We’ve all heard that “six-eight glasses of water a day” is the recommended intake, but many of us struggle to reach it. So here’s my top six tips for getting making sure you drink plenty of water in the office:
- Keep a 500ml bottle on your desk and sip regularly. Get through the whole bottle before lunch, and refill it for the afternoon – then empty it again by hometime.
- If you find plain water dull or even unpleasant, try flavoured or carbonated water instead. Sugar-free squash or cordial, or even diet fizzy drinks, are also good options.
- Tea and coffee count! I find that tea actually makes me thirstier, which encourages me to drink more water. (Some people claim tea is a diuretic, but recent studies show caffeine-containing drinks are just as hydrating as water.)
- Drink water with lunch. When you’re eating your sandwich, stop every few bites for a mouthful of water; it’ll help you to eat more slowly, and help you to get hydrated.
- Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink: you’ll already be getting dehydrated. Stick a post-it on your monitor with “DRINK WATER!” written on it. Every time it catches your eye – take a sip.
- If you’re going to be at a conference or in meeting all day, take your bottle of water with you – the plastic cups provided are usually miniscule, and talking tends to make you thirstier.
(Photo above by Igorms)
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