended amount of half a gallon per day? How often do you swap your cup of joe for a 8 oz glass of water when at work? Dehydration is a no-joke enemy to your office productivity, as being just 3-4% dehydrated can lower your work performance by approximately 25-50%, this study reports.
And it’s very likely you’ve been down the rabbit hole yourself, desperately trying to fix your unproductive state with a cup of coffee that dehydrates you even more, and then it goes downhill from there. The less you drink water, the more you lose the mental ability to focus at your work, while your physical performance drops just as well.
Source: Cheezburger
Sure, staying hydrated is common sense. Funnily enough, it has also become a part of the meme culture, with thousands of relatable content all about encouraging to drink more water, which is delightful, really. But since browsing memes would rather be a counterproductive advice, we decided to compile for you these 7 super easy and clever ways to trick you into drinking more water in your office.
1. Buy a reusable water bottle
Source: Amazon
One of the top reasons why we forget to drink enough water throughout the day is because of how inconvenient it is to go to the water cooler, fill up the cup, drink it up and repeat it 8 times (what a waste of time, right?!). And while the most efficient solution to that may be attaching a giant fluid bag with a straw, it might not be the wisest.
An equally effective and a less embarrassing solution is simply keeping a gallon jug or a large carafe at your desk, or – even better – a stylish reusable water bottle that you can carry around. Plus, with all the options from simple BPA-free plastic to sleek glass and bamboo design, a reusable water bottle has become not only a super-simple reminder to stay hydrated, but a statement accessory as well.
2. Track your water intake
Source: My Water Balance
A common mistake we all do when taking care of ourselves is that we base our judgment on pure estimations. Especially that concerns our daily water intake. Although you may be quenching your thirst with a refreshing glass of juice, only a fraction of it contributes to your optimal daily dose of water.
Try using an app, like My Water Balance , that will let you track what you’ve been drinking and calculate the percentage of reaching your water goal. With sufficient data and helpful reminders, and a bit of fun gamification, you’ll get closer to staying hydrated all day long.
3. Take it to the next level with a smart water bottle
Source: DrinKup
But what if the app was… linked to the bottle? If you love gadgets and nifty high-tech solutions, then consider investing in a smart water bottle like DrinKup. Beautiful in design and function, DrinKup and its app automatically tracks your daily water intake in real-time so that you can skip the logging.
What’s just as important is that it will notify you every time you need a sip by vibrating and lighting up the smart LED lid or sending a notification straight to your phone. The future is here and it wants you to stay hydrated.
4. Commit to it as a habit
Source: Luxafor
Now if you really want to make a change, you have to commit to it. And while we’ve all heard that it takes just 28 days to develop a habit – it seems so simple, yet we fail miserably. One approach to forming new habits, such as drinking the recommended dose of water every day, is tracking the desired action in a way that is visualizing your progress.
For example, if you simply take our Don’t Break the Chain concept and cross out every day you’ve met your daily goal of water intake, chances are you’ll be more inclined to keep up your success strike.
5. Drink a glass of water after every bathroom break
Source: Pexels
There’s another way to trick you into drinking more water and that is forming a subconscious habit by linking one action to another. It’s best you choose the most common daily activity, say, going to the bathroom. Simply start drinking a cup of water right after you return from your bathroom break.
Or start drinking water while you’re cooking or waiting for your meal at a restaurant. Once you establish a link between a common daily action and drinking water, your body will get used to this correlation and you’ll find that you’re doing it almost automatically without having to think about it.
6. Add a bit of flavor
Source: Pexels
If you’re used to sipping something with flavor, then there are two alternatives for you to drink more water. The least efficient one is to literally dilute your sugary drink with water or ice, yet it’s still a step towards success.
Another option, a far healthier one, is making a fruit-infused water with your favorites. Lime and peppermint is a classic, but adding orange slices, strawberries, raspberries, and bits of kiwi is just as refreshing and makes your boring glass of water into a fragrant and enjoyable beverage.
7. Eat your water
Source: Unsplash
No, we’re not talking about seaweed edible water pods yet, although that’s a pretty amazing zero waste solution. A fairly common way to “eat” your water is to include those fruits and veggies in your diet that have the highest water content, namely: cucumber, lettuce, celery, radishes, tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, watermelon, spinach, strawberries, broccoli, grapefruit, apricots, cherries, grapes, and zucchini.
Water-rich foods, like cucumber (96% water), watermelon (92% water), and grapefruit (91% water) not only contribute to your daily water intake, but also make a refreshing and healthy snack in between meal times.
The Bottom Line
While there is no “right” way of drinking your water, the fact remains that if you want to be productive, it is vital you stay hydrated throughout the day. Remember that the recommended 8 glasses of water per day varies according to such factors as whether you’re exercising, pregnant or simply living in hot or humid weather.
Also bear in mind that beverages like coffee, black and green tea, and alcohol dehydrate you, so you have to drink more water to make up for the loss.
We hope this article was helpful and made you thirsty for change. Now, when’s the last time you took a sip
Do you want to build and maintain new habits? Get your free PDF version of the Don't Break The Chain calendar and start today!
Do you want to build and maintain new habits? Get your free PDF version of the Don't Break The Chain calendar and start today!
7 Super Smart and Easy Ways to Stay Hydrated at Work
We’re sure you know this all too well that water is pretty cool for your bodily functions and you should pretty much make sure to drink it throughout the day. But how do you manage?
How often do you make it to the recommended amount of half a gallon per day? How often do you swap your cup of joe for a 8 oz glass of water when at work? Dehydration is a no-joke enemy to your office productivity, as being just 3-4% dehydrated can lower your work performance by approximately 25-50%, this study reports.
And it’s very likely you’ve been down the rabbit hole yourself, desperately trying to fix your unproductive state with a cup of coffee that dehydrates you even more, and then it goes downhill from there. The less you drink water, the more you lose the mental ability to focus at your work, while your physical performance drops just as well.
Source: Cheezburger
Sure, staying hydrated is common sense. Funnily enough, it has also become a part of the meme culture, with thousands of relatable content all about encouraging to drink more water, which is delightful, really. But since browsing memes would rather be a counterproductive advice, we decided to compile for you these 7 super easy and clever ways to trick you into drinking more water in your office.
1. Buy a reusable water bottle
Source: Amazon
One of the top reasons why we forget to drink enough water throughout the day is because of how inconvenient it is to go to the water cooler, fill up the cup, drink it up and repeat it 8 times (what a waste of time, right?!). And while the most efficient solution to that may be attaching a giant fluid bag with a straw, it might not be the wisest.
An equally effective and a less embarrassing solution is simply keeping a gallon jug or a large carafe at your desk, or – even better – a stylish reusable water bottle that you can carry around. Plus, with all the options from simple BPA-free plastic to sleek glass and bamboo design, a reusable water bottle has become not only a super-simple reminder to stay hydrated, but a statement accessory as well.
2. Track your water intake
Source: My Water Balance
A common mistake we all do when taking care of ourselves is that we base our judgment on pure estimations. Especially that concerns our daily water intake. Although you may be quenching your thirst with a refreshing glass of juice, only a fraction of it contributes to your optimal daily dose of water.
Try using an app, like My Water Balance , that will let you track what you’ve been drinking and calculate the percentage of reaching your water goal. With sufficient data and helpful reminders, and a bit of fun gamification, you’ll get closer to staying hydrated all day long.
3. Take it to the next level with a smart water bottle
Source: DrinKup
But what if the app was… linked to the bottle? If you love gadgets and nifty high-tech solutions, then consider investing in a smart water bottle like DrinKup. Beautiful in design and function, DrinKup and its app automatically tracks your daily water intake in real-time so that you can skip the logging.
What’s just as important is that it will notify you every time you need a sip by vibrating and lighting up the smart LED lid or sending a notification straight to your phone. The future is here and it wants you to stay hydrated.
4. Commit to it as a habit
Source: Luxafor
Now if you really want to make a change, you have to commit to it. And while we’ve all heard that it takes just 28 days to develop a habit – it seems so simple, yet we fail miserably. One approach to forming new habits, such as drinking the recommended dose of water every day, is tracking the desired action in a way that is visualizing your progress.
For example, if you simply take our Don’t Break the Chain concept and cross out every day you’ve met your daily goal of water intake, chances are you’ll be more inclined to keep up your success strike.
5. Drink a glass of water after every bathroom break
Source: Pexels
There’s another way to trick you into drinking more water and that is forming a subconscious habit by linking one action to another. It’s best you choose the most common daily activity, say, going to the bathroom. Simply start drinking a cup of water right after you return from your bathroom break.
Or start drinking water while you’re cooking or waiting for your meal at a restaurant. Once you establish a link between a common daily action and drinking water, your body will get used to this correlation and you’ll find that you’re doing it almost automatically without having to think about it.
6. Add a bit of flavor
Source: Pexels
If you’re used to sipping something with flavor, then there are two alternatives for you to drink more water. The least efficient one is to literally dilute your sugary drink with water or ice, yet it’s still a step towards success.
Another option, a far healthier one, is making a fruit-infused water with your favorites. Lime and peppermint is a classic, but adding orange slices, strawberries, raspberries, and bits of kiwi is just as refreshing and makes your boring glass of water into a fragrant and enjoyable beverage.
7. Eat your water
Source: Unsplash
No, we’re not talking about seaweed edible water pods yet, although that’s a pretty amazing zero waste solution. A fairly common way to “eat” your water is to include those fruits and veggies in your diet that have the highest water content, namely: cucumber, lettuce, celery, radishes, tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, watermelon, spinach, strawberries, broccoli, grapefruit, apricots, cherries, grapes, and zucchini.
Water-rich foods, like cucumber (96% water), watermelon (92% water), and grapefruit (91% water) not only contribute to your daily water intake, but also make a refreshing and healthy snack in between meal times.
The Bottom Line
While there is no “right” way of drinking your water, the fact remains that if you want to be productive, it is vital you stay hydrated throughout the day. Remember that the recommended 8 glasses of water per day varies according to such factors as whether you’re exercising, pregnant or simply living in hot or humid weather.
Also bear in mind that beverages like coffee, black and green tea, and alcohol dehydrate you, so you have to drink more water to make up for the loss.
We hope this article was helpful and made you thirsty for change. Now, when’s the last time you took a sip