Executive Functioning

Welcome to my series on executive functioning. What’s executive functioning? It is the stuff that allows us to complete and start tasks, plan ahead, solve problems, and control our emotions. All things that those of us with ADHD struggle with in some capacity. Everyone with ADHD struggles with it in their own way and with their own part of it.

There are 8 areas of executive functioning; working memory, impulse control, cognitive flexibility, planning, organizing, time management, task initiation, and emotional regulation.

Individuals with ADHD may struggle with some areas while really exceling at others. Or its possible that they are just kind of fine at all of them, but it isn’t enough to fully function. And the areas someone struggles with may change and evolve over time, improving in some areas but regressing in others. It is a daily battle for those of us with ADHD.

Executive functioning isn’t something that only individuals with ADHD struggle with. Anyone can struggle with it at any point in their life. But because of the way our brains have developed and been made its harder for us.

Over my next 8 posts I am going to break down each area of executive functioning and discuss what it means and to share some tools to help in that area. I hope you enjoy it, I’m pretty excited to talk about it.