I'm adopting a similar strategy to cornishsimon for a forthcoming ex-EUR (my first ever!). Planning to fly to Milan the day before (maybe even two days before and work from our Milan office), and then on the day, I'm booked on the LIN-LHR flight which leaves one further flight before my longhaul. And I'm booked on the earlier of the two longhaul's that day, allowing options if there are issues.

Coming back, I'm swithering between a straight turnaround (having dumped checked luggage at LHR), or the flight after. Will also book a safety-net late flight back to LHR (only EUR45 in econowot).