Career Resolution #1: Drink More Water (How Water Saved My Career)

Welcome to 2011, the year that you will actually stick to your career resolution!  Jobacle is here to help.  Each day this week I will share a career resolution that has been effective for me.

My name is Andrew and I am a waterholic.

There, I admitted it. 

You would be hard-pressed to find me at a meeting, at my desk, or in the car without a bottle of water.

Heck, there are worse addictions, right?

Well that bottle of water replaced a lot of junk in my life, and I'm not only talking about sodas and other sugary beverages.  I have used a simple water bottle to help improve my time spent at the office. Along the way I've reduced my anxiety, improved my overall health, and avoided the 3 p.m. crash.

And it all started after a lack of water created my biggest work nightmare: a kidney stone.  If you have ever had one, you just had a shiver run up your spine.  If not, consider yourself lucky. 
Here are a few ways drinking water helps make work a better place to be.

Water carries nutrients to your cells.  Impaired cells lead to lots of nasty stuff, including fatigue, dizziness, and mental confusion.

Water improves organ/muscle function.  When you’re sitting on your butt all day, your muscles need all of the activity they can get.

More energy.  Kiss away a nasty crash and stay alert all day long.

Water flushes toxins.  Without enough fluid, your kidneys won’t pass potentially dangerous substances out of your body through urine. 

Water helps keep you thin.  If your kidneys become overworked, more is expected from the liver. can cause more fat to be stored in your body.

Water keeps areas moist.  From your lips to your skin, avoid itchy patches and chapped lips by taking in enough fluid.

There is no excuse not to be drinking water at the office throughout the day.  If you feel thirsty, drink water.  And make sure that your urine is colorless.  If not, you are not drinking enough!

Learn more from the Beverage Institute on the importance of hydration (PDF)

Useful Links:
How Much Water Should I Drink?
Rules of the Office Water Cooler
Offices Drown in Bottled Water
Drink Water As Part of a Habit Replacement Plan

Comments

[Grace]

It's true! The more water I drink, the better I feel. It's hard to get in all that water after work (unless I remember my water bottle in my purse.) Might as well drink it all while you are sitting there

[Jennifer Brown Banks]

Great info. It's one of my goals for the new year as well. I love tea. Does that count? :-)

[Nancy]

I learned to incorporate lots of water into my daily routine for a different reason. My office-mate, psychiatrist pal had a 5-gallon water dispenser in the office which I thought a bit excessive for the two of us and patients.

She told me that when women hit 40, "their metabolism comes to a screeching halt." Sad, but true. I found that when I drank water all day, I wouldn't snack or eat as much. It's a great way to lose weight.

[Dawn allcot]

Also, if you drink enough, you have to keep getting up from your desk to visit the restroom. You'll burn even more calories, AND get to take more frequent breaks What boss would dare say you're spending too much time peeing??? And if he does, just say you are protecting your health so that you can continue to give your best at the job. :P