12 TIPS TO HELP YOU DRINK MORE WATER

How do you make something that you NEED TO DO into something that you WANT TO DO, and then turn it into something that you JUST DO?  Like drinking more water.  We know we should be getting at least 2 litres of water in a day but that can be hard if it’s not something that you’ve ever really thought about doing.  Creating a healthy habit, like drinking more water, just takes a few little tricks to build into your daily routine. 

Here are my 12 top tips to help you drink more water:

If your issue is that you just don’t enjoy the blandness of water, try to make it a bit more interesting.

1. Jazz up your water.  Add some fruit like berries or a squeeze of lemon or lime. Adding cucumber adds a nice freshness and mint adds a nice refreshing twist.

2. Mineral and filtered water tastes far better than tap water as it doesn’t contain any of the nasty chemicals and heavy metals that you get with tap water.

3. You may find the temperature of the water will affect its appeal to you.  Perhaps you prefer it super chilled rather than tepid, or you might enjoy a cup of hot boiling water like my parents do (it may be an Asian thing hehe).
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4. Try sparkling water.  There are 3 types of sparkling water each with distinct tastes:

• Natural sparkling water is mineral water that has naturally occurring carbonating /gas compounds giving it its own subtle fizz and taste before its even bottled, hence why it is so much more expensive, such as Perrier and San Pellegrino.

• Seltzer water is simply water that has been carbonated by pressurised carbon dioxide, much like you would get using a Soda Stream machine or soda guns in pubs and bars.  This is probably what most of us end up drinking.

• Soda water is water that has compounds added to it such as sodium bicarbonate to give it that effervescence which can make it taste a little saltier.   (Not to be confused with the 'soda water' from soda guns as mentioned above).

5. Drink herbal teas for a little variety which can be drunk both hot and chilled.

If you find taking in more water is a hard habit to create here are some ways to build it into the daily routine of life by making it obvious and convenient.

6. Place water bottles all around your work or home environment especially your work desk and bedside table.  The more visual reminders you have the more likely you will grab a drink.  By doing this you also create more opportunity to drink due to the convenience of having them around.

7. Set a reminder to take a water break.  Whether it’s a Post-It note on your computer screen or an alarm on your phone, set yourself visual reminders.  

8. Buy a bottle that comes with a reminder feature.  Something as simple as a bottle that is labelled to indicate how much water you’ve had, or invest in a smart bottle that lights up to remind you to drink or is connected via an app on your phone.  How amazing is technology these days? (See links below for some awesome water bottles).

9. Take water with you wherever you go.  Never leave the house without a bottle of water in your bag.  You never know how thirsty you might get on your commute especially during the hot summer months and the sweaty tube journeys.

Finally, if the above tips don’t work here are some habit building strategies to really incentivise you to reach for that glass of water by building routine and rewarding your efforts.

10. Tag on the habit of drinking water to an existing habit e.g. whenever you stand up from your desk, or sit back down, take a sip of water.  Whenever you sit for a meal have a glass of water ready so that you can drink some before and in between bites.  This can also help slow down your meal time and allow you to eat mindfully. 
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11. Tag on the habit of drinking water to something that you really look forward to doing e.g.   really looking forward to that cup of coffee or delicious lunch? Drink your water before so that you can reward yourself with that cup of Joe.  Want to check your social media? Have a sip before reaching for your phone.

12. Draw up a tracking sheet to mark the days that you hit your water goal and reward yourself for being consistent.  Treat yourself when you see that you’ve marked 7 days in a row of hitting your water goal.  The act of marking the tracker helps you to see your progress which is incentive enough, but also satisfies any OCD nature you might have in seeing your tracking sheet all filled in.
 

Staying hydrated is a simple thing we can do to help boost our health, energy, and productivity.  Just by adding in one or two of the tricks above is a good start to building the healthy habit of drinking more water and staying well hydrated.