Do you ever get to the end of the day feeling tired, groggy, and nursing a headache, only to realise you haven’t drunk enough water throughout the day?

You’re not alone. Besides the million-and-one things on our to-do list, drinking water often slips under the radar. Especially when you’re relying on coffee and tea to give you the caffeine boost you need to stay productive.

However, water is actually the best thing for us to keep our energy up, our minds active, and our moods high. So, how do we encourage ourselves to drink more water when we don’t enjoy it or are in the habit of reaching for other drinks first?

Keep reading for a few low-effort tips that are actually easy to implement in your daily life!

1. Start your day with a glass of water

Begin your day on the right foot with a healthy glass of water.

This could be as soon as you wake up, when you’re preparing breakfast, or before you go out the door for work. Doing so will make you feel fresher in the morning, and it’s a great way to combat tea or coffee breath!

2. Set reminders to drink

A lot of us aren’t actively avoiding drinking water; we just forget to when so many other things are fighting for our attention.

Setting a few simple reminders on your phone throughout the day to drink water is a great way to stay on track. Just remember to set the alarms to repeat every day! Otherwise, you’ll be giving yourself one more thing to remember.

The NHS suggests drinking 6 to 8 cups of water a day, so set 6 to 8 timers to go off at times when you’re most likely to be free to grab a drink.

3. Keep a reusable water bottle with you

A reusable water bottle serves as its own reminder to refill it and drink more water throughout the day.

Keeping it in sight while you work, commute, or go about your daily tasks will make you more likely to sip from it and refill it when it’s empty. You can also buy water bottles that tell you how much to drink by a certain time, so you have a guide to follow.

4. Tie drinking water to things you already do

Habit stacking is a great way to make a new habit stick.

What we mean by this is tying your new habit, drinking more water, to something you already do every day. For example, you could drink a glass of water after brushing your teeth, before each meal, when you sit down at your desk, or every time you make a cup of tea.

That way, you’re more likely to remember to do it, and soon, it’ll just become second nature to you.

5. Make water more appealing to drink

If the problem is that you dislike the bland taste of water, making it more palatable will encourage you to increase your daily water intake.

You could add in a few fruits or herbs for a mild flavour, add a splash of cordial juice, or even a few cubes of ice to make it feel more refreshing. We recommend adding slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, or fresh mint for a bit of zing.

Some people also find that chilled water or sparkling water is easier to drink, so it is worth trying a few options to see what suits you best.

6. Swap one sugary drink a day for water

If you usually reach for fizzy drinks, juice, or sweetened coffee, swapping just one for water is a realistic place to start.

That way, you’re not trying to make a big change all at once, as you’re more likely to give up if you try to force a new, rigid habit.

Doing this will help you slowly cut down on sugar, and you’ll start to notice the difference in your overall health and energy levels as you keep increasing your water intake.

7. Set a simple daily target

As we’ve briefly mentioned, trying to change your routine completely overnight usually does not last.

A more sensible approach is to set a daily target that feels manageable, such as finishing one bottle by lunch and another by the end of the afternoon. Having something clear to aim for can keep you focused without making hydration feel like hard work.

8. Eat some of your water, too

Drinking water is important, but it is not the only way to support your fluid intake.

Instead, try to implement more foods into your diet that naturally contain a lot of water. This includes:

• Strawberries
• Oranges
• Watermelons
• Cucumber
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Cabbage

Adding more of these foods to your meals and snacks is a simple way to increase daily hydration, especially if you struggle to drink large amounts of water.

9. Buy a water filter

If you’re concerned about the safety of your tap water, then we can understand why you avoid drinking it.

While UK tap water is safe to drink, many people get caught up in the possible hidden bacteria from pipes or unpleasant tastes. Luckily, this is an easy fix.

Buying a water filter can help improve taste and make drinking water more pleasant, which may encourage you to have it more often. These jugs can be stored in the fridge and help remove any nasty contaminants from your water, so you feel more at ease drinking from the tap.

10. Invest in a convenient water cooler

Convenience plays a big part in any healthy habit. If fresh, cold water is readily available at home or at work, people are much more likely to drink it regularly.

At Drop Water Coolers, we have helped hundreds of customers across the UK access fresh, clean spring water for their homes and offices so they stay hydrated and ready to meet any challenge with a clear head.

Our bottled water coolers are modern, compact, and efficient, offering cold, ambient, and hot water. We also provide plumbed-in water coolers; you can enjoy 24/7 access to tasty, filtered water directly from your mains supply.

That way, you can enjoy healthy water in seconds, whenever you need it! If you’re unsure about the benefits, give our 14-day no-obligation free trial a go.