October 10, 2026

How to Drink More Water at the Office: 9 Habits That Actually Stick

Between back-to-back meetings, AC that dries you out and three cups of chai, office days are where hydration quietly falls apart. Then the 4 pm headache arrives. The fix isn’t willpower. It’s making water the easiest thing on your desk.

Quick takeaways

Use a big tumbler and count fills, not glasses. Two fills of a 1200 ml tumbler is 2.4 litres.
Tie sips to things you already do: meetings, emails, coffee refills.
Keep the water cold. People drink more of what tastes good.
Make the tumbler visible, at eye level next to your screen, not under the desk.

1. Use the “two-tumbler rule”

Counting glasses is tedious. Counting tumblers is easy. Fill a 1200 ml tumbler when you arrive and refill it once after lunch. Two fills is 2.4 litres by home time, without an app.

2. Fill it before you open your laptop

The first five minutes at your desk set the tone. Make filling your tumbler part of your arrival routine, before email.

3. Keep it cold all day

Water that sits in a glass under the AC goes flat and warm. A vacuum-insulated tumbler stays cold for 11 hours and iced for up to 20, so the last sip at 6 pm is as good as the first.

4. Use a straw

It sounds trivial, but many people find they drink more through a straw while typing, because there’s no lid to unscrew. The Ember comes with a reusable straw and a 3-way lid for sipping or gulping.

5. Sip at every meeting

Carry your tumbler into every meeting. The handle makes it easy. Take a few sips each time someone shares their screen.

6. Pair water with chai and coffee

Every time you get tea or coffee, finish a few sips of water first. It doesn’t replace your chai. It just tops you up.

7. Set two calendar nudges

An 11:30 am and a 3:30 pm reminder labelled “halfway?” works better than hourly pings you’ll mute.

8. Make it something you like looking at

An attractive tumbler is a visual cue. That’s why tumblers have become desk décor (see our aesthetic desk setup guide). Pick a colour you enjoy, or personalise it with your name so it never goes missing from the pantry.

9. Plan the commute too

Refill before you leave and you arrive home hydrated rather than starving and thirsty. The Ember fits most car cup holders.

Make water as easy to reach as your coffee.

Your desk-to-commute tumbler

Ember 1200 ml: two fills cover your workday. Cold for 11 hrs, with a straw, handle and leak-resistant 3-way lid.

Shop rose gold Ember

Frequently asked questions

How much water should I drink at work?

A practical target for many adults is 1.5–2.5 litres across the workday, depending on body size, climate and activity. Two fills of a 1200 ml tumbler is 2.4 litres.

Why do I feel tired in the afternoon at work?

Afternoon slumps have many causes, including sleep and meals, but mild dehydration is a common and easily fixed contributor.

Does tea or coffee count toward water intake?

Tea and coffee contain water, but it’s still wise to drink plain water through the day alongside them.

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