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3 Benefits of Water Cooler Conversations in the Workplace

Water cooler chats often have a negative connotation. However, there are hidden positive benefits to it that will help the employees and the workplace. Here they are:

1. Water cooler conversations help employees become more casual to one another

Often, the employees may be a bit too formal to one another. That’s because everyone’s expected to talk and act professionally. Almost all the interactions that happen are work-related.

It’s especially the case when the interactions are just happening during meetings. That’s why it’s hard to build a more natural collaboration among employees. In addition, having a social life inside the office is a challenge.

But during each trip to the water cooler or drinking fountain, the employees have a chance to be more casual. They might still talk about work, but the setting is a bit different. It’s more relaxed and it’s also a chance for employees to build a more natural connection with one another.

2. Helps employees take a break from the pressures of work

What happens when there’s an upcoming deadline for a project? The pressure and the stress can help the employees focus more. But if this happens on a regular basis, this actually leads to less productivity on the long term.

Our bodies are not just designed for chronic stress. There should be allotted times for relaxation and getting the mind off work.

Aside from team building events and company celebrations, a simple trip to the drinking fountain or water cooler can help remove stress. It’s a small thing but when employees do it every day, the results can accumulate.

The employees can have more chances of socialising. They achieve some form of relaxation and they can have more energy to tackle the next set of tasks. It’s their time to rejuvenate and maybe get some ideas from their fellow employees.

3. Promotes a healthier lifestyle

Aside from our health, did you know that dehydration can affect employee productivity? Our bodies need a consistent supply of water so we can function properly, both mentally and physically.

That’s why it’s important to stay hydrated all day long (especially in the workplace). One way to encourage employees to drink more water is to install a water cooler or drinking fountain nearby. Aside from the social benefits, staying hydrated and water cooler conversations can also lead to healthier bodies. As a result, employees can become more productive and contribute more to the company.

How to choose a drinking fountain or water cooler

Before you install a drinking fountain or water cooler in your workplace, it’s good to choose a reliable one or that meets strict standards.

That’s why our fresh indoor drinking fountains are made with a priority on safety and reliability. Employees and managers are sure to benefit from these.

Aside from offices, these fresh indoor drinking fountains can also be installed in factories, hospitals, and schools. Contact us now if you want to know about our pricing.

Water on Tap in ACT Parks

Six new water refill stations

by CityNews

MEEGAN Fitzharris says work is commencing to install the first of six new water refill stations.

“Since 2014, the ACT Government has progressively installed 30 ‘Water on Tap’ refill stations in parks and public places across Canberra in an effort to reduce the use of disposable bottles and increase fresh, tap water consumption,” Meegan said.

“The water stations have proved popular and in coming weeks six new water stations will be installed at the Gungahlin Town Centre, Civic Square, Margaret Timpson Park, Manuka Oval, Cook shops and Kambah shops on Mannheim Street.

Read the full article here.

Why You Should Prioritise Water More than Food and Exercise

Eat more fruits and vegetables. Watch your diet. Exercise regularly. These are the first things people will tell you if you ask them how to get healthy. Those are also the recommendations you will read from health-related articles.

However, many forget one essential thing. It’s about drinking more water and staying hydrated. The focus is always on food and exercise. But actually, we take in fluids more frequently throughout the day.

This means water is a bigger part of our lives than many of us realize. We take in about 2-3 litres of water each day. The whole year it could add up to over 700 litres of water consumption. No matter what we do and no matter how busy we get, we will still take in water and other fluids.

One surprising thing about drinking more water

What happens if we start drinking more water? Our bodies can achieve proper fluid balance and perform other physical functions properly. It’s just that humans are designed to need water and replenish the supply quickly.

One surprising thing about it is it might also help with weight loss. How? If we drink more water, we will always fill full. This way, we won’t fill the urge to eat more foods. In addition, we will get rid of our craving for sugary drinks. Two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. If we fill our stomachs with clean and safe water, there’s less likelihood that we will gulp carbonated drinks.

Once you start adopting a healthy habit (especially staying hydrated), notice how other healthy habits follow. You will feel the urge to exercise, eat more veggies, and eat less refined sugars. Small wins do add up and what you need is just one nudge. It can all start from one simple habit such as drinking more water.

Life gets busy but staying hydrated is the key

No matter how strictly we follow our diet and exercise routines, even the best of us can still fall sometimes. A few celebrations here and there and our diet gets ruined because of the irresistible meals around. Also, when the weather’s far from good or there are other reasons why we can’t exercise, we can miss a few days or weeks of working out.

Staying healthy and getting fit will be a challenge under those circumstances. However, you always have one thing to count on. And that’s staying hydrated.

You can easily accomplish that by having a small water container with you. For example, a stainless water bottle can be a reliable companion wherever you are (at work and at school or even while on travel).

Water is an essential and regular part of our lives. Staying hydrated is such a small and easy habit. It can also lead to adopting new healthy routines because one small win leads to another. Start today and you will be on your way to getting fit and healthy.

Why Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is the Trend Even in Water Consumption

Our environment is already suffering from the results of human activities and industrialisation. One effective way to limit the damage and get things back in control is by implementing the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (the 3Rs) approach.

Many people still think that the 3Rs only apply to the manufacturing and chemical companies. Truly, industrial wastes should be reduced and some materials should be recycled and reused. However, it doesn’t end there.

The role of public in Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The public can also take part in protecting the environment and building a sustainable future. In Australia alone, there are over 20 million people. Even if a small percentage of those is participating in protecting the environment, it can readily result to a large impact. The results will also amplify and accumulate if they are applying environment-friendly practices on a daily basis.

How can people start with the 3Rs?

We can begin by analysing our daily activities. It’s likely that in most of those we can find opportunities where we could prefer more environment-friendly practices. For example, maybe we can just walk or ride a bike when we’re going somewhere instead of driving. This will reduce our fuel consumption and reliance on fossil fuel.

Another example is our drinking water consumption. In that one activity we can apply the 3Rs in one go. Here’s how. Instead of regularly buying bottled water, we can have a stainless water bottle where we can regularly fill it up. We Reduce the waste because we’re not using and throwing plastic bottles. We also apply the Reuse and Recycle approach because we can use the stainless water bottle again and again.

This small change can add up especially if we’re doing it every day. Think of how many plastic bottles that won’t end up in the landfill every year. We’re already on our way to saving the environment and minimising the waste.

The key here is to start with our daily habits and activities. One small change can totally add up and it doesn’t require too much effort at all. It can easily be a part of our daily lifestyle. In addition, each individual can benefit from applying environmentally sound practices. Plastic water bottles themselves may contain chemicals (that might leach out) that might harm our health.

In summary, implementing the 3Rs in our activities including water consumption can benefit both the environment and our health. The steps are simple and you can take action today.

How to Encourage Your Friends and Family to Drink More Water

Staying hydrated is one of the most underrated health tips today. It’s almost free and in developed societies, clean and safe water is always available. However, many people around us (especially our friends and family) forget to drink enough water each day.

If you tell your friends and family to drink more water, it’s likely that they’ve heard the same advice from lots of different persons and sources. It’s likely they already know the health and environmental benefits of drinking more water and utilising reusable water containers.

What can you do to effectively “influence” them?

It seems an impossible task. But there are two common effective ways to finally make them drink more water using healthy and sustainable practices. Here are they:

Set an example

This is the most effective way to persuade other people. If you’re doing something healthy regularly, people will notice and one day they might ask you about your activities.

Arguments and data seem abstract to many of us. But if we see someone actually doing something, it’s more real and more tangible. We can easily relate and “if she’s doing it, I can do it also.” Convincing other people with data (no matter how scientific) might not be effective at all. Showing (not telling) might be a more effective approach.

Give your family and friends something they can use each day

Instead of providing them with more data and sharing them links to health-related articles, why not give them something tangible that they can bring every day?

You can give them stainless water bottles they can bring to work or school. No words are needed when you do this. With a stainless water bottle, they can easily bring water with them wherever they are. You’re making the habit (staying hydrated) easier for them to adopt because you’ve given them something they can readily use.

Action speaks louder than words

It’s an old saying but it’s still true today. Our loved ones might appreciate it more if we just do something instead of telling about it. Our actions can reach them easily and they will truly remember it.

Setting an example will show people that you’re practicing what you preach. This is important especially if you’re advocating for healthy and environment-friendly practices. Your actions and habits should align with your advocacies.

Gifts are also a good way to make people start a healthy habit. For example, if you give someone a pair of running shoes, you’re actually encouraging him or her to run and get fit (without saying anything). The same thing happens when you give people stainless water bottles. Even without explaining yourself, you’re making it easier for them to drink more water and stay healthy.

How Dehydration Can Affect Employee Productivity

To adults, dehydration can cause fatigue, dizziness, and confusion. In addition, it’s hard to focus on a task when we feel thirsty. It’s almost impossible to give our 100% if our bodies are screaming for water.

That’s the case wherever we are. It doesn’t matter if we’re at school, home, or office. Both our brains and bodies will be affected by dehydration. It can happen especially when we’re at work. We often forget to drink water because of the work pressures, our own lifestyles, and other things.

This will in turn affect employee productivity. Physically and mentally, the results will show. Whether in meetings or in manual labour, dehydration will make the person perform below 100%. Sometimes, the person might not be productive at all.

But this doesn’t have to be the case. There are quick and simple solutions you can start right now to drink more water and prevent dehydration. No employee should endure the thirst and no one should get used to it. Aside from immediate effects, there will be long-term consequences.

So how do you prevent dehydration easily in your workplace? Here are a few tips:

Install a drinking fountain or water cooler in the workplace

One often forgotten reason why people get dehydrated is there’s no available drinking water around in the first place. Employees won’t drink water if there’s nothing around. That’s why many often just prepare a cup of coffee or buy sugary drinks so they can drink something. Some even buy and bring bottled water. However, they sometimes forget and as a result they don’t have water with them at all.

It could also be that the water source is far from their desks or stations. It becomes less motivating to get or drink water if one has to walk dozens of steps before they reach it. People would just forget about it and reach out to whatever beverage is near.

But if there’s an indoor drinking fountain or water cooler nearby, employees can drink anytime. Thirst doesn’t choose a convenient time and we can experience it whatever we’re doing. If there’s a nearby source of clean water, it becomes easier and we can stay hydrated all day long.

Have a clean and sturdy water bottle nearby

It also helps if you have drinking water within an arm’s reach. This way, you can drink water anytime even while you’re sitting and glued on the computer screen. For many office workers, they don’t notice that hours have passed already sitting there in one place. Hours might also pass before they get a chance to go to the drinking fountain or water cooler.

That’s where a water bottle can help. If it’s filled with water, employees can easily reach out and drink anytime. It becomes even easier if it’s always in their view while they’re working. They can take a few sip every now and then. This prevents dehydration and will help keep them sharp all through the office hours.

If you choose to bring a water bottle, make sure it’s reliable and stylish. The material should be sturdy (such as stainless steel) so you can count on it for months and years. The overall container should also be stylish because you will be bringing it with you and everyone will see it. This way, you can bring it easily and wherever you’re going (even during events and conferences).

Physical wellbeing can improve productivity

A healthy mind goes with a healthy body. If our bodies stay hydrated, it’s more likely that we can perform at our best. Both our minds and bodies will function properly and we can focus more on the task at hand.

A reliable drinking fountain or a stainless water bottle can help with that. It’s a small investment but the rewards will be worth it. In addition, the employees’ health is prioritised as well.

Why it could be more important to have clean water at work and at school

Home cleanliness and safety are priorities for most families and working professionals. We make sure that our home and water are clean. Some even install under sink water filtration systems in the kitchen so that the water will be free from most contaminants. This way, the whole family will be safe and they’re sure that the water is safe for drinking and other household use.

However, many forget that there are also risks in school and workplace. The risks could be even far greater because we actually spend most of our waking hours there. We are spending at least 8 hours almost every day in school or workplace. At our homes, many of us spend most of the time sleeping.

That’s why schools, offices, and other commercial areas now are also installing under sink water filters. This is to ensure that the water is safe and clean for students and employees. This is important because many of us spend most of our time at work or at school.

We are also more active during study and work time

At home, we could be active once in a while or every now and then. But for students and employees, they are more active at school or office. It’s likely they are spending most of their physical and mental energy on studying or working.

That means our physiological processes will be more active during those times. Our brains and bodies will run faster. We will need a consistent supply of energy and our bodies will be producing a lot of waste. All those biochemical processes will require a balance of fluid in our bodies.

This results to having the need to stay hydrated at those busy times. It’s different from drinking coffee or sweet beverages. They will actually be a burden to our system because our bodies need to continuously process them to get them out of our bloodstream. But if we stay hydrated by regularly drinking water, our bodies will function normally and our energies will be directed more towards our work or study.

How to have a steady supply of clean water at work or at school

This is a challenge because we often forget to drink water. One reason is it’s a hurdle to get a glass or bottle of water. The place may be lacking drinking fountains and other sources of potable water.

To address these issues, we can start by regularly bringing a stainless water bottle with us as we go to work or school. Managers can also install under sink water filters and drinking fountains near the work stations so employees can stay hydrated all day long.

Both the students and working professionals will benefit from the setup. They can have a steady supply of clean water. Each day, they can stay productive and focused because their bodies are functioning properly. In the long term, their health will also improve because they will rely less on sweet beverages and other unhealthy drinks. They will drink more water and stay healthy as a result.

How to Automatically Choose Water Over Sugary Drinks

There’s so much talk about the effects of sugary drinks (and high-sugar foods) to the human body. Many researchers and scientists have also published their findings about how a high-sugar diet can make us more susceptible to various diseases. The evidence and data are already piling.

But no matter how obvious is it that regularly drinking sugary drinks is not good for our body, we still see all around us reaching for that can of soda. Why is that the case?

Sugary drinks are a default choice for many

One reason is that soft drinks are widely available. Whenever people get thirsty and they go inside a convenience store, the first thing they see is that can or bottle of soda. In addition, some workplaces and many public areas don’t have enough drinking fountains around. When we get thirsty, we will reach out for the easiest solution and often it’s buying a can of soda at the store.

Relying on our own willpower is not enough. What really works is we make it “automatic” so we won’t ever think about it. This way, it becomes a part of our habit and we maintain our good health in the process. But how do we accomplish that?

Ways on how to make drinking more water habitual

One easy way is to tie it in with an existing habit (the cue). It’s the same with encouraging kids to “brush their teeth after eating.” If you tie in the new habit with an old one, it becomes easier to adopt.

Here’s a scenario. Before you go to work or school, you can fill out a stainless water bottle and bring it with you right after brushing your teeth. If you are regularly jogging, you can set the drinking fountain to be your last destination before you get back home.

In public places and during outdoor events, officials and coordinators can put up drinking fountains and water refill stations around. This is important especially if the community or event promote healthy practices. This way, the whole place or event will be aligned with the agenda.

Here’s another scenario. Before you get into your car for a long travel, have a stainless water bottle with you. Make sure it’s washed and filled with clean water. Add it to your checklist whenever you’re going for an extended trip.

A bigger picture for drinking more water

Staying hydrated with clean water will benefit you and your family. In addition, there are benefits that extend to the community and even to the society as a whole.

If you’re getting the water repeatedly from a drinking fountain or reusable water bottle, think of how you’re helping the environment. You won’t be contributing anymore to the plastic wastes in the landfill. Do that every day and it will make a difference in the long run.

Use water bubblers and ban the sale of single-use plastic water bottles

Why we need to BAN single-use plastic water bottles

By Suzanne Soto-Davies

We need to work together in order to make change happen. 

We need to BAN single-use water bottle sales in Burlington, Ontario. The research is plenty, the reasons are too. Work together with us and let’s make this happen!

Chances are that you have indoor plumbing in your home – so why are you purchasing and transporting bottled water from your supermarket?

Myth: Bottled water is healthier water.

Fact:

Just look at the labels of bottled water: Sources are from “deep, pristine pools of spring water” or “majestic alpine peaks”. In reality water is just water, and municipal water systems are well-regulated. While public safety groups correctly point out that many municipal water systems are aging and there remain hundreds of chemical contaminants, there’s very little evidence that suggests bottled water is any cleaner or better for you than its tap equivalent. Yet bottled water is extremely expensive, with one regular single-use litre bottle costing more than a litre of gasoline. The truth is, most bottled water is just filtered water.

Bottled water is regulated as a food product under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and as such, water bottling plants are inspected on average only once every 3 years. Tap water regulation on the other hand, is far more stringent, with municipal tap water being continually tested – both during and after treatment. Check your bottled water labels carefully: The source of the spring or mineral water must be clearly identified, otherwise it may come from any source, including a well or municipal water supply, and may be treated to make it fit for human consumption.

A WWF study concluded that in 50% of the cases studied, the only difference between tap and bottled water was that the latter contained added minerals and salts, which “do not actually mean the water is healthier.”

The plastic often used to make water bottles contains a variety of health-harming chemicals that can easily leach out and contaminate the water, such as cancer-causing PFOA’s (perfluorooctanoic acid), PBDEs (flame retardant chemicals), which have been linked to reproductive problems and altered thyroid levels, phthalates, which are reproductive toxins, and BPA, which disrupts the endocrine system by mimicking the female hormone estrogen. If you leave your water bottle in a hot car, or reuse it, your exposure is magnified because heat and stress increase the amount of chemicals that leach out of the plastic.
Read the full article here .

aquafil Water Bubblers and Refill Stations keep the public refreshed and hydrated and eliminate the need for single-use plastic water bottles. Everyone can make a difference and help the environment by using public water bubblers and refusing to buy or use plastic bottled water. Call us today on 1300 400 006 to find our more about modern day water bubblers.

Can Water Boost Your Short-Term Memory?

Do you find yourself struggling to remember new information?

You may classify yourself as having a weak memory, but the real reason for your ineffective memory could be largely due to your diet. It’s been well documented that a rich diet can remedy ineffective memories. From leafy greens, berries, fish, nuts, and olive oil – these foods have been known to prevent Alzheimer’s and reduce the effects of aging on the brain.

But what about water? Can you use water to boost your short-term memory?

A recent study coming out of Britain suggests the answer to this question is a resounding yes. This is the case because the study finds that even the slightest cases of dehydration are linked to impaired attention and a severe decrease in memory.

 

How was the study conducted?

Researchers subjected 101 college students to a series of memory tests, on three separate occasions, during which they were either given 300 millilitres of water or forced to go without.

The goal was to compare and contrast how those without water performed relative to those who drank water.

 

What were the results of the study?

The results of the study discovered that those who were forced to go without water found the series of memory tests to be more difficult to complete, compared to the individuals who had access to 300 millilitres of water.

 

What does this mean?

The results of the study go to show that a lack of water has a profound effect on our thinking and memory – we need to constantly hydrate our body in order to get the best out of our mind.

This is the case because our brains are constantly working – it’s working throughout the day on a variety of different tasks, from problem solving to connecting ideas to examining situations. Its ability to perform these tasks and many more is contingent on you hydrating your mind and body. The more hydrated you are, the better you will perform because water allows your brain to easily access and retrieve information.

 

Conclusion:

If you’re in college or working a job that demands a lot of thinking and mental power, make sure to have an adequate supply of water nearby – make it a habit to use the office water coolers while you work. After all, your brain performs more efficiently and effectively when it’s fully hydrated – water allows your brain to think faster, increase its focus, and experience increased clarity and creativity – not to mention increase it’s ability to remember information.

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