It is a hard day at work, you think of taking a break to refuel. What do you reach out for? Your favourite coffee mug or the trusted water bottle? If you are among the majority of us mere mortals, the first instinct is to settle for coffee, tea or that super cold beverage in this heat. That glass of water sitting on the desk might not be the first consideration, but your mind and body will thank you if you do. Drinking enough water is imperative to regulating your mood, focus, and energy levels. But many people don’t like the taste of water, or simply get bored of the drink.

We all know we need to quench our thirst throughout the day, but sometimes water just doesn’t seem to satisfy our palate. And with sugar-laden and diet drinks within reach at all times, it’s no wonder our hydration willpower is constantly tested.

At day break

Not if you start on the right note like some of the team members of Guardian India Operations Private Limited Thrive Global India spoke with. Take Aditya and Munish for instance who like to start the day with a glass of water with a dash of “tulsi ark (concentrated extract of various varieties of the basil plant) and honey”. While a glass of water is the elixir to the day for Reema, Kapil Goyal and Giriraj like to fuel up with a lukewarm glass of water. Giriraj goes a step further with 10 minutes of relaxing meditation after this.

Work in some exercise into your day

Reema not only avoids packaged and processed food, she has consciously lowered her salt and sugar intake, and added lots of green vegetables and fruits to her diet. With “45 minutes of yoga every morning and half hour walk in the evening”, her path to Thriving is set.

Giriraj likes to throw fitness challenges to his team and work in some steps in during breaks.

Nutrition vs guilty pleasure

Reema eats a healthy breakfast: “Daliya, Oats and Poha are my best bet for breakfast.” Her sweet tooth is satisfied with “chocolate and homemade cakes”. But one thing is a constant for her, “One cup Chamomile tea is a must for me before going to bed.”

Giriraj too likes simple vegetarian fare—“especially green vegetables and pulses—and fruits which help me to keep me healthy and active. Also, I drink low fat milk before going to bed to strengthen my bones.”

Barring the occasional Indian sweets on weekends, Munish generally feasts on fruit. For Kapil too fruits, “especially apple”, are the snack choice. Being a diabetic Aditya veers away from sweets but eats fruits daily and has regimented four meals in his day.

Kapil has three meals in a day and blames his 2 kg weight gain these last two months to the “additional roti at dinner”. Munish on the other hand works in four to six mini meals and suggests having smaller meals to keep the energy levels up.

Giriraj eats three times in a day and is happy to announce a 3 kg weight loss. “I am not taking any junk food due to lockdown. I feel happy to lose 3 kg and can still improve on it to continue with my diet of saying no to junk food!” The secret could be his food choices too. He likes to snack on “healthy nuts, drink more water, opts for fruits rather than cookies and spices snacks and avoids oily and fast food and eats healthy homemade food low in fat.”

Hydration is key

“I keep a water bottle always with me to keep myself hydrated,” says Reema who has understood that the best time to drink water is 30 minutes before and after meal. “Keep drinking water throughout the day,” she advises adding that she works in a minimum of three to four litres per day in this hot weather.

Giriraj drinks water when thirsty, and consumes about 8-10 glasses of water daily. “Drink one or two glasses of water when you wake up and one glass of water 30 minutes before a meal to help digestion,” is his advice. He too likes to keep a bottle of water with him during the day. “Drink water before, during, and after a workout. If you have trouble remembering to drink water, drink on a schedule. For example, drink a small glass of water at the beginning of each hour,” he suggests.

Working from home during Covid-19 crisis has posed many challenges. Reema, who used to sip water from the bottle on her work desk, forgot to practice this at home for long durations until she began to feel the strains. “If I do not hydrate myself I used to feel fatigued. Now I have started to follow similar hydration routines that I did at the office,” she says.

Right refuelling leads to surge in productivity

Consistently following a healthy routine has seen a lot of positive change in the Guardian team members. For one, “Hydration has gone up,” feels Munish, adding that “people are becoming mindful of making healthy decisions.” Aditya seconds this, and adds that the corporate mantra is to now “spend time with family and friends along with work”.

Photo by Ian Schneider/ Unsplash

Giriraj has encapsulated the Thriving mindset for work thus:

  • Encourage team members to exercise and work in more steps in their daily routine
  • Encourage happiness
  • Encourage active participation in team meetings, for example by asking questions
  • Avoid unnecessary meetings

Fighting off fatigue in a long work day has a simple answer—refuel. And this team seems to have mastered it well.

Author(s)

  • Founded in 2016 by Arianna Huffington, Thrive Global is the world’s largest well-being media platform. Since its launch in October 2018, Thrive Global India has received over 40 million visitors. Our media platform Our focus is on well-being and productivity, emphasising real experiences and unique storytelling. Through articles, videos, and podcasts featuring business leaders, scientists, athletes, entertainers and new role models of success, we add a new dimension to the global conversation of wellness. Our stories discuss daily challenges, people’s personal journeys of how they thrive, and recommend solutions to bring purpose and wonder into our worlds. We realise that the struggles of our everyday life—stress, burnout, exhaustion, apathy, technological addiction—can be intimidatingly broad and numerous. And it’s only through lived and shared experiences of people, combined with expert data and science-based solutions, that we can achieve actual, dramatic results that help us live and work well. Our enterprise solutions There is a pervasive belief that burnout is the price we must pay for success, but research has shown it is a delusion. As a matter of fact, by prioritising our well-being, we pave way for a healthier, productive life with enhanced efficiency, decision making and creativity. Through our assessments, corporate workshops, digital engagement solutions and more, we bring to you science-backed well-being and performance-enhancing strategies, proven to help individuals and teams thrive.