A case of the Mundays

Every once in a while, I have to take the bad with the good.... and so many times, the bad is a case of the Mundays.  Not wanting to run off to Chotchke's for some Pizza Shooters, Shrimp Poppers, or Extreme Fajitas, I've had to come up with a few strategies for surviving Munday, since I absolutely refuse to slow down on the week-end.

Strategy #1:  Transitioning.

Think of it like the transition zone of a triathlon.  Everything is already ready for you to jump on the bike or head out on the run when you enter transition.  Same thing here.  It always helps me get out of bed if I have already packed my lunch and chosen what to wear.  Bonus points are accrued if "what to wear" includes something in my favorite color pink.  This is not hard, as it has been pointed out to me by several co-workers and friends that fully half my wardrobe is in fact pink.

Strategy #2: Let the sunshine in.

The morning commute is infinitely better if it is not raining.  So far, I have been lucky.  The rain this year has managed to stay mostly in the sky prior to the actual last day of summer.  But, I fear (and this has been confirmed by that crack-squad of savvy-weather predicting personnel at 9 news) that the rains are not far away.  When that happens, I might have to trigger my stereo alarm to play "I see skies of blue, red roses, too...." right when I wake up.

Strategy #3:  The coffee drink.

Mocha Monday at the Brew Station... and if this isn't enough, they recently added beer on tap.  That's right, the Brew Station is a coffee shop/tanning salon/bar.  You know I have a special place in my heart for slashies.

Strategy #4:  Set the bar low.

Have a few easily accomplishable goals for the morning at work.  Some favorites with me include reading the News and Views in the latest issues of Science and Chemistry & Engineering News (pretend like I wrote "People" and the "NYtimes" so I won't sound so nerdy).  Also, checking my sequencing reactions from the previous week is also fun... kind of like a word find with only four letters....ACGT (and sometimes U).

Strategy #5: If all else fails.

Have an escape plan.  Also known as lunch.  Often I substitute sustenance with adrenaline in the form of a run or swim in order to get the blood pumping for the rest of the day.  Usually, a good 45 minutes in the pool is enough to get me hopping, especially if I hadn't managed to get out the door for a run in the morning (see Strategy #1... a run can be implemented by setting up the running shoes and outfit the night before... again, think pink).

Strategy #6:  Love it, or leave it.

Life is too long not to like what you are working on... Even on a Munday!