4 ways to stay hydrated at your desk

There are so many reasons why good hydration is essential, especially at work, as many of us prepare to head back into the office for the first time in 18 months. Hydration increases our mental and physical energy, decreases our cravings for sugary snacks, improves our immune system, keeps our eyes moist, boosts our mood and makes us less prone to anger when the printer flashes up with an unknown error minutes before an important deadline.

However, just because we know the benefits, it doesn’t mean we’re any better at actually drinking the recommended two litres of water per day. There are many reasons for that; some people don’t like the taste, some feel like they don’t have time to go all the way to the staff kitchen for a glass, and some are drinking highly caffeinated drinks instead to give them an energy boost.

This doesn’t mean that we can’t all at least try to up our water intake though, so here are four really good ways to increase hydration without too much effort on your part.

1. Reduce dehydrating drinks

Not all drinks are created equal in terms of hydration and plenty of caffeinated and sugary options will actually dehydrate you. If you’re having coffee or soda throughout the day, switch to a decaf option or tea for a couple of days every week and see the difference it makes.

If cutting out caffeine in any form is just not doable for you right now, make yourself a cup of hot water and lemon to drink while you’re waiting for the coffee maker to turn on.

2. Invest in a big reusable water bottle

The idea is that you’ll put this on your desk each morning so you can reliably track your water intake by making sure that it’s empty by the time you leave. Get it in a bright colour and take a sip anytime it catches your eye or you’re taking your hands off the keyboard, i.e. to have a stretch, make a call, or walk to the printer to find out that the ink needs changing.

Companies could even invest in printed water bottles for all staff because helping employees stay hydrated will improve performance and therefore profits. Check out the range of branded water bottles at https://www.pens.com/uk/c/water-bottles.

3. Eat your water

If you can’t stomach a full eight glasses of water per day, seek out fruits and vegetables with a high water content to ensure you stay hydrated and get a decent amount of fibre at the same time. Cut them up at home and bring them to work in a lunchbox for easy snacking throughout the day.

Top contenders include:

• cucumber
• tomatoes
• watermelon
• cantaloupes

4. Make water fun again

If you feel that water can’t possibly compare to your beloved Diet Dr Pepper, then why not make your H2O a little more interesting? One trick is to add slices of your favourite fruit to give it a mild flavour and give you a bonus snack at the end of the day, but another is to add frozen fruit on a hot day to act as ice cubes and flavouring. Our favourites include lemon, lime, cucumber and mint, strawberries, watermelon or ginger.

We hope these tips help you readjust easily to a well-hydrated office life, but we can’t help with the printer, sorry.