Hey friends,
We’ve all heard that drinking water first thing in the morning is super important for energy levels. I’ve literally made videos about this. I’ve read the studies. I’ve nodded along sagely when health experts talk about it. And yet, for years, I’ve never managed to actually do it consistently.
It’s not for lack of trying. I’ve bought fancy water bottles. I’ve set reminders. I’ve tried putting massive bottles by my bed. But nothing stuck. The problem was always the same – I’d wake up, see the giant bottle, think “ugh, that’s a lot of water,” ignore it, and make a coffee instead (it’s still liquid, right?).
But sometimes the solution to a big problem comes in a small package. In this case, a $5 plastic bottle from Muji (In case you’ve never been, Muji is a Japanese retail store that sells household stuff.)
I bought it randomly while my wife Izzy was shopping for clothes. It’s nothing special – just a basic 350ml bottle. I spotted the bottle while Izzy was shopping and thought “that’s quite cute.”
Here’s what’s interesting: The small size of the bottle completely changed the game. 350ml is perfect – it’s about two glasses of water, which feels substantial enough to make a difference, but not so much that it feels daunting. It’s like the Goldilocks of water bottles – not too big, not too small, just right.
My morning hydration system is (maybe embarrassingly) simple:
- Fill bottle before bed
- Wake up
- Actually drink the water (because it doesn’t feel impossible)
I’ve been doing this for a few weeks now, and it’s actually having a proper impact on my energy levels. Instead of coffee being the first thing to hit my system each morning, it’s water. Given how dehydrated we get during sleep, this makes a lot of sense.
But here’s the bigger lesson: Sometimes when we struggle to build a habit, it’s not because we lack motivation or discipline. It’s because we’re making the task itself too daunting. We set ourselves up for failure by trying to drink from metaphorical (and literal, I guess) giant water bottles.
Breaking down your goals into smaller, more manageable chunks isn’t just productivity advice – it’s actually the difference between building a habit that sticks and another failed attempt at change. Whether it’s drinking water, reading books, or learning a new skill, sometimes the key is to make the daily goal small enough that your brain doesn’t immediately reject it.
So next time you’re struggling to build a new habit, you might like to ask yourself: “Am I trying to drink from too big a bottle?”
Have a great week!
Ali xx
❤️ My Favourite Things
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🎧 Listen: Death by Meeting by Pat Lencioni. Amazing book, terrific listen on Audible, relevant for anyone who runs any sort of meeting.
📺 Watch: Everyone’s talking about the Wicked movie so I’m going to add my voice to the chorus: it’s great. Izzy was sobbing throughout. I teared up in a few places too. The songs are absolute bangers.
