The merits of a good thermos and water bottle

Until a couple of years ago, I would never have thought to spend any money or effort on getting a good water bottle or thermos for myself; I only ended up acquiring these things as random corporate paraphernelia from a web company that had sent me a gift basket while I was in job negotiations with them.

Anyway, I've found that just having good versions of these things (the company that shall remain unnamed was definitely not stingy) has significantly altered my drinking behavior in ways that I consider fairly positive.

The water bottle has increased and regularized my water consumption even when I'm not at the gym, since just having it around with some (moderately) cool water in a (moderately) large quantity makes it easy for me to reach over to my desk or bedside table and take a quick sip. If you're one of those people who believe that increased and steady water intake is an important component of good health and daily energy balance (I've found this to be the case for myself), then this little convenience can go a long way toward feeling refreshed and active longer and easier throughout the day.

The thermos, on the other hand, is more of a vice enabler :P I use it to store coffee or tea while I work on the couch or chat on my laptop; the important point here is that it's a situation where I'm not drinking it quickly, and so without any temperature regulation it would soon lose its heat and a lot of its appeal. With the thermos, I can sip on a hot cup of tea over a period of an hour without feeling like I have to rush to finish it before it gets cold.

Ok, so it's not exactly life-altering, but they're pretty useful gadgets. I'd certainly put the effort into getting new ones when these wear out.