If your workplace has coffee, then they probably have disposable cups or a collection of random mugs for you to use. Although these suffice, are they really satisfactory? Have you ever considered the perks of bringing your own coffee mug? If not, read the perks below to see if this is a routine that you want to take up.
If you work in an office where they order in bulk from a corporate coffee manufacturer, including the cups and cardboard sleeves, then your office is just adding to the waste and pollution in the environment. Paper and Styrofoam coffee cups are not recyclable, so those immediately go in the trash. Plastic lids and cardboard sleeves are recyclable, but it still takes energy and resources to recycle those items and break them down into biodegradable or reusable materials.
Bringing your own coffee mug lets you support environmental sustainability. Every cup you drink is an assurance that you’re doing your part to help the environment. If your office happens to have the environmentally friendly bean-to-cup coffee machine, then bringing your own coffee mug is just the next logical step in pursuing environmental sustainability.
If your office happens to provide a selection of coffee mugs, then environmental friendliness might not be your concern, but is sanitation? If your office doesn’t have a dishwasher, then every time you drink a cup of coffee that someone else washed, you are taking the risk that the person before you did not thoroughly wash their mug.
People have different ideas of cleanliness. What one person considers washing the dishes by hand might be another person’s idea of rinsing. Offices are already places where colds and influenza can spread quickly because of the proximity of so many people. To prevent any bacteria from being in your coffee mug, it’s best to bring your own.
Do you have a favorite mug that you always look for when grabbing a cup of coffee? Maybe it has a funny or motivating quote, or maybe it just has a certain look that you think goes well with your personality or aesthetic. Or maybe you simply like the shape and feel of it in your hand. There are many reasons why people have favorite coffee mugs, just like people have favorite clothing, shoes, colors, or anything else. Being drawn to particular items is a part of how people are.
But if you have a favorite mug at the office that isn’t yours personally, then it can be a letdown to come in for a cup of coffee only to find it gone. You probably don’t get combative over not having your favorite mug—and if you do, then it might not be the mug but maybe a coffee addiction that’s your problem. Still, it can be disappointing. Don’t let anyone take your favorite mug and start your day off on a sour note. Bring your own instead, so no one can take it from you.
Human beings are creatures of habit, and the same goes for getting in the zone to work. For some people, getting in the zone means having a completely clean workspace. For others, it’s having the right coffee mug. Even though it seems miniscule, having the same coffee mug that you bring in every day for work sets a positive routine. Once you sit down at your desk and have your coffee and coffee cup for work in place, you can get in the mindset to start being productive.