While water coolers are increasing in popularity in offices, factories, shared workspaces, and receptions, there are still plenty of people who are drinking water from bottles. But whether it’s single-use bottled water or a dedicated personal water bottle, if you’re using bottled water at work, what’s the best way to drink from it?

Bottled Water Etiquette

Staying hydrated and refreshed by drinking plenty of water is the key to productivity and staying at the top of your game to hit your goals at work. And while bottled water is a popular way to keep your hydration levels up, there’s a certain etiquette to drinking it. Here are some of our top tips on keeping up appearances – and staying hydrated.

Don’t drink from the bottle

Drinking directly from the bottle might be OK if you’re going to drink the whole thing at once, but if you’re not, it’s best not to get into the habit. When you drink bottled water, your saliva, together with any food particles, bacteria, and germs, attach and build up around the opening as well as going back into the water. Eew.

Leave the bottled water on your desk

Having a bottle of water in easy reach is great, but taking lengthy swigs from a plastic bottle might not be the best look if you’re in any meetings or interviews, either in person or online. Use your bottled water as a jug and fill a glass or paper cup to take with you instead, and leave the bottle on your desk.

Take regular sips

If you do have regular but more low-key meetings, perhaps with members of your own team, you might find it OK to take bottled water with you. But as in other meetings, try to avoid those long gulps (especially if using a single-use bottle which can be noisy) as it can distract from the proceedings. try and take more regular, smaller sips.

Ditch the plastic

We should all be doing our bit to ditch single-use plastics in everyday life. But plastic bottled water is still a popular way to quench our thirst. An investment in a good quality reusable water bottle is essential to reducing our plastic waste. Plus they look more professional, they’re durable, and they’re easy to wash thoroughly and keep clean.

Use your water cooler

If you’re a fan of bottled water and you have a reusable bottle that you use regularly, the best thing you can do is keep it refilled from your office water cooler. Whether it’s a mains fed or a bottled water cooler, you’re guaranteed a top-up with pure-filtered, great-tasting water every time.

Contact Thirsty Work today

If your business or workplace is encouraging both the reduction of single-use plastic bottled water and the benefits of staying hydrated, give the Thirsty Work team a call today. We have a wide range of mains fed water coolers, bottled water coolers, and even touchless water coolers that can help you do both.

For more information, get your free quote, or to start your free trial, call our Customer Support team today on 01392 877172 or email us at hello@thirstywork.com.