How much water should I actually drink at a desk job?
Aim for roughly two to three litres across the workday, but forget counting glasses — anchor drinking to things you already do. A full glass when you sit down, top up every time you make coffee, and one more before you leave. Steady sipping beats forcing a litre at once.
Desk work hides thirst. You are warm, still, and focused, so the early signals — a dip in energy, a dull head, a bit of afternoon fog — get blamed on the work instead of on being mildly dehydrated. By the time you feel actually thirsty, you have usually been low for a while.
Anchor, do not count. Attach water to habits that already happen: arriving, coffee runs, the start of every meeting. Anchoring removes the mental effort of tracking, which is the part that usually fails.
Keep it in sight. A bottle on the desk gets drunk; a glass in the kitchen does not. Visibility does most of the work — you sip because it is there, not because you remembered to.
Coffee and tea still count toward your total, despite the old myth that they dehydrate you — the water in them outweighs their mild diuretic effect. If your energy sags predictably after lunch, try a full glass of water before you reach for another coffee. Often the tiredness is thirst wearing a disguise.
Common questions
Does coffee really count toward my water intake?
Yes. For regular drinkers the diuretic effect is mild and the fluid you take in more than makes up for it. It is not as hydrating as plain water, but it is a net positive, not a loss.
How do I know if I am drinking enough?
The simplest gauge is colour: pale straw is the target. Consistently dark yellow means drink more; completely clear all day means you can ease off. You do not need an app for it.