You can do some things in the morning that will prime your body to be in a joyful state at work.

You may want to follow these tactics if you’re looking to improve your performance at work while improving the quality of your life. In my experience, these tactics help me stay in shape, but they also help me overcome symptoms of depression or when I’m feeling unmotivated. So even though I love what I do at work, it can be hard to enjoy it if I’m not feeling physically and mentally healthy.

Unfortunately, we sometimes take our bodies and minds for granted and drag ourselves through the week.

So give these four tactics a try for a week, and feel free to report back in the comments with your experience.

⚡ #1 Get a head start

There is nothing worse than starting your day rushing through the morning.

So figure out what time you need to wake up to sail through the miracle of a new day in a state of gratitude. For me, that is at 4:30 am.

⚡ #2 Get moving ASAP

I follow a young entrepreneur online.

He posts about his 5 to 10-mile morning runs 3x per week. His mantra is “Action breeds Action.” And this is hard to debate. Whether you’re groggy or unmotivated, getting some cardio ASAP will help you get going.

⚡ #3 Get a gag reflex

After the workout, shock your system with a cold shower.

The temperature change will give you a gag reflex. This body reaction works as an anti-depressant and improves your mood. For example, after getting out of cold showers, I feel excited about the day ahead.

⚡ #4 Be quiet

Deep work requires doing something for an extended period without distractions.

We get distracted when we’re feeling bored. So to make it easier to work, you have to practice being quiet so that you can get the mind used to staying focused.

That’s the opposite of your desire to:

😣 jump on your phone
😣 check social media
😣 or watch the news or videos

So if you don’t want to give in to these bad habits and stick to doing what you planned for the day—learn how to meditate.

Happy body + peaceful mind = joyful work

The Joyful Worker

#7: Prime to work joyfully