Executive Functioning
UNDERSTANDING THE SKILLS BEHIND PLANNING, MANAGING, AND GETTING THINGS DONE
Executive functioning refers to the skills we use to plan, prioritize, organize, manage our attention and working memory, begin tasks, monitor our progress, solve problems, and adapt when things don't go as planned.
We all rely on these skills in learning, work, relationships, and everyday life. Sometimes they come easily, and sometimes they can be much harder to access depending on the task, the circumstances, or what else we have going on.
For people with ADHD, differences in executive functioning can be a significant part of their experience. But you don't need an ADHD diagnosis to recognize yourself in these challenges. Stress, sleep, competing demands, major transitions, and other aspects of life can also affect how these skills work.
When executive functioning feels difficult, you might:
know what needs to be done but struggle to get started
have difficulty deciding what to do first when there are several priorities
underestimate how long something will take or lose track of time
have difficulty keeping track of information, instructions, or details
find it hard to maintain focus or direct your attention where you need it
struggle to organize tasks, information, or responsibilities
have difficulty monitoring your progress or recognizing when an approach needs to change
find it hard to shift between tasks or adapt when circumstances change
make plans that work in theory but are difficult to follow in real life
have difficulty breaking larger goals into manageable steps or knowing what to do when you get stuck
Looking more closely at the skills involved can help us understand where things are getting stuck and identify approaches that make tasks and responsibilities more manageable.
Where Executive Functioning Shows Up
Learning
Planning assignments, organizing information, managing deadlines, remembering instructions, studying, directing attention, and monitoring your understanding all draw on executive functioning skills.
Work & Everyday Life
Managing responsibilities, keeping track of appointments, organizing tasks, managing time, establishing routines, and balancing competing demands all require executive functioning too.
Goals & Problem-solving
Working toward goals involves planning, monitoring progress, making decisions, solving problems, and adjusting when something isn't working. Executive functioning helps us respond when plans change, challenges arise, or we need to find a different way forward.
Explore Executive Functioning
Insights
Start by exploring how executive functioning shows up in everyday life. Our articles offer ideas for understanding these skills and the different factors that can affect them.
Build Skills
Want to work on specific skills? Our self-study programs provide opportunities to explore practical approaches to planning, organization, attention, task initiation, and managing demands.
Read
See how executive functioning connects with learning and well-being. The Thoughtful Learning Advantage brings together skills that students can draw on across their academic and everyday lives.
Individual Support
Individual support offers an opportunity to explore executive functioning in the context of your own learning, work, relationships, and everyday life.
Erin House and Tracey Ropp are Registered Psychotherapists in Ontario who offer psychotherapy through their independent private practices.
Explore More:
Learning
Executive functioning is woven into the learning process—from deciding where to begin to managing information, attention, and competing academic demands. Explore our Learning resources to consider what happens on the other side of those skills.
Well-Being
Getting things done doesn't happen in a vacuum. Stress, emotions, motivation, and competing demands can all affect how easily we access our executive functioning skills. Explore our Well-Being resources to consider the connection.