A Drink To Improve Your Productivity
Walk around any office, and you will see coffee mugs on almost every desk. Ask most coffee drinkers, and they will tell you that their drink of choice helps them wake up and jump-start their day. But they may be drinking the wrong thing.
A study from the University of East London showed that drinking water could result in a 14 percent increase in productivity. It turns out that when we are thirsty, our brain sends messages to the body, telling it to find more fluids. When we are sufficiently hydrated, we can focus on other matters rather than looking for a drink. While caffeine can give us an energy kick, it doesn’t hydrate as well as does water.
It’s also a good idea to start your day with water because we tend to dehydrate while we sleep, and drinking water eliminates toxins, stimulates metabolism, and helps maintain weight.
Plus, when we are adequately hydrated, our brain works better. In the study, when women lost
1.3% of their fluids after exercise, they got more headaches and suffered from impaired concentration. Men who experienced a 1.59% loss of fluid and showed fatigue, anxiety, and lack of memory.
So how much do we need to drink? We’ve all heard that we need eight glasses a day. But there are many variables, including how active we are and what we eat. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine says men need about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men, and women need about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women. Remember, 20% of daily fluid intake usually comes from food, and the rest from drinks.
For most of us, we have a long way to go.
Rather than walking around with a measuring cup, you can tell if you are doing well if you rarely feel thirsty and your urine is colorless or light yellow.
Our bodies comprise 60 percent water, so it makes sense that H2O is the ideal drink, and it’s a lot cheaper than your Grande, Quad, Nonfat, One-Pump, No-Whip, Mocha.
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Dave Edwards helps professionals become more effective leaders through executive coaching, leading workshops, and consulting services. Previously, he transformed WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio into one of the most successful public radio stations in the country and served as chair of the NPR Board of Directors. He also teaches classes for Marquette University and Alverno College in Milwaukee, plus online at Udemy. He blogs on productivity and management related issues at www.DaveEdwardsMedia.com
