Behavior:
This round of measurements, I wanted to focus on staying hydrated.
I don’t notice when my body needs water. A week ago, I was talking to my mom about how tired I felt despite sleeping well. She asked when the last time I drank water was, which was when I realized it had been about two days ago. I didn’t feel thirsty until that point, but when it was pointed out, I was suddenly parched.
Water is important; who knew?
Experience:
For three days (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday), I recorded my water consumption while trying different strategies.
Sunday:
I didn’t drink any water before 3pm since I was driving back from a trip. As I went through the rest of the day, I would drink water at sparse intervals whenever this assignment crossed my mind. This led to a couple of sips every two hours or so.
For dinner, I went to a dorm across campus. The layout was unfamiliar to me, and the water station wasn’t apparent. I wasn’t thirsty, so I didn’t think about it.
At 11pm, I was dancing at a friend’s birthday, which was when I felt thirsty for the first time. The night ended with half a bottle of water.
Total water consumption: 16 oz (1 bottle)
Monday:
I made more of an effort to be physical throughout the day and intentional in my water consumption, setting a goal to finish four bottles of water.
I needed water after cardio at the gym, which led to half a bottle of water down.
In the evening, my roommate and I raced to see who could finish another bottle (she absolutely crushed me). Fun? Very. But not super sustainable in the long run.
I ended the night with two bottles of water that I had left to finish before I slept. I got through one and a half before tapping out.
Total water consumption: 56 oz (3 and a half bottles)
Tuesday:
I had a busy schedule with tedious classes and meetings, so I decided to have water in my line of sight at all times. Without realizing, by the end of my first class I had finished a bottle of water. It seemed that the more bored I was, the more I drank as it gave me something to occupy myself with. This trend continued throughout the day.
Total water consumption: 64 oz (four bottles, the recommended daily amount).
What I’d do differently:
Next time, I would be more intentional with the time intervals before my next drink, rather than after significant events. Maybe I could pavlov myself into drinking water whenever the clock tower rings.
I also wouldn’t force myself to chug water for the sake of reaching some arbitrary goal again. I could feel water sloshing about whenever I turned.
The most effective habit changer by far was just having water accessible and nearby while I was bored or distracted. Other notable strategies were having an accountability partner and anything that involved physical activity.
