Rule for Health. Rule for Life.

I did an interview last week for Entrepreneurial Fit radio and my parting tip was "Exercise before email." While I had initially written that tip back in 2010, I hadn't used it much lately and over the last few days it is really growing on me.

In the context of the radio interview, I was talking about first thing in the morning. It is far too easy to end up in a place where checking email (or other social media) is the very first thing you do each morning. It is particularly easy for those of us (I'm guilty here) who keep our mobile phone by our bedside. Many mornings before my brain is fully awake, I'm plugging back into the grid and running through my email, Twitter and the Cybercise and Move.Eat.Be. Facebook pages. Inevitably, I'll get distracted by something and end up getting up late and having to rush through my morning exercise to get on with my day.

This is stupid. 

If there was anything so earth shattering that had happened overnight, I trust someone would have called me. And, yes, I'd answer the phone because it is next to my bed.

The exercise before email rule is a great thing to implement first thing in the morning, at least. Even if you only have time for 10 jumping jacks, a five minute yoga or stretching routine, 5 pushups or a walk around the block - it is something for your mind and body and doing so will get your day started on a better foot.

If you want to get really crazy with it, implement the rule for each hour of the day. Many people are realizing that email is a giant time suck and those smart people are transitioning to a "check email once per hour" or (egad) only four times a day. If you are one of the wise, brave souls who has cut the email cords and started such a system you could easily add an exercise before email practice into your life. Every time you hear the email bells ring, you could stop and do five minutes of exercise before checking your inbox. If there is anyone out there brave enough to try this, I would love to hear how it goes.

Seriously, we (by which I really am also guilty here) spend far too much time in front of our computers and far too little time moving our bodies. In fact, I'm sitting in front of my screen writing this on a lovely Sunday afternoon (I'm doing it for you, dear people).  Every small practice you start for your health matters and exercise before email is a great place to begin.

This week, I am going to religiously follow the exercise before email rule each morning. And for now, before I fall victim to whatever email is now sitting there waiting in my inbox, I'm going outside to walk my dog.

Happy Sunday!