Quick answer: The habits that work best are the simple ones: keep a bottle you like within reach, link drinking to things you already do (meals, prayer times, meetings, the school run), keep water cold and give it a flavour you enjoy without adding sugar. Small, regular sips across the day beat trying to catch up in the evening.
Most people know they should drink more water. The problem is not knowledge, it's habit, and the fact that plain water can feel boring next to iced coffee, juice and soft drinks. These 15 habits are built for real life in the UAE: long air-conditioned days, hot commutes and a busy social calendar.
At work
1. Put a 1-litre bottle on your desk
Seeing it is half the battle. A clear bottle with time markings or a simple target ("refill by lunch") gives you a goal without an app.
2. Link drinking to fixed moments
Behaviour-change coaches call this "habit stacking": attach a new behaviour to one you already do. Research on habit formation shows that repeating a behaviour in the same context is what makes it automatic over time. A glass before every meeting, after every phone call or at every prayer time adds up quickly.
3. Drink before your coffee
Have a glass of water before each coffee. You'll still enjoy the coffee and you'll start the day hydrated.
4. Keep it cold
In a warm climate, cold water simply tastes better. Office fridge, ice cubes, an insulated bottle: whatever keeps it cool.
5. Make water taste of something
If plain water is the problem, fix the taste. Mint and lemon, a few cucumber slices or a squeeze of a sugar-free drink syrup make a big difference. About 4 ml of ZERUP in a 500 ml bottle gives you peach iced tea, lemon iced tea or mango with 0 g sugar. A single bottle fits in a desk drawer and makes 8+ litres.
On the move
6. Drink before you leave the air-conditioning
Before the school run, a site visit or an outdoor errand, have a glass. It's easier than catching up afterwards.
7. Keep an insulated bottle in the car, not a plastic one
Car interiors in the UAE get extremely hot in summer. Use an insulated bottle and refill it daily rather than leaving plastic bottles in the heat.
8. Pack a "hydration kit" in your gym bag
A bottle, a small sugar-free syrup and, for long or outdoor sessions, an electrolyte option. Read our guide to training in the heat.
At home
9. Put a jug on the table
A jug of chilled water at every meal makes refills automatic for the whole family. Flavour the jug with fruit or about 40 ml of syrup for 5 litres.
10. Swap one sugary drink a day
You don't need to change everything at once. Replace one can, carton of juice or bottle of sweet iced tea per day with water or a sugar-free alternative. A regular 330 ml cola contains about 35 g of sugar, so a single daily swap removes a lot of sugar over a month.
11. Freeze flavour into ice cubes
Mix a slightly stronger batch of flavoured water and freeze it in ice-cube trays. Drop the cubes into plain water and they flavour it as they melt.
12. Eat your water
Watermelon, cucumber, oranges, tomatoes, soups, laban and yoghurt all contribute. About a fifth of the water we take in comes from food.
Make it stick
13. Rotate flavours
Taste fatigue is real. Having two or three flavours on rotation keeps it interesting. That's one reason the ZERUP 3-pack is popular: one iced tea, one fruit, one soda flavour.
14. Use sparkling water for "treat" moments
If your craving is for a fizzy drink, sparkling water with a soda-style flavour such as Cola Orange or Orange scratches the itch without the sugar.
15. Check in, don't obsess
Notice your urine colour (pale yellow is good), your energy and your thirst. If you're often thirsty or your urine is dark, nudge your routine. If you have a medical condition that affects fluid balance, ask your doctor what's right for you.
A sample day
| Time | What to drink |
|---|---|
| 7:00 | 1 glass of water with breakfast |
| 8:00 | Coffee, plus a glass of water before leaving the house |
| 10:00 | First 500 ml bottle at your desk, e.g. lemon iced tea flavour |
| 12:30 | Water with lunch |
| 15:00 | Second 500 ml bottle, e.g. mango or peach |
| 18:00 | 500-750 ml around the gym or a walk |
| 20:00 | Sparkling water with a soda-style flavour at dinner |
That's roughly 2.5 to 3 litres without forcing anything, adjusted to your own needs and activity.
A note on teeth
Many flavoured drinks, including sugar-free ones, contain fruit acids. The American Dental Association suggests drinking acidic drinks with meals rather than sipping them constantly, rinsing with plain water afterwards and waiting before brushing. Mixing flavoured bottles with plain-water bottles through the day is an easy compromise.
Frequently asked questions
How can I drink more water if I don't like the taste?
Change the taste. Keep it very cold, add fresh mint, citrus or cucumber, try sparkling water or add a sugar-free drink syrup. Flavour makes water easier to enjoy without adding sugar.
How do I drink more water when I'm not thirsty?
Link drinking to fixed moments such as meals, meetings and leaving the house, and keep a bottle in sight. Thirst often lags behind your actual needs, especially in air-conditioned rooms.
Is it better to drink a lot at once or sip through the day?
Steady sips and regular glasses through the day are easier on your body and your routine than large amounts at once.
Does sparkling water hydrate as well as still water?
Yes. Sparkling water hydrates just like still water. Some people find it fills them up faster, so alternate if that's the case.
Do flavour drops and syrups count towards water intake?
Yes. Sugar-free flavoured water counts as fluid. Choose options with 0 g sugar per glass so the extra drinking doesn't come with extra sugar.
Build a ZERUP 3-pack: any 3 flavours for AED 49
0 g sugar per glass · 8+ litres per bottle · Halal & vegan · Delivered within 12 hours across the UAE, free over AED 200
Keep reading
- Water tastes boring? 12 fixes
- I don’t like water: what to drink instead
- Does flavoured water count as water?
- Office hydration and air conditioning
- How much water to drink in Dubai
- 10 sugar-free mocktails
- ZERUP flavour guide
- ZERUP sugar-free drink syrup
Sources
- NHS. Water, drinks and hydration. www.nhs.uk
- EFSA (2010). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for water. efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
- Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre. Safety in Heat. www.adphc.gov.ae
- Coca-Cola UAE. Coca-Cola nutrition facts. www.coca-cola.com
- American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Dietary acids and your teeth. www.mouthhealthy.org
- Lally P. et al. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology. doi.org
This article is general information and does not replace advice from a doctor, dietitian or other qualified professional. Last reviewed: October 2026.