I've got some work projects I'm working on that require a few hours of uninterrupted time to really hammer them out. I'm trying to create a morning schedule to help me find the time and really get some good work done:
Wake up and make coffee.
Pet the cat.
Read (or write) a book for 1/2 hour to an hour.
Work on the project for an hour to two hours.
Only then, check email.
This gets me a great start to the morning. It's nice to start the day with coffee and book. But it's really nice to start the day with coffee, a book, and then a couple hours on a good projects without the distraction of email. I finish the schedule feeling like I've really accomplished something and the whole day after it is better.