As someone who starred off his career as a greenhorn in the marketing industry, I relied impotently on at least three bottles of freezing soft drinks. This was to appease the hot-baking sun in Lagos State where I lived.
Not once did it occur to me that water has all it takes for me to perform at work. This is a true confession even though I’ll be getting no ablution.
Also, reading the testimony of a Lagos-based accountant will make you appreciate the importance water not just in the body but as a pushing factor for maximum productivity.
Christiana is a young lady who worked in a leading telecommunication companies in Lagos. One morning, she chronicled how suddenly she noticed that she was performing better on her duties. Within her, she felt satisfied even as her bosses commended her for seamlessly meeting her monthly targets.
At the initial stage, she couldn’t fathom where her new energy came from particularly as she didn’t remember embarking on any medical or fitness routine check. She excitedly continued to savour her new-found ‘miraculous’ vigour.
It was when her colleagues started seeing her with an appealing water vacuum glued to her like an ornament that they began to copy her water drinking lifestyle. It soon came to her consciousness that there could be more to it.
Research has shown that drinking the right amount of water makes you to perform better at work.
Here is the good news. Drinking the right amount of water is essential for proper hydration and your productivity. So why is drinking water so important? The question that might be on your lips now is what do water and productivity have in common?
Carefully read the below three reasons you should stay hydrated if you are looking to enhance your productivity. These are scientifically backed reasons that drinking enough water each day will help you focus better and get more done.
1. Drinking Water Elevates Your Performance
See athletes and sportsmen. They are well aware the negative effects of not getting enough water can occasion – reduce motivation, increase fatigue, and alter body temperature control just to name a few. This is due to dehydration affecting the way your body operates and functions.
Luckily, staying properly hydrated can prevent these negative effects from happening, and may even reduce oxidative stress. This type of stress results from any physically demanding activity.
Since our muscles are around 80 per cent water, it’s no wonder dehydration has such ill effects on performance.
2. Water is Fuel to Brain
Hydration has a strong impact on your brain’s capacity and function. Even seemingly mild dehydration can affect you on a more metabolic level. For instance, a study concluded that women who had a fluid loss of 1.36 per cent after exercise showed a significant rise in the frequency of headaches, as well as altered moods and impaired concentration.
A similar study was conducted on a group of men who had a fluid loss of 1.59 per cent and showed subtle signs of fatigue, anxiety, and lack of memory. Despite the modest level of dehydration, it seems this group also suffered from impaired function.
Both of these studies show how even mild dehydration can decrease your mental capacity and make you more prone to fatigue and anxiety. To prevent mental fatigue, make sure to stay properly hydrated so you can have the energy to meet your goals.
3. Drinking Water Can Prevent Headaches
Medics have always recommended that you don’t let that ache in your head halt your productivity. So stay hydrated and prevent headaches by simply drinking more water. That’s the balm.
For instance, a research study conducted on young women who had a fluid loss of after exercise shows they suffered from an increased frequency of headaches as well as impaired concentration and mood.
A bad headache can stop you in your tracks, rendering you incapacitated. Instead of instantly reaching for some pills, think about your water intake. If you’re not staying hydrated, you may be contributing to that afternoon headache, or worse, a migraine. Some studies reveal that drinking water not only prevents some headaches, but can treat them as well.
Despite the importance of water, more than 75 per cent of people in most countries are unaware that they are dehydrated. Considering how essential water is to our health, this is a concerning issue.
If you are concerned about how much water you are drinking, consider using a daily water intake calculator to figure out the amount of water you need according to your weight. This is a great way to stay hydrated and healthy. You can as well speak to your doctor for a professional guide.
The human body has many important functions to perform and needs water to do most of them. For example, your blood carries oxygen to all the cells in your body but wouldn’t be able to do this without water.
Now that you know, why not give it a try. Moreover, the popular saying that “water is life” is not unconnected with productivity.
Indeed, going on a journey of self-improvement and increased productivity is a lot easier if your body is at peak physical condition.
Certainly, staying hydrated is imperative for our overall health. However, how many Nigerians will forsake those carbonated drinks for a glass of water even when they are at parties or buffets?
As advised by medical experts, your body needs to stay hydrated to function properly. Since water contributes to about 60 per cent of our body weight, it makes sense that water is so vital to our being.
Without water, your blood would not be able to carry oxygen to all of the cells in your body. And that would deflate your overall performance. Hydration keeps us alive and helps our body function properly everywhere we go.
