I run once or twice a week. There are some people who love running, who just don’t feel themselves if they haven’t been for their morning run. People who have some sort of chemical imbalance that only rights itself with painful exercise.

I’m not one of those people. I’d rather go to a group exercise class with my trainer, or an Aikido class … or just about any thing else to be honest … but running is great because I can get my heart rate up and crack a sweat in 20 minutes. And often that’s all the time I have.

Where I live is quite hilly. Very hilly really. And it used to do my head in. I’d be running up a hill thinking perhaps I should walk, it’s a steep hill and it would be completely reasonable to walk at this point, or maybe when I get to the next lamp post I’ll walk for a while, no Pete, don’t be soft, you’ve only just started. There was this non-stop chatter in my head about when it would be OK to walk for a bit.

Then I implemented the no walking rule. When I’m running, I’m running. I’m not allowed to walk. I can run fast or slow, but I run.

And it’s amazing how effectively that’s quietened down the chatter in my head.

I think I could apply the same principle to my work. I’m going to test:

The no internet rule – when I’m working on a project that doesn’t absolutely need the internet, no disappearing down a www tunnel.
The no email rule – no checking for new emails whenever I’m looking for a distraction.
The no answering the phone rule – no answering the phone if I’m writing or focusing on something important.

When I go away somewhere with no phone or internet I’m frighteningly productive … perhaps I can recreate some of that at work.

Love to hear your thoughts and experience. What’s your equivalent of the no running rule? You can leave your comments below.