By now, if you are a call center or BPO team member working rotating shifts, chances are your mind has already settled on a favorite flask or tumbler that accompanies you through the workday. It may be sitting beside your keyboard right now, tucked inside your bag, or waiting in the car for the next shift. We all know the practical benefits of carrying water: staying hydrated, avoiding unnecessary trips to the pantry, and keeping a drink within reach during those long hours of calls, tickets, meetings, and metrics. But this post is not really about the usual reminders to drink more water. I want to talk about something more personal—the little connection we develop with a favorite tumbler, and how that simple object can quietly influence the way we move through a shift.
In my experience, a favorite flask can become a small piece of comfort in an otherwise demanding routine. There is something reassuring about reaching for a familiar bottle during a busy day, especially when your body clock is still trying to understand whether it is morning, afternoon, or the middle of the night. It becomes part of your work ritual, almost like a familiar companion that reminds you to pause, take a sip, and look after yourself while the queue keeps moving. The tumbler may not be doing anything extraordinary, but the feeling attached to it can make an ordinary habit a little more enjoyable.
Before I share my current favorites, allow me to take you back to 2003, when I had my first stint as a call center agent, working in technical support somewhere in Ortigas. Even now, the memory of those November evenings comes back with a certain warmth—the cool breeze along Emerald Avenue, the familiar walk past Strata Tower and Wynsum Corporate Plaza, and the feeling of being young, newly employed, and slowly discovering what life in the BPO industry was all about. I can almost picture myself walking along those pathways with a water bottle in my right hand, an unbranded flask that was good enough to carry either hot or cold water.
Aquaflasks and the now-familiar parade of insulated tumblers had not yet become the everyday accessories they are today, or at least they were not as common in the circles I moved in. Back then, carrying a Starbucks flask seemed to have a certain aura. It was not just a container for coffee or water; it was a little lifestyle statement, something that looked especially appealing in the hands of someone walking into an office with a lanyard around their neck and a night shift ahead of them. The tumbler culture has changed considerably since those days, and so have we.
Fast-forward to 2026, and a water flask has become almost an essential part of the BPO toolkit. Alongside our IDs, headsets, chargers, and other everyday work essentials, the tumbler has earned its place. We have a wide range of brands to choose from now—Starbucks, Aquaflask, Klean Kanteen, Corkcicle, and plenty of other options that promise insulation, durability, and style. Yet, after all these years, I have realized that my favorites are not necessarily the most expensive or most recognizable brands. They are the ones that have somehow become connected to my routines, preferences, and memories.
Before we get to my top three, I should confess something: I have a long history of losing water bottles. I have misplaced several Starbucks spill-proof mugs and left behind more than a few sparkling, unbranded water holders in places I can no longer remember. Maybe I simply did not care enough about them at the time, or maybe those bottles never developed the kind of connection that would make me retrace my steps to find them. Whatever the reason, I have learned that not every tumbler becomes a keeper. Some are just containers we use until they disappear from our lives.
There is, however, one tumbler I would include as an honorable mention, even if it does not make my official top three. It is a see-through glass tumbler from Mister Donut, with its orange branding etched onto the surface. I love it just the way it is—the minimalist design, the feel of the glass in my hand, and the simple pleasure of being able to see how much water remains inside. Whenever I go a week without using it, I experience a little separation anxiety. I make a point of filling it before leaving the house, almost as though bringing it along completes a small part of my morning routine. It has even been lost somewhere along the way, in a place I never bothered to revisit, which makes the attachment a little funny in retrospect. We sometimes grow fond of the most ordinary things without having a particularly logical explanation for it.
My Top 3: The White Corkcicle Mug
My third favorite is a white Corkcicle mug that usually stays either at home or in my car. I bought it for myself at a specialty store in SM Mall of Asia, during one of those moments when you decide that you deserve a small personal treat. What attracted me was its simple white finish—not matte, just clean and understated—and the protruding sides that make it easy to grip. As a left-handed person, I appreciate the way it feels in my hand without having to think too much about how to hold it.
The mug has a stainless-steel interior and does a good job keeping hot water warm for several hours when properly closed. I have been using it for about four years now, and it has become one of those reliable objects that quietly earns its place through repetition. I use it for tea, coffee, or even a simple glass of lemon-infused water. There is something satisfying about reaching for a mug you chose for yourself, one that feels familiar and comfortable after years of use. It reminds me that not every purchase needs to be extravagant to become meaningful. Sometimes, the little things we choose for ourselves become part of how we create moments of happiness in an otherwise busy day.
My Top 2: The Unbranded Flask That Became a Treasure
My second favorite is probably the most unexpected one. I bought it from a department store at Ayala Malls Bay Manila, and it did not come with a recognizable brand name. It was made in China, originally coated in black matte paint, with the word COFFEE printed prominently on one side. The design was sleek enough, but I never really liked the lettering or the black finish. So, in a moment of personal customization, I took sandpaper to it and removed the coating and branding entirely, leaving behind an aluminum-like finish that I found much more appealing.
Somehow, that little act of transforming the flask made me grow even more attached to it. It became something I had personalized, something that no longer looked exactly as it did when I bought it. Functionally, it was excellent. It could keep hot water for up to nine hours, and even when I placed it loosely on the side of the car instead of inside the cup holder, it rarely spilled. It was sturdy, versatile, and minimalist in a way that suited my preferences. I could use it for hot water, warm drinks, or iced beverages, and it was always ready to be grabbed on the go.
Then came the unexpected plot twist: I lost it while dining alone at the grocery food court in Opus Mall, Bridgetowne. When I realized it was missing, it bothered me for days. I eventually contacted the mall’s customer service and went through the lost-and-found process, knowing full well that the odds of recovering an unbranded tumbler were probably not in my favor. Yet I kept asking, checking, and following up. There is a longer story behind how I eventually found it, and I will save that for another post, because the experience deserves its own little narrative.
What made the search meaningful was not the monetary value of the flask. It was the realization that I had grown attached to something I once considered ordinary. Losing it made me understand how much it had become part of my daily routine, and finding it again made me appreciate it even more. Sometimes, we do not fully recognize the value of a familiar object until we discover that it is no longer where we expect it to be.
My Top 1: The Corkcicle Disney Tumbler
My current number one is a more recent addition, and it came as a gift from the father of one of my colleagues. It is actually the second tumbler I have received from him; the first was a green Disney tumbler, while this latest one is a tall, tubular Corkcicle design tied up with Disney.
What I immediately loved about it was the color, the wood-like framing, and the clean, elegant shape. It is easy to hold and carry, with a spring-loaded drinking mechanism that opens when pressed and closes again to seal the tumbler when not in use. The lid feels secure, and the overall design makes it practical for everyday use without sacrificing the little details that make it visually appealing.
The interior reminds me of the old thermos-style containers we used to see growing up, with a white lining that appears designed to support insulation. It is built to keep drinks hot or cold for extended periods, and the sealed lid makes it convenient to carry around. But beyond its features, what makes it my favorite is the fact that it was given to me. It carries the warmth of a thoughtful gesture, and that adds a layer of meaning that no product specification can capture. Every time I use it, I am reminded not only of the tumbler itself but also of the person who gave it and the kindness behind the gift.
That, I think, is one of the reasons we become attached to ordinary things. Sometimes we love an object because of how it feels in our hands, how it fits into our routine, or how well it performs. Other times, we love it because it reminds us of someone, a place, or a moment that matters to us. The object becomes a small vessel for memory, carrying something more personal than the water or coffee inside it.
My story may sound a little corny, but I believe there is a meaningful point behind it. We often talk about self-care in terms of major lifestyle changes, exercise routines, or big commitments to better health. Yet some of the habits that sustain us are much smaller and more ordinary. Drinking water throughout a shift is one of them. We know the usual advice about staying hydrated, but it becomes easier to follow when we find ways to enjoy the habit itself.
When I reach for my favorite tumbler, I am not simply checking off another item on my daily to-do list. I am reminding myself to take care of my body while I work, to pause for a moment amid the demands of the shift, and to make an ordinary routine feel a little more personal. The tumbler becomes part of that mindset—a small, familiar object that encourages me to keep going while also reminding me that caring for myself does not have to be complicated.
For those of us who have spent years in the BPO industry, where shifts rotate, sleep schedules change, and the demands of work can sometimes blur the boundaries between personal time and professional responsibilities, these little rituals matter. A favorite flask may not solve the challenges of the job, but it can bring a small sense of comfort and consistency to the day. It can be a familiar companion through long hours, a reminder to hydrate, or simply something that makes you smile when you reach for it.
So, if you already have a favorite tumbler, keep enjoying it. If you are still looking for one, choose something that feels right for you—not necessarily the most expensive, the most popular, or the one everyone else is carrying. Find the one that makes you happy to drink water, the one you look forward to bringing with you, the one that fits naturally into your routine.
— billymacdeus
PS: taking care of ourselves begins with something as simple as reaching for a bottle of water—and loving the little thing that reminds us to do it.