How to win at work and home? Drink water. Can we get any more practical than “drink more water”? Answer: no. We’re getting super practical and hitting some areas we must get right if we’re going to address our energy (or lack of energy) at home and work. Sure, this won’t be as fun as talking about sleep like we did last week. But it should prove equally as challenging and helpful.
In this post, I plan to make you feel bad that you aren’t drinking enough water. Then, build you back up by telling you what you should do so hydration isn’t your biggest problem going forward!
Question: Do you actually drink the right amount of water daily?
While this post doesn’t seem as spiritual as previous posts, the physical and spiritual are closely tied aren’t they? Know, I promise to not try and over-spiritualize the idea of drinking more water here. I have resisted the urge to grab a concordance and look up the word “water” so as to have the proper amount of Bible verses in this post that pertain to water!
I refuse to to use a quote like “Water is Life.” or “Keep Calm & Drink Water.” in this post! : ) But, I’m a practical guy at heart. I want to know what works and what doesn’t. I don’t want someone to tell me my kids should be the most important part of my day, to point out the lies I hang onto, and then to leave me hanging without some practical tips of what to do to help.
So, over the next few weeks, I will NOT be the guy who leaves you hanging. Well, at least not for long. I’ll cover six (6) of what I think are the most practical habits we most often overlook. For each of the six things, I’ll give you some practical habits you can implement in your life to help you have the energy you need for both work and home. Are you ready?
The first habit was finding rest. We simply need to get more rest. I believe we can operate as we are called to by God if we get some of these practical steps in order with our physical lives. So, next is…
Drink enough water.
Just like sleep, I know there is a likelihood you don’t drink enough water. The replenishment of your body’s fluids is key to having the energy you need. You can probably tell the difference between when your body has enough water and when it doesn’t. Or maybe you’ve gone so long without the right amount, you can’t.
Here’s the deal: Adequate water intake helps you think more clearly, digest food better and maintain energy. Kind of important things if you’re going to try and thrive at work and home. Could it be your not tired when you come home after a long day simply because the day was rough and filled with obstacles—could it be some of your obstacles were things you could control?
One of the many things I love about the city I live in is that we have many locally owned coffee shops. I love coffee. In fact, I am rapidly moving toward what many would consider to be coffee snob status. So, it is very normal for me to drink a few cups of coffee a day. Because of this, I like to carry a container with me to make sure I get enough hydration. I can feel it when I don’t drink enough water.
“Water is kind of important if you’re going to thrive at work and home.”
What are some practical steps you can take to drink more water?
Replace one non-water beverage a day with water.
If you’d normally order a soda at lunch, replace it with water (you’ll save money anyways, so it’s a win-win). Find some type of water bottle or container you like and keep it with you throughout the day. My water intake is terrible on the days I rely on Styrofoam cups in my office and much better when I carry my water bottle with me.
Or, maybe create a water-drinking challenge with a friend.
Set a goal to drink a certain amount of water per day and then hold each other accountable. If we’re serious about the importance of our physical bodies—we’ll ultimately be improving our energy for home and work.
We’ll talk about habit #3 in the coming days. Until then, get to sipping on that water!
Find the recap of post #1 from this series on Finding Rest.
Question: How much water have you had so far today? Seriously. Tell us in the comments section below, tweet us @manhoodjourney or you can always email me.
