Drinking water & jobs with limited restroom breaks

[Simba's Mom]

I would love to be drinking more water, but I'm a school teacher and can't just stop and leave the classroom whenever I want (although the students wouldn't mind-especially if it was in the middle of a test!) So I don't drink too much water during the day. I was wondering if anyone else feels they might have that problem, so they don't drink as much water. Or if you have any tips, I'd love to hear them.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I can imagine how hard that must be for you! I don't work outside the home, but when I'm trying my best to drink lots of water, I definitely avoid drinking it if I have to go out, or I plan exactly where I'm going, how long it will take to get there, and I make sure I know where the bathroom at my destination is! (Stores with bathrooms get more of my business than those without!) Eventually tho, I always end up giving up the water because I end up getting off track.

So...no advice...but tons of sympathy!

 

[bicker]

This is something I've never had to contend with, and I really can understand how that sort of restriction puts a damper on one's ability to "stick with the program" for many health management approaches. I suppose there are even worse situations, such as someone who works in a IC fabrication facility (clean room) where they have to wear bunny suits and it takes a good long time to get in and out of them, so a bathroom break is more than just a logistical problem, but actually would cause a significant productivity problem.

 

[SandraC]

I solved my water drinking troubles by giving myself a time limit. My problem was drinking water too late in the day. I would be up all night! So what I did was fill a 2 litre water bottle (that's just over 6 cups) and drink that before 11am. Fill it again and drink the second bottle before 3pm. I got over 12 cups (8 ounce cups) of water daily. I would still drink water at night since I did a lot of cardio (now I do more yoga at night).

You might start a lot of drinking water before lunch, so you can use the washroom at lunch time, and again about an hour before school ends and drink a lot at night. S

 

[J&D]

Simba's Mom- I am also a teacher, so I feel the same way as you do. I have a first period conference, so I have to wait until lunch to go to the RR. I hate having to have a "teacher's bladder". It is so unhealthy.

 

[SandraC]

I volunteer at my dd's school, hearing you teacher's talk about 'teacher's bladder' explained why so many teachers haul me into their classroom's to watch the kids for 5 minutes 'while they run down the hall.' LOL! S

 

[LuvTigger]

I know what you mean...I used to be in retail where I would have to work a 4 hour shift by myself. If I had to go to the restroom, I would have to close the store, put a sign saying "back in 5 min." etc. At least now I have an office job.

At one point in my life, I wasn't drinking a lot of water, then I started to increase my water intake. Of course, that meant increased trips to the bathroom. I noticed that as time went by, I guess you could say my bladder got stronger, or whatever you want to call it, but I was able to drink more water, and not have to go to the restroom as frequently. In addition to the other ideas posted (drinking more right before your breaks, etc.), on the weekends, maybe you could try drinking water continuously throughout the day at different times and that will help to increase your bladder strength?

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I have started drinking more from 2:00 on. Since classes end at 3:30, I figure that's OK. And that's at least an hour and a half of encouraging myself to drink water where I didn't before.

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

Wow, does this question bring back some uncomfortable memories. Up until this past August, I was a school bus driver. Now theres a job with very few restroom breaks. Even if I had no kids aboard, I only would have 5 minutes between runs and trying to find a place to pull into with a 72 passenger school bus to use the RR was almost impossible. Plus on top of that, most of my route was on rural bumpy roads. SOme afternoons I practically floated back to the office!