What is Executive Functioning?
Executive functioning refers to all of the skills that help us plan, manage, and execute the long- and short-term tasks of life. Executive functioning is an integrated set of mental processes which govern our ability to control our impulses and general behavior, and help us make sound decisions in our lives.
Executive functioning is an umbrella term for a skill set which assists us in setting reasonable goals, making plans, and following through on plans in the most logical way. This includes understanding the best order of operations when approaching a multi-step task, and using this ability to complete any plan or task.
Executive functioning also allows us to stay organized and focused, and to ultimately make decisions that are productive and aligned with our goals. People with ADHD and other types of neurodivergence frequently experience a high degree of executive dysfunction, but people considered neurotypical may also experience some level of executive dysfunction in one or more domains.
Important Skills Related to Executive Functioning
Executive functioning includes many interrelated skills which allow people to manage their lives and achieve fulfillment in various domains. These skills include:
- Setting goals
- Planning
- Initiating action
- Regulating emotions and reactions
- Focusing on tasks
- Organizing materials
- Prioritizing tasks
- Managing time
- Solving problems
- Thinking flexibly and laterally
- Recalling important information
- Noticing details
- Adapting to changes
Why Does Executive Functioning Matter?
Effective executive functioning skills are critically important for teenagers and adults because being a successful person requires one to set goals, make reasonable decisions, manage time and resources, and plan and execute various tasks. Being able to do any complex task means knowing what to do and when to do it, and executive functioning governs this ability.
Writing a research paper is an example of an academic task which necessitates executive function skills. In order to successfully complete a paper according to directions and turn it in on time, students must have more than writing skills; they need to be able to follow directions, break a large project into its smaller components, manage their time and meet deadlines, and organize their information, among others.
This is often why students who seem and are very capable have trouble with this type of task. Often, people struggle with some aspect of executive functioning such as initiating the work, maintaining focus, or thinking flexibly if the situation, such as a thesis, requires modification.
Many individuals also struggle to do things in the correct or most reasonable order, which I call “order of operations”. Order of operations here does not refer to PEMDAS, but rather the process of thinking through and correctly ordering the series of smaller tasks needed to accomplish a greater objective.
Whether it’s as seemingly simple as cooking a meal, or as complex as applying to college or graduate school, many people struggle to do things in the order which is most feasible, efficient, and effective.
Time management is another critical skill under the executive functioning umbrella. Most people know someone who is chronically late and tends to underestimate how long things will take. This has obvious negative impacts on academic success, as assignments need to be turned in on time and students need to allot enough time to each class’ work and other responsibilities. Chronic lateness and time mismanagement also take a toll on relationships, as people may start to be viewed as unreliable, disrespectful, and not worth making plans with.
Many very smart individuals can become lost and overwhelmed in the process of trying to plan and execute a task, and some shut down entirely. Executive functioning skills come into play in all areas of our lives, our work, and our relationships.
How to Improve Executive Function
Does your life feel out of control, as if you always have the best of intentions but can’t execute things as you envision? The first step to making change requires self-awareness and commitment to improve executive functioning skills.
There are various evidence-based strategies to develop and strengthen these cognitive processes, from breaking down tasks into smaller parts, to using SMART goals and maintaining a calendar system. Since executive functioning is an umbrella term for a large set of interrelated but distinct skills, each strategy and approach will be different.
As an example, some people struggle extensively with time management- the ability to be on-time for various life events-while others have no difficulty with time management but do struggle with cognitive flexibility- the ability to adapt to changes and adjust one’s thinking as new information becomes available.
This is why individualized coaching from Alex or another skilled professional is so effective as a means to improve executive functioning skills. One-on-one coaching enables Alex to build a strong rapport with clients and target the specific skills and areas unique to each person’s needs and goals, and to develop individualized strategies accordingly.
Some of the most effective tools for improving executive functioning are external or structural, such as timers, calendars, graphic organizers, and flow charts. Others are internal and metacognitive, and require increased self-awareness and work on impulse control, cognitive flexibility, and other mental processes through self-talk, visualization, and other proven methods.
Lifestyle factors cannot be overlooked when discussing executive functioning deficits. A growing body of evidence suggests that diet plays a critical role in aspects of executive functioning, as it does in other brain health issues and neurocognitive disorders.
A healthier diet focused on nutrient-dense whole and minimally processed foods will give anyone the best chance of getting their executive functioning skills to a higher baseline than they were previously. Some research also indicates that exercise can help people improve their executive functioning skills, which is yet another reason to prioritize movement if you aren’t already doing so consistently.
If you struggle with multiple aspects of your life, including school, work, and/or relationships, you may be experiencing executive functioning challenges without realizing it. Executive functioning deficits can affect many aspects of our lives.