Nutrition Diet: What Is the Best Drink to Drink While Working?

October 14, 2025 •

4 min read

Mild dehydration, with as little as a 1% to 2% loss of body weight in water, can cause fatigue, headaches, and impaired concentration. This makes staying properly hydrated a critical part of maintaining productivity and a key consideration for anyone asking what is the best drink to drink while working.

Quick Summary

Proper hydration is crucial for workplace performance, affecting focus, mood, and energy levels. While water is the foundation, various other beverages like teas, infused waters, and moderate coffee can also be beneficial. Each has different effects on alertness and overall health, depending on your individual needs and tolerance. Choosing the right fluids can significantly impact your workday.

Key Points

Prioritize Water: Plain or infused water is the best foundational choice for consistent hydration and avoiding the negative cognitive effects of dehydration.
Choose the Right Caffeine Source: For a quick, intense boost, coffee is effective; for a calmer, more sustained focus without jitters, green or black tea is superior due to L-theanine.
Practice Moderation: Excessive caffeine from coffee can lead to anxiety, restlessness, and energy crashes, so it is best to limit consumption to a moderate amount.
Explore Herbal Teas: Caffeine-free herbal teas, such as peppermint for mental clarity or chamomile for stress relief, are excellent options for steady hydration and targeted benefits.
Consider Electrolytes for Intense Work: If you are in a hot environment or perform strenuous labor, an electrolyte-replenishing drink may be beneficial, but for office workers, these are generally unnecessary.
Use a Reusable Bottle: Keep a water bottle at your desk as a constant visual cue to help you meet your hydration goals throughout the day.

The Foundational Role of Hydration

Around 60% of the human body is water, and this essential fluid is involved in numerous physiological processes, from regulating body temperature to delivering nutrients to cells. When we are properly hydrated, our brains function more effectively. Studies have shown that staying well-hydrated is linked to improved mood, concentration, and cognitive performance. Conversely, even mild dehydration can lead to a dip in mental performance and contribute to the dreaded mid-afternoon slump. Therefore, the simple act of consistently drinking water is the most fundamental step to choosing the best drink for work. Keeping a reusable water bottle at your desk is an excellent visual reminder and makes frequent sipping easy.

Plain Water vs. Infused Water

While plain water is the gold standard for hydration, its simplicity can be boring for some. Flavor-infused water is a great way to make hydration more appealing without adding sugar or artificial ingredients. By adding fruits, vegetables, and herbs, you can create a refreshing and healthy beverage that encourages you to drink more throughout the day.

Lemon and Mint: Offers a zesty, refreshing taste and aids digestion.
Cucumber and Basil: Provides a cooling, spa-like flavor that is excellent for curbing unhealthy snack cravings.
Strawberry and Kiwi: A sweet and fruity option that provides vitamin C and antioxidants.

Caffeinated Beverages for a Productivity Boost

For many, caffeine is the go-to solution for starting the day or pushing through a long afternoon. Coffee and tea offer a significant boost in alertness and focus by blocking sleep-inducing adenosine receptors in the brain. However, the impact and ideal timing differ between beverages.

Coffee: The Classic Energizer

Coffee delivers a powerful and rapid boost of caffeine, making it a popular choice for kickstarting the day. Moderate consumption (around 1-2 cups in the morning) can sharpen focus and increase alertness. However, excessive intake can lead to unwanted side effects such as jitters, anxiety, and a hard crash in energy later on. To avoid this, it's wise to stick to reasonable amounts and opt for smaller sizes.

Green and Black Tea: The Calm Boost

If coffee's rapid energy jolt is too much, tea provides a gentler, more sustained energy lift. Green and black tea contain less caffeine than coffee but also contain the amino acid L-theanine. L-theanine promotes a state of calm alertness by working synergistically with caffeine to improve brain function without the jittery side effects. This makes green tea an excellent choice for prolonged, focused work sessions.

Herbal Teas and Alternative Boosts

Beyond caffeinated options, several herbal teas offer hydration and unique benefits that can contribute to a better workday, especially for those sensitive to caffeine.

Herbal Infusions for Stress and Digestion

Peppermint Tea: An invigorating option known to improve alertness and mental clarity. It is also great for soothing digestive issues that can distract from work.
Chamomile Tea: An excellent choice for stress relief during high-pressure moments at work, helping to calm the mind.

Electrolyte Drinks for Physically Demanding Roles

For those in physically demanding jobs, particularly in hot environments, hydration needs are different. You lose both water and electrolytes through sweat, and replacing both is crucial. Sports drinks or coconut water can help replenish minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium, preventing fatigue and maintaining performance. However, for most sedentary office workers, the electrolytes from a balanced diet are sufficient, and the added sugars in many sports drinks can be detrimental.

Making the Best Choice for Your Workday

Choosing the right beverage is a personal decision that depends on your job, tolerance to caffeine, and health goals. The following table provides a quick comparison of the most common options:

Comparison Table: Workday Drinks


Feature	Water	Coffee	Green Tea	Herbal Tea
Energy Boost	None (addresses fatigue)	High, but can be followed by a crash	Moderate and sustained (less crash)	None (focuses on calm)
Effect on Focus	Improves concentration by combating dehydration	Increases alertness	Promotes calm alertness with L-theanine	Varies (e.g., peppermint is invigorating)
Hydration Quality	Excellent	Can be a diuretic in large amounts	Very good	Very good
Jitters/Anxiety	None	High risk with excessive consumption	Low risk	None
Antioxidants	None	Good amount	Very high	High (varies by type)

Conclusion: Finding Your Optimal Beverage Strategy

When considering what is the best drink to drink while working, water is the uncontested champion for foundational hydration. It is calorie-free, universally available, and crucial for preventing dehydration-related fatigue and poor concentration. Beyond water, your choice depends on your specific needs and how your body reacts to stimulants. Coffee is effective for a quick, potent burst of energy, but moderation is key to avoid jitters and afternoon crashes. Green and black teas offer a more balanced, sustained lift in focus thanks to the combination of caffeine and L-theanine. For those who prefer a caffeine-free day, herbal teas like peppermint or chamomile can provide targeted benefits, whether for stress relief or digestive comfort. The most effective strategy is often a combination: start with a moderate amount of caffeine if needed, then transition to water and herbal teas throughout the rest of your workday to maintain a steady, focused energy without negative side effects. A reusable bottle is your best ally in this strategy.

Mayo Clinic - Caffeine: How much is too much?

Tips for Better Workday Hydration

Set reminders: Use an app or a simple timer to remind yourself to sip water every hour. This builds a consistent habit and prevents you from waiting until you feel thirsty.
Drink before you feel thirsty: Thirst is often a late indicator of dehydration. Make a conscious effort to drink regularly before your body sends out a signal.
Eat water-rich foods: Snacks like cucumbers, melon, or oranges contribute to your daily fluid intake.
Avoid sugary drinks: Soft drinks and sweetened energy drinks provide a temporary sugar high followed by a crash, which is counterproductive.
Start the day hydrated: Begin your morning with a full glass of water to replenish fluids lost overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions

While caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, moderate coffee consumption does not significantly dehydrate you, especially when balanced with water intake. However, excessive coffee can increase urination and may impair optimal hydration.

For sustained focus without jitters, green tea is often a better choice. It contains less caffeine and includes L-theanine, an amino acid that works with caffeine to promote a state of calm alertness, unlike coffee's more intense and faster-acting jolt.

To avoid a crash, focus on consistent hydration with water and consider switching from coffee to green or herbal tea in the afternoon. Avoid sugary energy drinks and sodas, as the sugar high is often followed by a slump.

Energy drinks are not recommended for sustained work performance. They often contain high levels of sugar and caffeine, which can lead to a quick energy spike followed by a significant crash, as well as other health issues.

Infused water primarily helps focus by improving overall hydration, which supports cognitive function. Ingredients like mint can also provide a mild mental lift and improve alertness.

Electrolyte drinks are beneficial for individuals in physically demanding jobs, especially in hot conditions where significant sweating occurs over two or more hours. They help replenish lost minerals more effectively than water alone in these specific circumstances.

A good indicator of proper hydration is your urine color; it should be a pale yellow or clear. If it is a darker yellow, it is a sign that you need to increase your fluid intake.