5 Ways to Encourage Yourself to Drink More Water

While I enjoy drinking water, I will admit that I’m more likely to grab some kind of soda than to grab some water, if given a choice.  Okay, that’s not true.  I’m not more like to grab some kind of soda.  I’m more likely to drink some Diet Coke, though I do make a point of trying to cut myself off at some point in the day.

If you also struggle with making sure to get more water in a day, you might try some of these methods for getting a little more of that life giving fluid.

Ways to Encourage Yourself to Drink More Water

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Use a cup with a lid and straw.

Okay, maybe the lid and straw don’t make a difference to you.  But, I find that when I have one of my many plastic cups that have a lid and room for a straw, I’m much more likely to drink more.  I don’t know if it’s because it suddenly becomes more portable or if I just love using the surplus of straws that I’ve managed to collect over the years from McDonald’s.  (Really – I haven’t taken extras.  We just have ended up with lots of extras.  Go figure.)

Some examples of cups you might like are this one that has a grip available in a bunch of different colors or this one that’s shaped like a Mason jar and is even dishwasher safe and insulated.

Use visual reminders to drink more water.

You’ll have to pick what will work best for you on this one.  It might be that you add or take away a rubber band from your water cup to denote how many glasses you’ve had that day.  You might use a list to check it off, such as on the Daily Docket from The Art of Simple.  You might move marbles from one container to another.  Whatever works best for you.  This is a nice way to have a visual for yourself, and maybe even for other people in your household to remind you.

Drink Fruit Infused Water

Whether you decide to use a fancy cup that has a tube for putting in fresh fruit and/or herbs or you just grab a Mason jar or pitcher and mix it all up in there, this can be a great way to get a few extra vitamins, while adding a summery flavor to your water.

If you need ideas for what to mix in with your water, here’s a great post about making your own flavored waters.

Have Water at Meals Instead of Other Drinks

This is a great way to take in some extra water.  And, if you’re having a meal out, it’s also a great way to save a little money.  I loved one time when we were out to eat with one of my nephews, who loves to drink water, and the waitress had to fill his glass so many times that she finally just brought out a water pitcher for the table.

Combine Drinking Water with Something Else You Do Regularly

If you can get into a habit of drinking water while you do another task or activity, it can encourage you to have a greater water intake each day.  Maybe you like to read on your porch each morning or walk on the treadmill for a mile each night.  Or, perhaps you decide to drink water while you sit down for some computer game time.  You know what works best for you and your daily routine.  Once you make it a habit, you’ll start to have a difficult time doing your water drinking activity without a glass of water nearby.

What are some ways that you encourage yourself to drink more water throughout the day?

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Angie, a domestically challenged nerd and mom of three very fun kids, is the founder of Real Life at Home, the combined home of the former sites Many Little Blessings, The Homeschool Classroom, Catholic Printables Online, and Catholic Mothers Online.  Angie also listens to music every chance she gets, writes eBooks, loves Pinterest, begrudgingly uses Google+, and occasionally sleeps.