What are executive functioning skills?
Executive functioning skills are foundational for school and life. They allow us to coordinate and complete tasks. Like all skills, these must be taught, practiced, and developed at different stages and ages.
Such skill areas include planning, problem-solving, decision-making, following through, remembering, prioritizing, paying attention, regulating emotions and impulses, ignoring distractions, and staying flexible.
We rely on executive functioning throughout the school and work day, extracurricular activities, study and homework time, and family/social interactions.
Regardless of a person’s capability, if they struggle with executive functioning skills, they may have difficulty demonstrating their full potential and experience extra stress and mental load.
Existing skills and systems sometimes don’t work during transitions, and times of change can bring on various executive functioning challenges.
For many reasons, executive functioning skills are incredibly important to develop. Many schools intentionally incorporate these skills into instruction; however, some students will still need additional direct practice and support from caring adults like parents, teachers, or a learning coach. Some adults realize that they have always struggled with these skills, and life transitions or a new ADHD diagnosis motivates them to develop skills and systems for new demands.
It takes skills (and a lot of energy) to manage all of the things you have to do, much less do them…
These skills include:
Organization: keeping track of things, knowing what you have to do, deciding what’s important, following through
Time management: planning and prioritizing time, making decisions
Problem-solving: asking for help, using resources
Remembering: working memory, study/retention/processing skills
Paying and sustaining attention: limiting distractions, knowing what is important, taking notes.
Regulating emotions: preparing for work, using tools for frustration, asking for help, demonstrating tenacity, regulating feelings and impulses, using reward systems or charts, ignoring distractions, being honest with oneself about effort and performance, staying positive
Staying Flexible: using feedback, practicing adaptability, shifting gears efficiently
Challenges with these skills manifest in many ways.
People who struggle with executive functioning may:
…have messy materials and spaces.
…feel unmotivated.
…often forget materials, assignments, events, or responsibilities.
…complete part of a task, but leave some things unfinished.
…struggle to prioritize time and energy for what’s more pressing or important.
…become easily distracted, especially by technology.
…work inefficiently or take much longer than expected to complete work.
…have trouble seeing “the big picture” when studying complex material.
…need help starting tasks, especially longer-term projects or writing assignments.
…become frustrated, exhausted, or irritable during independent work time.
…spend adequate time preparing, but underperform.
—have trouble remembering what to do when working on assignments or doing chores.
…exhibit sensitivity and have trouble being aware of and managing emotions.
…feel scattered, often having difficulty prioritizing tasks to reach their goals.
…find it difficult to ask for help (for a large variety of reasons).
…feel like they are struggling but aren’t sure why.
…work hard but don’t get the outcomes they want.
…resist using tools or systems that might work for another student or adult.
…find it challenging to advocate for themselves with people they perceive are frustrated with their behavior.
I help hone skills and systems and teach tools to manage these challenges.
Learning Differences/Disabilities and Executive Functioning:
Through the process of an educational psychological evaluation, children and adults can be diagnosed with many different learning disabilities. As a part of this process, accommodations and interventions are recommended to target specific challenges and deficits. Some people are specifically diagnosed with an Executive Functioning Disorder (EFD). Almost all people diagnosed with ADHD will also benefit from executive functioning skill interventions (even those also using medication). An educational psychologist or therapist can recommend whether executive functioning coaching is a priority in your intervention plan.
Some people do not have a specific learning disability but need extra support with executive functioning skills, just as some might need support with a specific academic subject.