How many hours a day are you in your office? If it’s more than you care to share, than your office needs to be a place not only of work … but of refuge.

Take a minute and think of 5 key words you’d like to use to describe your office. For example, you might want to describe it as inviting, cozy, tidy, intuitive and organized. These 5 key words are the goals on which you can now take action.

NOW, HERE ARE THE TOP FIVE TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED:

1. CLEAR THE MIND AND CLEAR THE DESK

Excluding your computer and phone, clear off the top of your desk. Put everything in a box (you’ll use this box later so keep it handy!). Wipe your desk down and get rid of all those nasty dust bunnies.

2. USE A WORKING SYSTEM

To keep your desk tidy and useable for the long run, you need a working system. Ask yourself these primer questions. Do you need:

Now set up these different “stations” on the top of your desk or in certain areas of your office and keep those spaces dedicated. Remember, overlaps cause confusion and mayhem.

3. THINKING OUT OF THE BOX (LITERALLY!)

Now go back to the box you used in Tip #1 and take out every item and put it in it’s ‘new’ place. File items that need to be filed, toss items that are no longer needed and delegate anything you can.

4. TAME YOUR EMAIL

Take time to organize and purge your inbox. Set up folders for only those areas and subject matter you use most often. If you can, your email folders should correspond with the names of your real world files and folders (this will save you time trying to find things later). Delete emails you no longer need. Unsubscribe from newsletters you no longer read. Be ruthless.

GIT Bonus point: Learn how to setup email filters for certain emails that you want to keep but don’t need to immediately access. Have the filter redirect the email to the folders you created in Tip # 4.

5. START AN END OF WORK DAY RITUAL

Now that your office is organized and you have your systems in place, it’s time to institute a new personal policy. Take 15 minutes at the end of each work day to clear off your desk, put things back and set-up for the next morning. This will make your office and desk so much more inviting.

To make this a habit, schedule this as an end of day appointment so you remember to do it! After 20 days, it will be hard not to do!

Don’t let your office become a dumping ground for you or others. Keep those 5 key words handy. Now that you’ve dreamed them – live them!

Don’t delay, start today. Getting started (and Getting It Together) is where it all begins.

Feeling overwhelmed? Contact Rowena List at www.gettingitogether.ca or 604-520-9550 for a complimentary 30 minute phone consultation. Booking a purging and organizing session with Rowena can be done at the same contact info.

Announcements

Watch a podcast!

getting it together with Rowena List

This podcast with Rowena discusses strategies that will help you stay on top of the tsunami of information coming at you in the form of email, voicemail and all those social networking updates.

Watch the Podcast Now

Referral Program

Whether you are a client or not, Rowena would like to thank you for your referrals by offering a referral fee for any new client you send her way.

She’ll give you a cheque for 10% of the total bill or that same amount off your next newly booked session with her. That means that if you refer a client who books an image organizing session worth $400, then you get $40. That’s a free night at the movies!

This offer is time limited so don’t wait…refer away.

The 1 to 31 Organizing System™

Have you ever wondered how Rowena keeps on top of her hectic schedule. The key to her success is the 1 to 31 Organizing System™. It has been the base for her business and personal life for over 20 years and has proven to be a great asset.

Because of this, she wants to bring this organizing system to all you Moms, entrepreneurs, business people or anyone who desparately needs to be organized.

One customer said:

“The 1to31 has helped me enormously. I used to have bills, invitations, cards, lists and reminders stuck all over my fridge. I felt overwhelmed by the clutter and would miss important dates. The 1to31 helps me feel in control of my life’s events and keeps everything together. I wouldn’t be without it.”

.

Amanda Baggett
Sales Trainer, Education Services
Research in Motion

The system is so easy to use, that it will become second nature within a few days. Once you get started you’ll wonder how you ever managed (or didn’t manage) without it. For more information click here.

The 1 to 31 Organizing System™ is available now by contacting Rowena here.

Rowena List is an Image Organizer™, motivational speaker, CD author, writer, trainer and mentor in the fields of personal and business development. Based on her own personal trade secrets, Rowena provides training, coaching, tools and support for creating healthy reflections from the outside in. She focuses on “enhancing faces and clearing spaces” to provide the energy, productivity and confidence that are the foundations for her unique approach to Success Without Struggle™.

For article permissions, more information on Image Organizing™, on booking Rowena for a presentation or a one-on-one or on Getting It Together please contact her here.

Top Ten tips

1. Wash all vegetables as soon as you get home from shopping and before you put them away in the fridge. Cut up carrots and celery in ready to go containers.
2. Have “master” shopping list. Make copies of the blank master and store in your 1to31 Organizing System™.
3. Prepare large portions of soups and stews and freeze in smaller portions appropriate to your family’s needs.
4. Make lunches the night before.
5. Plan meals for the week and put them on your weekly plan sheet. (Check out the 1to31 Organizing System™ for more information on this.)
6. Buy bulk nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Put together small portions to have on hand at work or for school lunch bags. Having snacks at works will stop you from being tempted by the vending machines.
7. Organize and fill your water bottles the night before.
8. Write the date on the lid at the time you open your condiments. This will really help you out when clearing out your fridge of expired items.
9. Take 15 minutes to clear out your spice cabinet of all old unused spices. Keep only the fresh ones.
10. Take 15 minutes and clear out your pantry of all old outdated items, any old junk food, any old partially opened packages and any items that you are not sure what they are.

For more detailed information on how to get organized or how to be more organized contact Rowena List.

Announcements

The Out-Smarts – Smart Strategies For Outstanding Internet Marketing Podcast

This podcast with Rowena discusses strategies that will help you stay on top of the tsunami of information coming at you in the form of email, voicemail and all those social networking updates.

Watch the Podcast Now

Referral Program

Whether you are a client or not, Rowena would like to thank you for your referrals by offering a referral fee for any new client you send her way.

She’ll give you a cheque for 10% of the total bill or that same amount off your next newly booked session with her. That means that if you refer a client who books an image organizing session worth $400, then you get $40. That’s a free night at the movies!

This offer is time limited so don’t wait…refer away.

The 1 to 31 Organizing System™

Have you ever wondered how Rowena keeps on top of her hectic schedule. The key to her success is the 1 to 31 Organizing System™. It has been the base for her business and personal life for over 20 years and has proven to be a great asset.

Because of this, she wants to bring this organizing system to all you Moms, entrepreneurs, business people or anyone who desparately needs to be organized.

One customer said:

“The 1to31 has helped me enormously. I used to have bills, invitations, cards, lists and reminders stuck all over my fridge. I felt overwhelmed by the clutter and would miss important dates. The 1to31 helps me feel in control of my life’s events and keeps everything together. I wouldn’t be without it.”

.

Amanda Baggett
Sales Trainer, Education Services
Research in Motion

The system is so easy to use, that it will become second nature within a few days. Once you get started you’ll wonder how you ever managed (or didn’t manage) without it. For more information click here.

The 1 to 31 Organizing System™ is available now by contacting Rowena.

Rowena List is an Image Organizer™, motivational speaker, CD author, writer, trainer and mentor in the fields of personal and business development. Based on her own personal trade secrets, Rowena provides training, coaching, tools and support for creating healthy reflections from the outside in. She focuses on “enhancing faces and clearing spaces” to provide the energy, productivity and confidence that are the foundations for her unique approach to Success Without Struggle™.

For article republishing permission, more information on Image Organizing™, on booking Rowena for a presentation or a one-on-one or on Getting It Together please contact her here.

Dedicated to all the people who
would like to simplify their lives just a little bit more

Have you ever suddenly remembered you had to do something or pay a bill, and couldn’t find the information anywhere in that pile of papers on your counter or desk?

It is amazing that in this highly electronic age we still receive physical, hard copy mail. But since we do, we thought we’d offer up some Together Tips on how to deal with those papers that seem to lie around and pile up.

When it comes to your mail you will want to adopt the “Deal with it, delegate it or dump it” philosophy.

Deal With It

Let’s start with the first one. Collect your mail from the box when you have 2 minutes to deal with it. Let’s face it you can not leave your mail in there all week so you may have to set aside time twice a week that you are going to collect your mail and deal with it.

Try to handle each piece of mail once if at all possible. Recycle all junk mail right away if you have not signed up for the “Red Dot” program. Next you will want to file your bills, birthday invitations etc in a system that you have set up for yourself.

If you do not have a system set up then I would recommend the 1to31 organizing binder. www.1to31.com This system allows you to file bills, birthday invitations, school announcements etc under the appropriate date that you will need to DEAL with them.

There is no need to pay bills until the day they are due. By being organized with your mail you will avoid the pitfalls of having piles of unopened mail all over your kitchen counter or top of your desk.

Delegate It

Can you delegate any of the mail tasks? Setting up prepaid authorization payments is the best way of delegating your bill payments. Is there someone in your household that can help you out with some of these tasks?

Dump It

Dump all junk mail. Better yet, sign up for the RED DOT program at www.reddotcampaign.ca and you will never receive junk mail again. While you are at it, why not sign up with Canada Post to have all your bills sent to you electronically. There is a link from the Red Dot site. You may also want to think about taking your name and address off store flyers/catalogues. So much of this information can be found online now. Just think of the trees and money you will be saving too.

Next time you go to your mail box try these simple tips and see how much time you will save. What will you do with that extra time?

For more detailed information on how to get organized or how to be more organized contact Rowena List.

Announcements

Referral Program

Whether you are a client or not, Rowena would like to thank you for your referrals by offering a referral fee for any new client you send her way.

She’ll give you a cheque for 10% of the total bill or that same amount off your next newly booked session with her. That means that if you refer a client who books an image organizing session worth $400, then you get $40. That’s a free night at the movies!

This offer is time limited so don’t wait…refer away.

The 1 to 31 Organizing System™

Have you ever wondered how Rowena keeps on top of her hectic schedule. The key to her success is the 1 to 31 Organizing System™. It has been the base for her business and personal life for over 20 years and has proven to be a great asset.

Because of this, she wants to bring this organizing system to all you Moms, entrepreneurs, business people or anyone who desparately needs to be organized.

One customer said:

“The 1to31 has helped me enormously. I used to have bills, invitations, cards, lists and reminders stuck all over my fridge. I felt overwhelmed by the clutter and would miss important dates. The 1to31 helps me feel in control of my life’s events and keeps everything together. I wouldn’t be without it.”

Amanda Baggett
Sales Trainer, Education Services
Research in Motion

The system is so easy to use, that it will become second nature within a few days. Once you get started you’ll wonder how you ever managed (or didn’t manage) without it. For more information click here.

The 1 to 31 Organizing System™ is available now by contacting Rowena.

Rowena List is an Image Organizer™, motivational speaker, CD author, writer, trainer and mentor in the fields of personal and business development. Based on her own personal trade secrets, Rowena provides training, coaching, tools and support for creating healthy reflections from the outside in. She focuses on “enhancing faces and clearing spaces” to provide the energy, productivity and confidence that are the foundations for her unique approach to Success Without Struggle™.

For article republishing permission, more information on Image Organizing™, on booking Rowena for a presentation or a one-on-one or on Getting It Together please contact her here.

Here we are – another year. Let us for once not talk about resolutions, instead let’s talk about the next stage in your life.

I have encountered many women who are searching for something more, something different than what their life offers them now. Your life circumstances or situation might have changed, and now you ask yourself, what do I really want for myself?

Are you ready to break out of your current image, and go beyond –  even if just a little?

Where are You at Now?

Take time to think about the direction you would like your life to move in. By answering the following questions you will be able to see if it is time to move on:

1. Do you lack passion for your job?
2. On a day-to-day basis are you just going through the motions?
3. Is something gnawing at you?
4. Do you have problems letting go of old beliefs?
5. Do you often ask yourself “there must be more” or “is this all there is?”
6. Do you admire people who have made a bold move?

If you answered ‘yes’ to even one of the above questions it may be time to look at your life and start thinking about making some changes.

Simple Techniques to Get You Going

1. Take some time (a vacation, a long walk) and allow yourself to really think about what your life would look like if ___________________ (make it up, what do you really desire?).
2. Seek the guidance and help of experts. There are countless programs out there to find out “who you are” and “what you want to do”.
3. Write the following on a slip of paper and put it somewhere you will see it often. This will encourage you every day to make the right changes and choices. “Life is not a dress rehearsal so go out there and give it your best shot. The pain of staying the same has to be greater than the pain of change.”
4. Jot down your thoughts and feelings to the following questions:

• Think about if money were no object, how would you spend your days?
• Ask yourself “what is holding me back from making a change?”
• Above all, ask yourself this: “If I knew I could not fail what would I do?”

This is the time of year that is best for you to go out and make a change. You are motivated, you are ready. Seek support amongst your family and friends, hire professionals to help you get organized, and most of all, trust in yourself. It’s worth it; you only have one lifetime to live your dreams.

For assistance with developing your thoughts a little more in this area feel free to contact Rowena at 604.436.6008 to book an Image Organizing™ session.

Announcements

Referral Program

Whether you are a client or not, Rowena would like to thank you for your referrals by offering a referral fee for any new client you send her way.

She’ll give you a cheque for 10% of the total bill or that same amount off your next newly booked session with her. That means that if you refer a client who books an image organizing session worth $400, then you get $40. That’s a free night at the movies!

This offer is time limited so don’t wait…refer away.

The 1 to 31 Organizing System™

Have you ever wondered how Rowena keeps on top of her hectic schedule. The key to her success is the 1 to 31 Organizing System™. It has been the base for her business and personal life for over 20 years and has proven to be a great asset.

Because of this, she wants to bring this organizing system to all you Moms, entrepreneurs, business people or anyone who desparately needs to be organized.

One customer said:

“The 1to31 has helped me enormously. I used to have bills, invitations, cards, lists and reminders stuck all over my fridge. I felt overwhelmed by the clutter and would miss important dates. The 1to31 helps me feel in control of my life’s events and keeps everything together. I wouldn’t be without it.”

Amanda Baggett
Sales Trainer, Education Services
Research in Motion

The system is so easy to use, that it will become second nature within a few days. Once you get started you’ll wonder how you ever managed (or didn’t manage) without it. For more information click here.

The 1 to 31 Organizing System™ is available at www.1to31.com or by contacting Rowena here.

Rowena List is an Image Organizer™, motivational speaker, CD author, writer, trainer and mentor in the fields of personal and business development. Based on her own personal trade secrets, Rowena provides training, coaching, tools and support for creating healthy reflections from the outside in. She focuses on “enhancing faces and clearing spaces” to provide the energy, productivity and confidence that are the foundations for her unique approach to Success Without Struggle™.

For article republishing permission, more information on Image Organizing™, on booking Rowena for a presentation or a one-on-one or on Getting It Together please contact her here.