Barbara Hemphill

In past podcasts, you may have heard me list four questions you can use to determine whether something is “organized.”

1. Does it work?
2. Do you like it?
3. Does it work for the others it effects?
4. Can you recover quickly?

This week I’m suggesting you apply those questions to your calendar or planner system. Listen as I discuss how to apply the 5-Step Productive Environment Process to your calendar.
Podcast Duration: 04:38 (MM:SS)

A few days ago a member of our extended family was killed suddenly in a car accident. He lived on the other side of the country from the rest of his family. Without warning, the family was left to make all the arrangements with very little information. The pain of the unexpected loss is compounded by significant and unnecessary expense to gather all the necessary information.

Have you ever hired someone to help improve an area of your business -- or your life -- and then stopped working with them before you got the results you really wanted? I have. Recently I have had conversations with a couple of clients who had that experience with my services, and I realize it’s all about accountability of the people involved.   Listen as I go through five strategies you can use to be accountable and accomplish your goals. Podcast Duration: 03:50 (MM:SS)

Last week I had a hectic travel schedule with just one day home to prepare for leaving again the next day to spend a week visiting my Mom in the nursing home in Nebraska. On my way back from New Jersey, my husband called and said, “There’s a movie you really need to see. You’ll like it. It’s called Hugo.” At first the idea seemed incredulous because of time restraints. On my only day in town, I had scheduled four meetings, and needed to pack to leave the next day. Then I remembered all the information I’ve been reading and writing lately regarding the power of “rejuvenation.”

How many times in a week do you say to yourself -- or to someone else -- “I really need to organize these files?”  If your answer is “Never!” you can skip listening to the rest of this podcast, but if you’re like thousands of people around the world, the need to organize paper or electronic files someplace in your personal or professional life never seems to go away. Listen as I share 5 steps to organizing paper success. Podcast Duration: 04:13 (MM:SS)

OK, it’s “true confessions” time... At the beginning of the year, I identified that the most important thing for me to accomplish in 2012 was to get more sleep, and I used PEI’s 5-step process to outline my intention:

1. State Your Vision
2. Identify Your Obstacle
3. Commit Your Resources
4. Design Your Plan
5. Maintain Your Success

In Step 4, I wrote that I would record the number of hours of sleep I got each night in my Planner Pad. Then, at the end of the quarter I would access my progress, but I've decided in my own best interest, I was going to check my progress at the end of the first 30 days. I did, and the results were disappointing to say the least.

One of the primary productivity principles on which the Productive Environment Institute operates is "Today's mail is tomorrow's pile". Recently, I've had several experiences and conversations which demonstrated the significance of this principle and how it affects organizing paper. Listen as I share how a SYSTEM that helps you to avoid tomorrow's pile. Podcast Duration: 03:48 (MM:SS)

Information drives business and your ability to accomplish any task or goal is directly related to your ability to find what you need, when you need it.  Listen as I share some of the key challenges to managing information in your organization and how to know if your organization needs a better system for managing information. Podcast Duration: 04:12 (MM:SS) Transcript Also Available.

When I was growing up on the farm in Nebraska, my piano was my best friend. My mother said she could tell what kind of day I had had at school by what I was playing when she came home from work! Sitting on that piano bench, I poured out my emotions from elation to devastation. Years later, when I went through my divorce, and felt so devastated I couldn't pray, I would sit at the piano and play hymns to God.

In 1988 I wrote my first book Taming the Paper Tiger in response to clients continual question “How long do I keep...” You can fill in the blank with everything from expired insurance policies to children’s artwork. Unfortunately, nearly a quarter of a century later, paper continues to be the #1 organizing problem in American households. Listen as I share 6 tips for organizing paper at home. Podcast Duration: 05:03 (MM:SS)

Bertie Forbes, founder of Forbes magazine is quoted as saying, “History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.” Research shows that 70% of people who make New Year’s resolutions have abandoned them before the end of the month. The cause: discouragement.

Since January is “National Get Organized Month,” I've had several opportunities to speak to the media. It has reminded me of how important it is to be prepared for such an event. One of the best ways to promote any product, service, or passion is through the media, so I thought I’d share some ideas with you today.  Listen as I share 10 communication basics to help you prepare for a media opportunity. Podcast Duration: 04:03 (MM:SS)