Almost every one comes to us with the same concerns.

They or their child are smart, capable, and have many interests (often within and often outside of the workplace or classroom). But they also struggle to keep track of everything on their plate, to meet deadlines without stress or procrastination, to stay organized, and maintain motivation. More importantly, they struggle with feelings of shame, insecurity, or isolation. They can be perceived as unreliable, lazy, or apathetic. They also may have ADHD, learning differences, or anxiety but it’s unclear how or if that is related.

What they don’t know is that the driving factor behind these issues is low Executive Functioning. It is not usually a term that is familiar to most of us, but it impacts us all.

So what exactly is Executive Functioning?

Executive Functioning is our ability to execute and function to meet stated tasks and responsibilities strategically and with confidence.

There are many ways to understand Executive Functioning (EF) cognitively, neuropathically, and behaviorally. For students, their tasks and responsibilities are often limited to the academic arena: getting homework in on time, showing up to tests prepared, participating in the classroom, asking teachers for help, etc. As they get older, those tasks and responsibilities will become more diverse. As young adults, they will manage work and school, extra curriculars, greater social responsibility, etc. As adults, those tasks and responsibilities will shift again. What will remain the same is the need to implement strong EF skills in order to meet those tasks and responsibilities on time and with confidence.

Executive functioning is responsible for:

  • Keeping track of multiple tasks at once

  • Breaking down tasks into multiple and manageable components

  • Prioritizing those components strategically

  • Creating time management and organization strategies to engage with those components

  • Paying attention and working for sustained periods of time

  • Regulating emotions around tasks that can be difficult or overwhelming

People with EF challenges are often labeled as smart and capable, but are unable to do their work or meet metrics of success that reflect their intellectual ability.

That’s because people with low EF have a difficult time with:

  • Maintaining awareness of daily, weekly, or monthly obligations (academic/professional, extracurricular, and personal)

  • Meeting deadlines

  • Time Blindness

  • Procrastination, avoidance, or compulsive behaviors

  • Inconsistent motivation and lack of clarity or negotiation around goals or metrics of success

  • Messiness and disorganization

 

But here’s why it really matters ….

People with low EF experience increased anxiety, shame, and insecurity.

We are told at a very young age that we should just be able to keep track of everything on our plate, stay organized, meet our deadlines, and ask for help when we need it. But for so many of us, and especially people with ADHD and anxiety, EF skills are just not intuitive. And when these skills aren’t intuitive, it can make us feel stupid, othered, or less than. It can just seem that it’s easier for everyone else. To make matters worse, very few of us are ever explicitly taught EF skills and strategies and so it becomes a matter of fighting will power and faking it until we make it. It’s exhausting and overwhelming.

 

Did you know that Executive Functioning does not in any way reflect intelligence?

Many people incorrectly assume

that Executive Functioning skills are intuitive and innate.

They’re not.

People with ADHD, anxiety, depression, and learning differences are prone to low Executive Functioning.

By teaching strong EF skills and strategies that allow us to engage, to execute and function strategically, we work to reroute this cycle, instill confidence, and reduce stress.

We recognize that the ways we feel or think about ourselves and our environments contribute to our low motivation, avoidant behavior, and disorganization. It is for that reason that we align with a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) methodology - Executive Functioning Cognitive Training (EFCT) - that asserts that the way we think, we feel, and our behavior is mutually reinforcing. By increasing our executive functioning, we reduce anxiety and increase confidence.