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Course Title:	How to Be Organized (In SPite of Yourself!)
Instructor:	Sarah Salas
Curriculum:	9 units, plus Syllabus and Final Exam
Time Required:	4-6 weeks
Textbooks:	None
Prerequisites:	None. All students may enroll in this class
CEU Eligibility:	Students who pass an exam will earn 2 CEUs
Course Fee:	$15.00
Start Date:	No waiting...Enroll now and start learning today!

We all know that beneath the piles of mismatched socks, forgotten bills and lost keys lies a beautifully rewarding life — if only we had more time and energy to enjoy it. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Lost time is never found again.” When we have too many possessions, misguided priorities, and shuffle our junk heaps from one room to the next instead of throwing stuff out, we are in essence robbing years and happiness from our lives! (This course was previously offered at VU and has been fully updated and reformatted.)

How to Be Organized (In Spite of Yourself!) is more than a course about time management and clutter control. It is about prioritizing what is truly important in your life and liberating yourself from what is not. With instructor Sara Salas as your guide, learn how to break out of a lifetime of bad habits and time-wasting behavior. This course will reward you many times over as you find yourself once again able to enjoy the simple pleasures in life: family, friends, and more time to do the things you most enjoy.

When you have completed this course, you should be able to:

• Understand the meaning and importance of Time Management
• Identify your Personal Organization Style
• Improve your Space Management Style
• Learn how to minimize interruptions and distractions
• Streamline your work habits and be more productive
• Recognize and avoid detrimental effects of disorganization
• Identify the real time wasters in your daily life
• Plan your work and leisure activities more efficiently
• Learn practical tips for reducing stress
• Create the best office design and layout for your needs
• Eliminate clutter from your home and workspace
• Better understand elements of spatial design and layout
• Efficiently handle paper files, email, voice mail, and other day-to-day activities
• Explore the personal side of office dynamics
• Delegate work to others without feeling guilty
• Streamline household chores and maintenance
• Reduce stress in the home and get family members involved in household chores
• Develop a Home Calendar and Family Schedules
• Create more time for recreation, relaxation, and vacations
• Plan and implement your short-term and long-term life goals
• Know the difference between a dream and a goal

Sara Salas is a freelance writer, licensed insurance agent, and she operates a traditional business and several home-based businesses. Her writing appears on numerous web sites, and she is the Hispanic culture guide for Bellaonline.com, a popular Web community.

After receiving a BS in Community Studies from the University of Massachusetts Boston, Sarah held administrative positions in a variety of fields. Currently, she is working on a Masters in global History with a concentration in Latin American Studies.

"I enjoy reading, traveling, and dancing — I love to Merengue!" Sarah says. "One of my favorite things to do is learn about new things – I am a total geek! I love the History Channel and I'm totally into theology."

Sarah lives in Ohio with her husband and her "favorite person in the world," her five-year-old son Robert.

Syllabus: Getting Started (Course Syllabus)

Unit 1: Tackle the Basics of Time Management

Unit 2: Rescue Yourself from Time Wasters

Unit 3: Discover Your Own Personal Organizational Style

Unit 4: How to Be Organized at School

Unit 5: Time Management in the Workplace

Unit 6: Your Home is Your Castle

Unit 7: Children, Family and Stress

Unit 8: Life Goals and Long-Term Planning

Unit 9: Tools for Organization or Disorganization?

Unit 10: Final Exam

Enroll and start learning today! All course materials will be available when you start the class, so you don't have to wait for weekly lessons and you can truly learn at your own pace. You don't have to be online at any set time; study at your leisure from the comfort or your home or office.

The course curriculum will include tutorial lessons, suggested readings, and optional homework activities. If you are taking the class for enjoyment or self-enrichment, homework is optional but participation is encouraged. Students who approach online learning as an adventure and actively participate will derive the most benefit and enjoyment from online learning. Homework projects, if completed satisfactorily, will earn Extra Credit points which will be added to your Final Exam score and may increase the overall grade you earn in the course.

The Student Handbook provides useful information on how to make the most of your online learning experience at KSURF's Virtual University. Refer to this guide for helpful tips on how to access classrooms, post homework, and answers to most frequently asked questions.