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If you've noticed that our ezine looks different – you're right! We are going with a slightly different format this month. I hope you enjoy it and find some useful tips as well.

Several months ago I was a guest on a radio show where I was asked to describe the first hour of a leader's day. My immediate response to the host (and his listeners) was that a leader's first hour of the day really begins the night before.

When does your day start?

Is it when you wake up in the morning and begin your routine or does it start the night before when you create your "to do" list and organize your schedule, wardrobe and thoughts for the next day?

Successful people begin their day early and prepared. They wake up early, focused on the positive and ready to hit the ground running.

Why not start your day one step ahead of schedule? Instead of spending the first half-hour of the day planning what needs to be done, who you need to see and where you need to go, do all that the day before (perhaps before you leave work) or in the evening before you retire.

Managing your day this way gives you more time to get done what needs to be completed. By starting your day the "day before," you just saved yourself a good half-hour. And with demands coming at us from every angle, who can't use an extra 30 minutes every day? Planning your day ahead is also about good time management, which helps reduces stress and adds to positive thoughts, actions and results.

So the night before, get your "to do" list together and prioritize what absolutely needs to happen the next day. Check out what time you need to be at the office ... maybe you have an early meeting or a breakfast date with a prospect. Get your wardrobe together for the next day (I promise you it will save you more time than you think). You might need to dress differently for that early morning breakfast than you would if there were no meeting ... plan that ahead of time.

Now that you know your morning schedule, what time do you need to get to bed so you can wake up with time to work out (some people prefer evening for workouts), eat breakfast, get dressed, and check out what's going on in the world, and even leave the house without feeling rushed and harried?

Starting your day the night before needs to become a consistent and deliberate exercise. It needs to be an ongoing process we follow (no matter what) until it becomes a habit.

Once you conquer the new ritual, it becomes easy and the results will amaze you.

My best,

Linda Yaffe
Certified Executive Coach

WorkingMatters' principal, Linda Yaffe, a Leadership Development and Certified Executive Coach, uses her senior and executive level management experience to help you achieve your business and career goals.

Whether you are jump-starting a business, advancing your career, an executive or president, Linda’s coaching expertise will provide you with the essential focus, skills and behaviors needed to perform, advance and lead in today’s business environment.

As well, Linda works closely with companies like yours focused on "high potential grooming and leadership performance enhancement" geared toward your top talent and next generation of leaders.

Linda delivers bottom-line benefits to individuals and organizations focused on moving to the highest levels of learning, performance and achievement.

In addition to coaching, Linda delivers Leadership Workshops to small and large businesses.

Linda abides by the strict code of confidentiality and adheres to the highest standard of ethics in accordance with the International Coach Federation.

For more information, please contact Linda by email at LYaffe@WorkingMatters.com