I have a very strong pressure on my shoulders. Two to three times a week I do a round - trip of about 400 kilometers distance between the place where I live and the university where I work. Not only I walk this distance but also to ensure my classes to students in addition to my teaching responsibilities and research since I am responsible for Licensing and Director of the research laboratory. My work is very stressful on both moral and physical

I am doing three/four activities -- teaching, research, and administration --- every day in the University.

I stay on campus, wake up at 6.00 am morning, and reach to Department at 9.00 am every day.

I feel very pleasant in morning to get ready to teach MBA students -- being young, smiling faces, and interactive --- gives a good start of the day.

When the day goes on --- I feel tired due to administrative work.

Teaching and research --- is a passion, so enjoyed; Administration is binding, so not so much relished.

Overall, getting ready for the University gives a pleasant and energetic feeling!

Dear friends, my work is my students, teaching and research.  I enjoy that.  At the end of the day, I go to jog on the track for half an hour.  And my students meet me there.  That is even more enjoyable.  I am thankful that I stay at college, and need not drive 120 km a day.  Because that isn't enjoyable.  If it's ethical and possible, let's try to remove certain tasks that aren't enjoyable or rather unsafe.  Thanks.

 I used to sleep at 11.00 night and get up at 05.00 morning.  I usually read 2 newspapers (in mother tongue) in the morning itself. I have only half an hour journey from my residence to my college. Journey is not at all creating any stress to me.  I have  three or four hours of class a day. Teaching is a passion for me and hence it is not a burden for me. There ere 60-70 students in my classes  and so the class management makes me a little tired. I find some time for my research everyday.  I have to go to my research centre in every weekend and it is 225 km away form residence and take 5 hours to reach there. I enjoy that journey also. At present,  life is going on comfortably and satisfactorily.

Dear Daryn,

Dear All,

This is not a scientific question and does not demand much spiritual concentration thus its popularity will depend on the time schedule and the momentary psychical state of potential participants. I think one’s personnel conditions, spiritual balance as innate determinants and also outside conditions like general mood of a society, working facilities, the official and subjective appreciations of teachers and researchers may influence how one starts his/her working day.  Consequently, the range of difference can be significant. Generally, I am cheerful every morning independently of the outside impacts. The teaching itself is not a very challenge because of the moderate thirst for knowledge of the audience. My mood would be better if the students tried to contribute to the success of their learning process by asking something interesting. As an advocatus diaboli, I try to ask myself difficult questions in order to increase the teaching standards. This helps me a lot. Everyday routine contains many little happiness like my office computer has been repaired in a week, I could take good photos on predators of some pests, some students was able to prepare excellent diploma works and the real pleasure is that the sun rises and shines me as earlier.

Dear @Darin, as you made some changes and now work life is nearly as enjoyable as private life, then you have done a good job. I find this balance is specific issue for each person. Our dear friend @Debi had a fine thread that is related to this one.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Does_your_role_disturb_your_work-life_balance

Thank you all, thus far and I hope more contribute.

• All answer uncover some interesting information and experiences even if said information is not immediately quantifiable. 
• Jacić, I will have a look at the thread you mentioned, I appreciate the shared info.
• It would interesting to see answers from people just starting their careers.

Let's see where this thread leads,

Daryn

Daryn, your question is interesting from a questionnaire design perspective:  The phrase 'go to work' can be interpreted literally as 'before I physically travel to work', or 'before I actually start working.'  The distinction becomes important when we consider that some people work at home (as telecommuting/telework is increasingly common in some countries and industries).  If I have a long, difficult commute I may feel awful when it's time to go to work, although the work/job itself may be pleasant enough.  Or, if I work from home, I may respond that I feel great because of the fact that I don't need to 'go to work' - and can just start up the computer and 'get to work' without even getting into work clothes.  So as other commenters have said, I view this is a complex and multi-faceted issue, involving the quality of the job itself, the challenges in getting there and back, the degree to which we value strict separation between work and home life versus having the flexibility to combine them, etc. 

Hi Daryn,

I look forward to my job every day. I enjoy it and feel that it is exciting and challenging. I feel that I am blessed with knowledge and skill to relieve pain and suffering and at the same time bring about a change in the society. There are very less people who have been given such a beautiful opportunity and gift to change the world and make it better. I love the smile and awe on the lips and eyes of my patients, students and the community where I work. It is intoxicating.

I feel happy and glad to do what I do. 

Hi All,

Thanks for contributions and feedback:

I have noted responses and adapted the question with the best of intentions and most importantly not change the original meaning and purpose of this thread. It is true the question should be as accurate as possible so as not to limit or downplay the challenges of one's day or disregard important mediating or moderating constituents such as commuting. Lastly, I apologise if I obscured, confused or misrepresented respondents in anyway, it was not my intent.

Also please read the above paragraph with a tad (bit) of sarcasm. :)

Thanks for your patients, understanding, feedback and most of all the shared experiences.

I hope the feedback continues & that we are all getting something from the effort,

Daryn

Every working day is same for me. I am turned to certain routines which are clocked, hence paves time to include some unplanned activities. Once I have certain New work completed, I bounce back with vigour to complete my unfinished routines (official work, teaching, research and personal ). Leave and holidays covers all but do not follow the sequence. I won't get sleep if I hadn't completed a planned task. ......

I do try to avoid routines as @Krishnan does not. "As long as habit and routine dictate the pattern of living, new dimensions of the soul will not emerge. ~Henry Van Dyke"

http://www.alifeofblue.com/routine/

The teachers those are involved in ---- teaching and research --- may maintain routine every day!

But, the teachers those are involved in ---- teaching, research and administration (governance) --- may have to plan and adjust the work every day! Because of administrative responsibilities, one has to plan to create balance between teaching, research, and administration.

More difficult!

Hi Daryn,

Dragging myself out of bed on these early Autumn/Winter mornings is becoming seemingly harder. Functioning daily on a lack of sleep from late nights, early mornings and sleeplessness nights where I wake to think of those encroaching deadlines and to question myself.

Despite the lack of sleep and feeling unsure of myself, dreading the assignments and deadlines that are ahead of me, I believe that I am happier than ever and looking forward to the prosperous future I am preparing for myself.

My desire to influence and educate is growing everyday,

Shenae

Every sunrise is a blessing for us and an opportunity to move forward. 

I'm very thankful that we have warm weather here.  Mornings are about 26-28 C, so it's easy to wake up,as the body gets warmer.  Late night temperatures are around 24 C.  You won't be surprised that most of us shower before going to work.  The cold shower is great to remove all sleepiness and put me into a good mood for work.  (I do sympathize with all friends who wake up on cold mornings for work.)

First feeling is about the MBA students, --- young, energetic, smiling --- whom I first meet at 9.30 am in the class. This morning hour is best part of my career, next --- other activities!

Every dawn is a new beginning.  That is the spirit that keeps us going.

Dear All,

Every day is a hope for an enthusiastic restart and to meet clever and ethical people. Or every day is a hope for hope.

Dear @Andras, How To Make Every Day a Fresh Start is fine article about a new hope. Think not just what you want to DO, but how you want to BE today?

"If you take each day to think positively, and have a positive intention for how you would like to create your day, how would your life be different? What positive outcome can reflect your positive intention?..."

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/how-to-make-every-day-a-fresh-start/

I would have to agree with Ljubomir here by developing one's emotional intelligence skills in the five areas of self-awareness, self regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills can vastly improve employee work performance (Goleman, 1995). Emotional intelligence facilitates the skills required for the development of intrapersonal and interpersonal qualities (Punia & Yadav, 2014) that influence ones abilities to succeed in coping with environmental demands and pressures (Bar-on 1997).

Every day starts with --- new enthusiasm, optimism and forward looking!

Every day start with hope and good will, optimism and consistent to the goal...

Daryn, I like the way you changed the question wording from 'go to work' to 'start work' - that addresses the issue I had raised concerning whether the interpretation involves a) physically traveling to work, versus b) beginning the process of working.  A good example of what we deal with constantly in modifying question wording to eradicate vagueness and better specify the intended meaning. 

Hi Gordon,

Yes, that was your advice and my instincts told me I should follow it. Also, I have been more conscious of it since. Good value added info!

I should also mention that Roland also hinted at the wording in the very first comment. Both comments influenced me, one explicitly one implicitly. 

Much appreciated,

Daryn

Hi All,

Many thanks for the continued participation and to all of the new respondents  whom have recently added their incites.

Lots of good qualitative data here. Prior to posing this question I had thought it would elicit possible "off-the-job" responses/factors that might contribute to voluntary turnover or the opposite, commitment behaviours. As of now, my tentative conclusion is that much of what we have seen here supports OCBs or the job-embeddedness view. More simply put, the conditions that keep us at a given job/firm do so because the overall cost (on-the-job & off-the-job) of leaving is neither beneficial nor convenient  for all effected parties. Further, the working conditions themselves do not merit a job change. In sum, an embedded worker is "stuck of their own volition" or overall content with their lives.

I'll follow up with these tentative conclusions in the next little while, it will be interesting to see where this goes.

Thanks again,

Daryn

Dear All

For me,  every morning, before I start my job, i always keep in mind that there are a new hope and opportunity to get new idea an improvement. 

Thank's

Hengky

Dear Hengky,

Yes, we start with a new hope! With a new day!

I see the new day as a matter of choice rather than chance. I always make plans and first when I am still fresh I go through the most challenging tasks. No time to lose, is my moto.

Yes, past is past! We should look forward to shape our life in a new way!

In reality, be whatever planned we are, On many days, morning is always a rush, as laziness creeps in

Whatever you plan for the following day, it is subject to change. The feeling of uncertainty and thus concern for the realization of the objectives is always present!

I love my work, colleagues, students, building of Lyceum. It's my life-buoy, the source of inspiration. After morning coffee at 6 o'clock I feel cheerful and enthusiastic. Notwithstanding of intensive, responsible work, discipline and schedule we can succeed in paying compliments, expressing a favorable opinion, smiling, sharing positive emotions, jokes, drinking coffee once again and discussing actual events. The problems may be connected with cold weather, traffic jam, or rudeness in transport (I try to neglect it), but my usual commitment to positive is working as soon as I meet my staff and students.

Dear:  @Subhash,

It is true that we start the day with new hope and new things. It would make us happy.

Well, whatever our plan is always needed alignment every day  

However, have a nice weekend !

Starting work requires complete alignment with work and refrain from infringement /disturbances of thoughts from other spheres such as family / social etc.,

However, it is difficult to operate in silos, hence proper planning or time management would be good.

Dear Hengky,

Yes, what we plan must align with work for the day, otherwise it create problem!

You should believe in you, and all will be all right!

What do you think about this suggestions?

7 Things You Should Never Do Before Work!

Anyway, I feel better after work than before work!

http://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/7-things-you-should-never-do-before-work.html/?a=viewall

I like cycling and yoga in the mornings

Dear All,

I just cycling and take a light gym to make our body and muscle active and ready to work.... Have a good day

Hengky