Top 3 Hacks for Your Coffee at Work

Why Drink Coffee at Work?

This one might seem a little obvious but a study done by the University of Seoul reported that simply smelling coffee beans helps to wake a person up. Other than aiding in keeping you awake on the clock, coffee can help combat the physical effects of stressors on the body. A public release by the American Chemical Society showed that Americans receive most of their daily antioxidants from drinking coffee; which helps to protect against the most serious stress-induced health threats such as cancer and heart disease. In addition, the Jama Network Journals reported a link between drinking coffee and a reduced risk for liver disease; which is also affected by stress.

Coffee has also been linked to pain reduction. A study by the National Institute of Health reported that drinking coffee before settling into stiff positions at desks or tables at work, diminished pain in participants.

The Top Three Coffee Hacks for the Workplace

Overnight Iced Coffee Cubes

The hate/love relationship coffee drinkers have with iced coffee all stems from one annoying, recurring, problem: melted ice cubes ruining the flavor of the drink. Making iced coffee at home is easy enough. Just let your pre-brewed coffee settle into a mug or coffee tumbler with some ice; then add cream and sweetener to adjust the flavor to your liking.

The difficult part is maintaining your beverage after the ice begins to melt. Instead of using regular ice cubes to keep your beverages cool, try using iced coffee cubes. This will keep the flavor from dulling when the ice begins to melt.

Plain Iced Coffee Cubes

● Ingredients:

○ 6 oz. regular brewed coffee

○ Ice cube tray

● Instructions

○ Add brewed coffee to an ice cube tray

○ Let freeze for at least 5 hours and add to your drink when ready

Flavored Iced Coffee Cubes

● Ingredients:

○ 6 oz. brewed coffee

○ 6 oz. milk or milk substitute

○ Any flavor add-ins you might like. Caramel sauce, condensed milk, and chocolate powder are our personal recommendations

○ Ice cube tray

● Instructions:

○ In a pitcher, mix your 6 oz. coffee and 6 oz. milk/substitute with preferred flavorings

○ Let freeze for at least 5 hours and pop into your drink in the morning

Travel syrup sets

Standard milk and sugar packets are great but, there’s no reason you can’t spice things up and add a little flavor to your cup. Many shops feature a number of affordable variety syrup sets in travel sizes, so you can take them with you on your busiest days. Not to mention, these products support reconstructive charity organizations for collapsing bee colonies. So, you get a tastier drink and a stronger ecosystem for the price of one. And if you’re ever worried about the dietary consequences of using added flavorings in your drink, you can take sugar-free options to keep your drinks as health consciously enjoyable as possible.

Try Instant!

Okay, it probably sounds a little biased. But seriously, switching to quality instant coffee will save you tons of time and money in the long run. And just in case you’re unconvinced, there’s the world’s easiest instant coffee hack you can try anywhere!

It might surprise you but, adding hot water directly to the instant grounds can have damaging effects on the flavor of the beans; leaving your drink tasting burnt and acrid. The best method is to add the grounds first, then the sugar. Adding the sugar directly to the coffee granules helps to thicken the natural crema component of the coffee; ultimately, enriching the sweet notes and glossy texture. The next step is to add your preferred amount of milk and mix the ingredients a bit before finally adding in the water. If you have a microwave at your disposal, it helps to pop your mixture in for approximately 30 seconds to help soften the elements so they come together in a beautiful, creamy masterpiece.

For those of you who prefer to drink your coffee without any cream, this hack can be modified to get the best cup of instant black coffee. You only need to add two teaspoons of sugar and one teaspoon of hot water to your instant coffee grounds and stir the blend until the color is a light, caramelly brown and the texture has reached a velvety, liquefied consistency at the bottom of your mug. Next, you add a quarter of hot water to the cup, stir again, then fill to the top with hot water and enjoy.