The term “executive function” is starting to be a buzz word that I keep hearing. Officially the term Executive Functioning means ” The executive functions are a set of processes that all have to do with managing oneself and one’s resources in order to achieve a goal. It is an umbrella term for the neurologically-based skills involving mental control and self-regulation. “

I first started hearing about this when both of my kids got to middle school. They both have ADHD and struggling with Executive Functioning is part of their challenges. For my son, bringing home and then turning in homework is always a struggle. He would work all night and do a great job at homework but then not turn it in. Most of the time his grades do not reflect his ability to learn but his disability with executive functioning. For my daughter she is very social and makes friends easily but does not keep them long. These are both good examples of executive functions.

Here are others:

• Working memory
• Flexibility
• Self control
• Task Initiation
• Organizing

In researching ways to help Robbie and Arika, I have found almost all of us have some challenges with executive functions. Most though are strong in one but weak in a complementing one so our strong one compensates for the weaker one. For example, I am a huge planner but I am not flexible. I love to plan things out but I get very upset when something comes up that derails that plan.

So what can be done to help?

• Use mobile apps or technology to assist – I would not be able to survive without tasks in Microsoft outlook. It allows me to put my to do’s in one list that I can prioritize. This has significantly helped me with anxiety I have of forgetting something. This day and age there are so many tools available to all of us – shared calendars, alerts, alarms, Seri, Alexa, Google all to name a few. If you find you or your child have executive functioning challenges then search apps and I bet you could find something that helps.
• Practice the skills until you master them. Take it in small bites to help develop those goals. For example, if you need to organize a room start with a drawer a day or put aside an hour a week until it is done. Small successes will help with long term wins.
• Surround yourself with people who have strengths that are different than yours. If there is a group project for school and you are a good initiator but not strong at execution find someone who excels at that skill. In the workplace, I always say I like to hire people smarter than me. Now that I understand executive functioning I realize that I naturally hire people that have strengths that help me build my weaknesses.

Executive skills are tough to teach and develop but in the long run they are needed for everyday life. Below are a few books that I purchased to help both myself and my children understand executive functioning. I highly recommend reading them if you or anyone in your family needs help.