
Most people don't drink enough — and only notice it in the afternoon, when concentration fades and the headache sets in. The Hydration Challenge turns a simple appeal into a collective four-week experiment: visible, trackable, social.
What Drinking Enough Actually Changes in the Office Even mild dehydration — 1 to 2% of body weight — measurably impairs cognitive performance, reaction time, and mood. 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day sounds like an obvious recommendation, but in everyday office life with meetings, deadlines, and cold coffee, many people drink less than half of that. The Challenge gives the topic a framework and a goal: track daily, and see together who makes it.
How the Challenge Becomes a Lasting Habit The decisive tip for higher compliance: visibility. Anyone who keeps a water bottle on their desk drinks noticeably more than someone who has to get up and go to the kitchen every time. Teams that use the Challenge to create good drinking conditions — water filters, glasses, visibly placed bottles — still show a higher water intake four weeks after the Challenge ends than before.
How to put it in place
- 1Einfache Tracking-Vorlage wählen: 21-Tage-Strichliste auf Papier oder simple Handy-Erinnerung
- 2Tagesziel klar festlegen (mindestens 1,5 Liter Wasser) und niedrigschwellig kommunizieren
- 3Prüfen, ob Wasser leicht verfügbar ist – Wasserspender, Karaffen oder Flaschen bereitstellen
- 4Challenge erklären: 21 Tage bewusst trinken, jeden Tag mindestens 1,5 Liter Wasser
- 5Tracking-Vorlage verteilen und den gemeinsamen Startzeitpunkt festlegen
- 6Betonen, dass es kostenlos und einfach ist – gemeinsam die erste Flasche anstoßen
- 7Kurze tägliche oder wöchentliche Erinnerung geben (z.B. Trink-Reminder am Vormittag)
- 8Selbst sichtbar mitmachen und die eigene Wasserflasche zum Vorbild machen
- 9Zwischendurch ermutigen und kleine Hürden ansprechen – z.B. Wasser mit Zitrone oder Minze für Abwechslung
- 10Im Team abfragen, wer die 21 Tage durchgehalten hat und wie es sich angefühlt hat
- 11Reflektieren, ob bewusstes Trinken zur dauerhaften Gewohnheit geworden ist
- 12Kleine Anerkennung für alle Teilnehmenden und Idee für die nächste Mini-Challenge sammeln
What you need
- Effort
- under 30 min
- Cost
- Free
- Setup
- 10 min
- ✓ Free
- ✓ Simplest tracking
- ✓ Immediately visible
Eligible for funding: up to €600 tax-free
As part of a structured workplace health process, this measure is tax-free under § 3 no. 34 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) up to €600 per employee per year — BGF-Kompass supplies the process. Certified offers (e.g. from Upfit) are additionally subsidised by statutory health insurers under § 20b SGB V.
Health-insurer funding & tax: how to apply →Adopt it for your company
Register for free — and the measure is ready to go in your cockpit: invitation, feedback survey and appointment are already set up. First cycle, first numbers for the boss.
Start for free nowRather take a look first? To the live demo →
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Nutrition →A fitting occasion
Related best practices
Not sure where to start? 5-minute self-check →