If most people reflect on their day at work, they can probably remember a lot of the things they drank and ate that day. It begins with morning coffee or a smoothie, perhaps a soft drink or another coffee at lunch, an energy drink in the afternoon, a glass of wine or two in the evening…it’s all clear. When you ask people how much water they drank in a day, however, minds can go blank.
Even when you get spring water delivered to your office, how many actually take advantage of it? Are people unaware of the many benefits of drinking more water at work? If you’re not drinking much water in the course of a working day, here are some reasons why you up your aqua intake.
Reason 1: You Focus Better
You might think that it’s your morning coffee and your afternoon energy drinks that are helping you to focus better, but in fact neither are any substitute for a good injection of fresh water. The stuff of life contains vital minerals and nutrients that your brain needs to keep focus and help you concentrate on tasks, not to mention stay healthy in general. What’s more, it helps the blood carry the other nutrients from your food and healthy snacks to where they are needed to provide energy too.
Reason 2: Reduce Your Calorie Intake
If you work in an office and you’re sitting in a chair for a lot of the day, then the many tasty things you drink and enjoy at your desk like a frappuccino, for instance, are just adding empty calories to your day. The levels of sugar in many consumer drinks nowadays is shocking. Water is sugar-free, calorie-free, and is what your body is really crying out for. When you’re sitting for long periods, controlling calories is important and water is a big help to that end.
Reason 3: Cut Down on Stress
Water doesn’t just help cut down on calories, but on stress, too. When you’re dehydrated, your blood vessels can start to constrict, which in turn boosts your stress levels. When you are feeling the pressure, it’s much harder to concentrate, stay on task, and do a good job. Have you ever had it where your stress levels cause you to lose focus and take much longer to complete a task that you might normally be able to finish within an hour? It’s frustrating, and a vicious cycle that can make things even more stressful.
Some water followed by some deep breaths can help get you back on track!
Reason 4: Prevents and Treats Headaches
Do you keep aspirin or paracetamol (or something stronger) in your desk for if and when you get a headache? What some people may fail to realise is that their headache is actually being caused by dehydration. If you start getting headaches, reflect on how much fresh water you’ve been drinking recently vs. how much coffee and processed soft drinks and energy drinks. It’s okay to keep some painkillers on hand if you need some quick relief, but know that upping your water intake will both help treat your current headache and will help prevent them in the future.
Reason 5: It’s Cheaper
Have you ever thought to yourself how much money you spend on those morning coffees from Starbucks or other local outlets? How about on those special restaurant-made drinks that you get with your lunch? Let’s say you buy two flat whites a day at $4.50 each, plus a soft drink with your lunch at $3.00. In a working week, that adds up to $60 a week, or $240 a month. Imagine what you’ll save over a year of drinking that lovely fresh free water.