Je J is a medical student who shared that, despite knowing hydration’s importance for good health, it's not easy to maintain focus amidst a heavy workload while also remembering to drink enough water. A few months ago, she started using the app Plant Nanny to tackle both of these challenges. Whenever she finishes reading a page of her textbook, she takes a sip of water and uses the app to water her cute virtual plant. She finds herself curious about the plant's growth and changes, and this helps her to stay motivated while studying, successfully cultivating a healthy habit of drinking enough water!

A glass water? I’ll get to it later.

When we are trying to concentrate on heavy cognitive tasks, it's important to eliminate all distractions, and never let other things interfere with our flow state. However, the downside of being too focused is that we often end up sitting for long periods, and we fail to drink water all day while also ignoring signals of physical and mental fatigue.

Je J knows all about this challenge. She is a med student who has a heavy academic workload, and like many busy people, finds it difficult to prioritize self-care. Maintaining focus while studying is an ongoing challenge; sometimes concentration wanes, while other times she becomes so absorbed in studying that she shuts out everything else, even her thirst. She tells herself she can get a drink after she completes the next section, and ends up putting off that glass of water time and time again.

To help maintain her focus and also develop a habit of drinking enough water, Je J found the Plant Nanny water reminder app and set a habit anchor based on her existing study situation. She decided to drink some water every time she finished reading a page and would use the app to record her drink and water her cute virtual plant. Je J found that this gamification made both studying and drinking water more interesting, successfully balancing the two.

Je J: “It really has helped me become healthier and to improve my study goals in a fun way.”

Curiosity sparks motivation

Every time Je J opens the Plant Nanny app to record her water intake, she is always excited because each cute plant character has its own unique personality and growth trajectory. Every time they reach a new growth stage, the plants become different. She loves exploring the new looks of the plants, occasionally tapping the small plants to admire their different expressions, healing sounds, and even amusing chatter.

Je J said: “I am super curious about how the plant is going to develop and change. It helps me to make an effort and keep going!”

She also mentioned that she sometimes lacks motivation, but because she doesn't want her plants to feel sad and thirsty, she still obediently sits at her desk with her textbooks and water bottle. This is very helpful for Je J. The cute plants are like her study partners, inspiring her to work a little harder and reminding her to take a break and drink water to maintain a healthy work pace.

Gentle and thoughtful water reminders

As a doctor in training, Je J also provides patients with advice on healthy habits, but she finds it difficult to change their drinking behavior. For this, the daily reminder in Plant Nanny is very helpful. The app sends thoughtful reminders based on the user's settings to take a break and drink some water, making basic self-care habits easier and more manageable.

“I always give advice to my patients about healthy habits, but I find it difficult to remind them to find time for really basic things, like drinking water. But Plant Nanny has made it easier and more fun. Also, all the plants are super cute!” Je J said.

Balancing work and health is a major challenge for most modern people. Je J tries to incorporate fun and enjoyable things into her personal goals , like deriving motivation from her cute drinking partners in Plant Nanny. Her story tells us that Plant Nanny can not only help develop healthy drinking habits, but also support users with other life goals, delivering fun all around!

Be sure to share this story with the hardworking people in your life who might be forgetting to drink water. You never know who might benefit from a cute plant companion!