CINCINNATI - s4story -- If you have asked a colleague or fellow professional the question "How are you?" whether at the actual or proverbial workplace water cooler, you've likely heard one of two responses: "I'm fine." or "Really busy!"

The startling reality couldn't be further from the truth.

Americans have never felt more disconnected, disengaged, and distracted than they are today.  These unprecedented stress levels in the wake of the last two years have left Americans feeling both overwhelmed and unproductive.

Most studies show employees are only productive for less than 3 hours a day and according to CNN, only 41% of Americans report being happy in their lives.

So how do leaders bridge this gap?

Busy is not synonymous with productive, just as fine does not carry the same energy or meaning as good or great. So why has busy become the default, the expectation, the status-quo amongst most Americans?

"In the last 12 months, whenever I begin a workshop or a keynote speech, I start by asking the audience how they differentiate between busy and productive.  That question almost always throws participants off; most of them haven't even taken the time to think through what busy actually means to them, nor how it differs from their goal of being productive.  As a former communications clinician, I believe semantics are extremely important and are the foundation for learning and for creating desired change."

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-Elisabeth Galperin

Escaping the thoughts of being busy and the feelings of overwhelm can be achieved, and business productivity expert, Elisabeth Galperin, teaches her signature ASCEND Method (simple, although not always easy) steps to flip the script and intentionally pursue and achieve peak productivity with consistency and confidence:

1. Advocate for Self: When you can start each day focused on self-care and well-being, you set the tone for the rest of your day & week.  Just 10-15 minutes each morning engaged in physical exercise, meditation, gratitude journaling, or even snuggling with the family pet can address the need for taking care of yourself so that you're primed for showing up as your best self the rest of the day.

1. Simplify your Focus: Newsflash: multitasking is a myth!  When you force your brain to focus on multiple things at once, it actually begins to task shift, which is exhausting and inefficient.  Strengthen your skill of uni-tasking and discover a new level of focus and efficiency.  

1. Communicate Boundaries:  Be specific and firm with those around you when it comes to your availability, work-load capacity, and other parameters that impact how these relationships work.  Need to close your office door for a few hours a week?  Provide open office hours to your team so they know when you are available to support them, along with the times you will not be. Ask what boundaries are important to them, so that both parties feel respected and have their needs met.  

1. Eliminate Distractions & Interruptions: Take stock of how often you are allowing internally-driven distractions and externally-driven interruptions to interfere with your workflow and productivity levels (the national average is every 11 minutes). Silence notifications, prioritize your needs and watch productivity soar.

1. Navigate Priorities Proactively: Time management is actually decision & priority management, and requires an upfront investment of time and strategy. Dedicate time at the start of each week and at the start of each day to identify your top three priorities. Then schedule time blocks into your calendar for appointments with others and with yourself in order to execute on those high-priority tasks and projects.  

1. Develop Systems:   A system can be as simple as following the same routine in the bathroom each morning to ensure you get out the door on time each day, or as complex as a 30-day new hire onboarding process that successfully trains & acclimates a new company employee. Either way, the more systems you have in place, the fewer game-time decisions you have to make and the more streamlined and consistent your workflow and output will be.  Systematize to organize!

"Regardless of whether I am working with a brand new entrepreneur & his start-up or a C-level seasoned professional and her team, these are the fundamentals that, once mastered, can make the greatest impact on both the individual's productivity levels and the company's profitability. -Elisabeth Galperin

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The next time you respond to the question, "How are you?"  be sure to choose your response carefully, and if you have implemented the six steps above, you can answer with the clarity and confidence of a peak performer.

About Elisabeth Galperin

Elisabeth is a nationally-recognized speaker, consultant and creator of the ASCEND Method who is passionate about helping professionals perform at their peak & reach their potential in all facets of life. She works collaboratively with business leaders to improve personal habits, define & implement business systems, increase productivity & consistently perform at their peak - while avoiding burn-out and overcoming overwhelm.

Contact Elisabeth directly at Elisabeth@peakproductivitycoaching.com.