How to Drink More Water at Work When You Keep Forgetting
By Grant H. Caldwell, author of Hydration Hacks for Busy People
The direct answer: stop relying on memory. Put water where you can see and reach it, and attach a few sips to things you already do — opening your task list, leaving the house, starting a walk. The easiest drink to remember is the one you do not have to remember at all.
The tips below come from Hydration Hacks for Busy People, which collects 101 practical tips to drink more water, boost your energy, and feel better every day.
1. Set out a covered drink before bed
The easiest drink to remember is the one you can see and reach, so connect water with a place or routine that is already part of your day. Before you turn in, fill a clean cup or bottle and put it somewhere you will notice when you wake up, such as your bedside table or kitchen counter. This one-minute setup removes a decision from your morning and gives you an easy first opportunity to drink. Use a cover to help keep the water clean, and choose a stable spot where the container will not be knocked over while you sleep or get ready.
2. Give your bottle a parking spot at work
A water system works best when it fits your workspace instead of competing with it. Choose one place for your water bottle that is easy to see from your usual work position, such as beside your notebook or at the back corner of your desk, within comfortable reach but away from keyboards, papers, charging cables, and anything that could be damaged by a spill. If your desk is small, use a nearby shelf or a stable spot on a side table. When you move to another workstation, take the bottle with you and place it in roughly the same position relative to your seat — that repeated location becomes part of the cue.
3. Attach sips to workday transitions
Rather than trying to remember water at random moments, pair a few sips with things you already do. When you sit down to begin work, let opening your calendar or task list be the cue for a few sips: put your bottle where you naturally look or reach as you settle in, rather than inside a bag or behind your monitor. Drink a comfortable amount, then get on with your first task — there is no need to finish a glass or meet a quota before you start. To make the cue dependable, refill or set out the bottle at the end of the previous workday. If your work begins on a phone or laptop away from a desk, connect the sip to opening your first work app or putting on a headset.
4. Pair a drink with your shoes before you move
A little preparation can make drinking water feel like part of getting ready, not another task to remember. Choose the shoes you usually wear for a walk or workout, then make setting out a water bottle part of putting them on: place the bottle beside your shoes, gym bag, or front door so the two items become a visible cue. When you see your shoes, you will also see your drink before you head out. This works especially well if you tend to leave in a hurry. Keep the plan proportionate to the activity — for a short, easy outing in comfortable weather, a small bottle is enough.
5. Add a bottle to your exit checklist
When you are away from your usual kitchen or desk, drinking water depends on what you bring and how easy it is to reach. Choose one item you almost always take when leaving home — your keys, phone, or work bag — and link it with your water bottle. Put a small reminder by the door that says "keys, phone, water," or add water to a leaving-home checklist you already use on your phone. Keep the bottle clean, filled, and in the same easy-to-spot place so grabbing it takes only a few seconds. For a quick errand, take your usual bottle rather than searching for a special travel container.
6. Add a side of fruit to a meal
Food can add fluid alongside your usual drinks, and you do not need a special menu. Make fruit an easy extra by placing a small serving beside breakfast or lunch: grapes, orange slices, melon, and berries are convenient choices that contain water and bring variety to a meal. Choose fruit you already enjoy rather than buying something that requires a new recipe or extra preparation. When you unpack groceries, rinse and portion a few servings into containers so they are ready to grab, and keep them somewhere visible in the refrigerator — or pack one with your lunch. Frozen fruit can also be handy; thaw a portion in the refrigerator for a snack.
7. Anchor water to one daily cue — and only one
A dependable cue reminds you without adding another task to your schedule, and it works best attached to something that already happens most days. Making breakfast, sitting down at your desk, starting the car, or walking in the door can all serve as reminders. Pick just one cue to begin; several new reminders at once can feel like extra work. Match the cue to the part of your day when you tend to forget to drink: if mornings are hectic, place a glass beside the coffee maker; if you lose track during work, keep water near your keyboard and use opening your laptop as the signal. Try the pairing for a few days before changing it.
Frequently asked questions
How much water should I aim for?
The book keeps the amount flexible: activity, weather, and individual needs all make a difference, so it focuses on cues and systems rather than a single quota. The goal is a simple connection that survives busy days, not a streak to complete.
What if I forget even with a bottle on my desk?
Attach sips to transitions you already make, such as opening your calendar or task list, and give the bottle one visible parking spot in the same position relative to your seat. Refill or set out the bottle at the end of the previous workday so the cue is ready when you arrive.
Does food count toward hydration?
In the book's approach, food adds fluid alongside drinks. A side of fruit such as grapes, orange slices, melon, or berries beside breakfast or lunch is one easy addition — choose fruit you already enjoy, prepared in advance so it is ready to grab.
What about caffeine and alcohol?
The book has a chapter on balancing water with caffeine and making thoughtful choices around alcohol, and it advises treating body signals as cues rather than conclusions. If you have a health condition or take medication, talk with a qualified professional about what fits you.
Keep going with the book
Hydration Hacks for Busy People — 101 Practical Tips to Drink More Water, Boost Your Energy, and Feel Better Every Day.
$2.99 launch price, Oct 25 – Nov 24, 2026$7.99 ebook on Google Play
Hydration Hacks for Busy People — book page · 101 Tips series
Related reading
Water belongs next to food, not apart from it: Desk Lunch Ideas That Beat the 3pm Slump covers desk-drawer backups and snacks that hold you over between meals. For the full set of tips, see the 101 Tips series.