In this newsletter:•   VALERIE'S TIP: The most effective way to use lists
•One-day Excel workshops in February: From Basic to Advanced
•PAUL'S LIFEHACK: Create an instant slideshow with your photos
•QUICK CLICK - Forget scrolling, get to the right page instantly
•One-day Word workshops in February: for all levels
•WIN: Richard Branson’s book "Business Stripped Bare"

Lists are the cornerstone of productivity. However, are you using lists in the most effective way?

Most people write their "to do" lists outlining everything that needs to be done that day or week. That’s certainly useful and experts say that you are at least 25% more productive when you use lists.

However, if you’re a list-maker but find yourself still feeling overwhelmed with all the things you have to do, you may be caught up in the minutiae of your tasks. Instead, here’s what I suggest:

• Take a birds-eye view and map out what needs to be done over the entire year. If a year is too long then do it over a six- or three-month period. This will depend on the types of projects you’re involved in.
• So get out your calendar and create these big picture goals or project deadlines. Then reverse engineer the whole process. In other words, work backwards!
• Work backwards and start filling in the tasks that need to be done in order for you to complete your projects in the time you’ve allocated. 
• This way, you have a clear timeline for every project laid out for you and you are not just creating a list by reacting to what feels urgent at the time.
• You still end up with a daily "to do" list but it’s one that has been strategically created, with a clear outcome in mind.
  

When I started creating my lists this way, it transformed my productivity. I highly recommend it!


One-day Excel workshops in February: From Basic to Advanced
There are two courses to choose from depending on your experience:

Microsoft Excel 2007 course - Basic to Intermediate - 19 February 2009
This seminar is ideal if you have basic Excel skills but want to build on them to get more out of the software. You'll harness the power of Excel to double your productivity.

You'll learn intermediate formatting, charting, and worksheet operations, as well as the use of complex analytical tools. You'll also learn time-saving features such as combining worksheets, automation, simple PivotTables and how to use macros.

When: Thursday 19 February 2009
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $325 (includes GST)
You will receive a comprehensive take-home manual.

Click here to receive a comprehensive course outline. Or enrol here.

Microsoft Excel 2007 course - Advanced - 12 February 2009
Would you like to be a power user of Excel? This is ideal if you want to develop advanced skills that will really help you unlock the full potential of what Excel can do.

You’ll learn the more advanced features of Excel including advanced anaylsis tools, especially pivot tables, Solver. You’ll learn outlining and summarising, as well as key automation features such as macros.

When: Thursday 12 February 2009
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $325 (includes GST)
You will receive a comprehensive take-home manual.

Click here to receive a comprehensive course outline. Or enrol here.



PAUL’S LIFEHACK: Create an instant slideshow with your photosIf you have some holidays snaps you want to show off. Or some pictures of your work colleagues that you’d like to compile for the next work conference, you can do this in a matter of seconds.

You can create a photo album slideshow in PowerPoint.
You can import photos directly from your camera into an animated slideshow; complete with borders and effects - in just a few clicks.

All you have to do is:
•    Select the Insert Tab Sheet.
•    Choose Photo album.
•    Browse to the folder that contains your holiday snaps and select your favourites.
•    Click Insert and each photo will appear on a new slide.

Now run the slideshow (F5) and relive those moments!

QUICK CLICK - Forget scrolling, Just Go Go Go. If you have a long document and know that you want to get to a certain page - say page 47 - easily, you don’t have to scroll all the way to page 47. You can get there instantly with:

One-day Word workshops in February: for all levelsThere are two courses to choose from depending on your experience:

Microsoft Word - Intermediate - 26 February 2009
So you know the very basics of Word. But there's just so much more that you could do with Word - if only you knew exactly which functions would make the most difference to your job. This workshop will make you a confident and competent user of Word.

The Intermediate course covers skills such as:

    * formatting documents
    * creating tables and lists
    * mastering merging, envelopes and sections.
    * document automation through the use of fields, forms, and macros
    * document change tracking and protection
    * and much more

You'll walk away with practical tips that you'll be able to use straight away to double your productivity and create professional looking Word documents.

When: Thursday 26 February 2009
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $325 (includes GST)
You will receive a comprehensive take-home manual.

Click here to receive a comprehensive course outline. Or enrol here.

Microsoft Word - Advanced - 18 February 2009
After this workshop, you'll become a power user of Word. You'll learn tools and functions in Word that you probably didn't even know you could use. Most importantly, we'll show you practical ways to use them in your work.

You'll leave with advanced skills in using Word including:

    * how to create master documents
    * integrating with Excel spreadsheets
    * creating bookmarks
    * advanced document structures
    * mastering SmartArt to create useful graphics such as organisational charts
    * automating text to save you hours of work
    * and much more.

When: Wednesday 18 February 2009
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $325 (includes GST)
You will receive a comprehensive take-home manual.

Click here to receive a comprehensive course outline. Or enrol here