It is almost time to turn our clocks back and say goodbye to the long summer days. In fact, mark your calendars, November 2rd is Daylight Savings. Soon, shorter days and crisp fall weather will be upon us and it will be slightly more difficult to crawl out of bed in the dark, cool, early mornings; but, have no fear, with the help of your favorite latte of choice and these three helpful morning habits, you too can tackle the morning blues and remain successful everyday throughout the winter season!

So, how do you enhance your executive presence and remain highly successful despite the influence of dreary weather and lessening daylight? The following habits, adapted in slow increments, are your keys to elevating your image, presence, and success!

1. Wake up earlier. If you honestly asked yourself how many days a week you arrived to work early, looking sharp, feeling confident, and prepared to tackle any obstacle the day may present, what would you say? If you answered with anything less than five days a week, you are not alone, but my goal is to change your answer to an exclamatory “every day!”Did you know that by waking up a mere 15 minutes earlier than usual will ensure that you will feel more powerful, credible, confident, and less stressed for the remainder of the day? Trust me, your peers will take notice, respect your elevated presence, and treat you accordingly.Ultimately, our goal is to present the best versions of ourselves “consistently”. This will enhance your executive presence! One easy way
   you can do this is by waking up earlier than your last-minute alarm and gradually adjust to a time that best suits you and your needs to be prepared to look the part and to present the successful, confident, credible person that you are through your appearance.
2. Get moving. As we both know, the brisk mornings make it tough to peel away from our warm beds; we reluctantly unravel and bare the cold. Sometimes, we are not aware that our bundled-up, closed body language may carry itself into the workplace simply because we did not address our physical-mental presence first thing in the morning.One way to assure you are communicating open body language despite your desire to crawl back into your pajamas is to get your body moving as soon as you do get out of bed! Now, I am not mandating that you jump into a daily, hour-long, strenuous exercise regimen in order to be successful, but I am suggesting that do you get up and get your blood flowing for a duration that is comfortable to you.Exercise has proven to increase mental clarity, boost confidence, and combat stress. Start with adding 10 minutes of low-impact physical activity to your routine in the morning and increase the duration as you see fit. Moving can simply mean stretching, yoga, walking around the block, or dancing in the kitchen while you make breakfast! Dancing to two songs will literally start you off on the right foot to guarantee a successful day!
3. Schedule a meeting with yourself. Motivation is often times short lived. Even highly successful people need to recharge and refocus to achieve their goals. Odds are that you are more likely to complete a task when you are feeling invested and confident. So how do you replenish your motivation and assure that you are improving your executive presence?Schedule a meeting with yourself for an “hour of power.” Again, do not be intimidated by the time constraint, “10 minutes of power” is acceptable as long as it is sufficient for your needs. This may include listening to inspirational videos, reading empowering quotes, writing your goals down in a journal, and/or jotting down what you are thankful for every day.

The important aspect is that you are continuously investing in yourself. Now, “investing” can be buying an updated accessory or pair of socks or investing in your mind and spirit to assure you are taking the steps necessary to personally grow to be the best version of yourself.

Now, you may have just read these three morning habits of highly successful people, did the math, and realized that I just suggested that you to add another hour to your already hectic schedules. Do not shy away just yet; no one expects you to make drastic changes overnight. Absolutely, you can make small adjustments to your existing morning routine and gradually increase the duration and intensity. Each habit may only take you 10 minutes each and of course you can multitask! Wake up earlier, listen to your inspirational video, and exercise at the same time! Do whatever makes you feel that you are a priority, you are important, and you are successful.

Remember to set your clocks back November 2nd and may you all take the time to invest in yourself. You are worth it!