What is Executive Functioning?

Executive functioning refers to a set of mental skills that help individuals manage and regulate their cognitive processes to achieve goals. It's like the CEO of the brain overseeing various functions to make sure everything runs smoothly. While it’s often associated with ADD/ADHD, deficits in executive functioning are common in everyone. For parents, understanding executive functioning is crucial as it plays a significant role in a child's ability to learn, problem-solve, and navigate daily tasks.

The 10 Executive Functioning Skills We Focus On

  1. Planning: The skill to set goals, create plans, and organize tasks to achieve those goals. It involves breaking down complex tasks into smaller, manageable steps.

  2. Organization: Keeping track of belongings, managing time, and maintaining an orderly environment. This skill is vital for reducing stress and ensuring efficiency in daily routines.

  3. Time Management: Having an accurate understanding of how long tasks will take and using time wisely and effectively to accomplish tasks.

  4. Task Initiation: The ability to independently start tasks when needed without procrastinating—even (and especially) when you don’t want to.

  5. Working Memory: The mental processes that allow us to hold information in mind and manipulate it. Crucial for tasks like following instructions, solving problems, and completing multi-step problems.

  6. Metacognition: Thinking about thinking. It involves checking in with yourself to help you learn and complete tasks to the best of your ability.

  7. Self-Control: The capacity to manage and regulate thoughts, emotions, and actions appropriately. It involves recognizing and expressing emotions in a healthy way.

  8. Attention: The ability to focus on a person or task for a period of time. It includes avoiding distractions and being able to shift your focus as needed.

  9. Flexibility: The ability to adapt to new situations and deal with change. It also includes perspective-taking and making decisions to fix a problem.

  10. Perseverance: Sticking to a task and not giving up, even when it becomes challenging.

Understanding these components of executive functioning can assist parents in supporting their children's development. For instance, recognizing that a child may struggle with working memory could lead to strategies like breaking down instructions into smaller steps. Supporting the development of executive functioning skills is essential for academic success, social competence, and overall effective functioning in daily life.

Deficits … or Strengths?

While executive functioning deficits are often associated with challenges, they can also bring about unique strengths and perspectives. Our coaching focuses on addressing any weaknesses while harnessing and redirecting strengths. Here are some you may have noticed in your own child:

  1. Creativity: Difficulties with rigid thinking can lead to creative problem-solving.

  2. Hyperfocus: Some individuals with executive functioning deficits experience periods of hyperfocus, during which they become deeply engaged in a task of interest. We just have to channel this ability toward tasks of less interest.

  3. Specialized Interests and Expertise: Executive functioning deficits might lead individuals to develop intense interests and become experts in niche areas. This specialization can result in a deep knowledge base and passion for specific subjects.

  4. Innovative Thinking: The ability to think differently can be an asset. People with executive functioning deficits may excel in fields that require innovative thinking, such as entrepreneurship, creative arts, or scientific research.

Some successful individuals with executive functioning deficits (and strengths) are:

  • Michael Phelps

  • Justin Timberlake

  • Emma Watson

  • Will Smith

  • Simone Biles

  • Richard Branson

  • Ty Pennington

  • Solange Knowles

  • Sir Ken Robinson

  • Channing Tatum