Imagine tackling your workload with enthusiasm, energy, speed and accuracy every single morning (without downing five cups of coffee).

Sounds like the impossible dream, right? It's actually easy to achieve.

Research has found that the key to maximizing your a.m. performance as soon as you get to work is to simply make a few easy, enjoyable adjustments to your routine. Not only will you actually enjoy making these changes, you'll effortlessly boost your mental and physical stamina.

Try these tips to hit the ground running:

Eat as soon as you wake up.

Expert information from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's sports medicine division that finds going straight from the bedroom to the kitchen to down a healthy breakfast will powerfully kick-start your metabolism, and subsequently spur your body to produce ongoing amounts of energy throughout the entire day.

What meal to choose to get the biggest energy benefit? Tasty peanut butter on whole grain toast for a healthy balance of carbs and protein.

Avoid checking email until you get to the office.

It's hard to resist the impulse, as heading straight to your inbox first thing in the morning makes you feel like you're getting a jump on your day. In reality, though, The British Psychological Society found that people who check their email outside office hours, including before work, actually feel more stress.

The pressure involved in thinking about the impending problems included in email messages may sour moods and decrease energy. A better use of your early a.m. time: make a list of everything you want to accomplish at the office, and prioritize your tasks ahead of time in the way that gives you a real sense of control.

Doing this will make handling any issues you find lurking in your email later much easier to deal with.

Bike to work instead of driving.

It's fun, it's exercise, it's cheaper than putting gas in your car, and Concordia University researchers found that early morning cycling commuters enjoyed lowered level of stress during the first 45 minutes of their morning on the job. This set them up for better performance throughout the whole day.

Why? Biking lowers the stress hormone cortisol, and produces feel-good endorphins.

Let the sunshine in.

Open the window blinds over your desk wide, and enjoy the natural light; take your breaks outside, too.

Two good reasons why: a Cornell University study of hospital nurses found that allowing natural light into their workstations improved the nurses' alertness, mood, desire to be sociable with others, and helped them laugh more and feel more positive as they worked.

Also, a Northwestern University study showed that exposure to natural light during the morning will lead to longer sleep and better sleep quality that night — leading to even more energy tomorrow morning!