What are Executive Function Skills and Why Do They Matter?
Have you ever noticed how some people seem to have "it all together"? They're on top of their tasks, always know what they need to do next, and never seem to be ruffled by the demands of life. The truth is, these people have found systems that work for them regarding their executive function skills. Despite what it looks like, these skills are not inherited. You are capable of learning them and exceeding your expectations.
One question that we are often asked is, “Why should I care about my executive function skills?” Executive function skills are the mental processes that enable us to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. They are mainly managed in the front of our brains and are vital for handling day-to-day tasks effectively. These skills are ones that we use every day and will continue to use throughout our entire lifetime.
Let’s break down some executive function areas and discuss why having strong skills within these areas will greatly benefit your overall life:
Planning: This skill helps us anticipate future events, set goals and develop steps to achieve those objectives. Our brains like to know what’s coming and by being able to plan out upcoming events and tasks, you’re allowing yourself the opportunity to reach your goals with less stress.
Prioritizing: Picture this - you’re swamped with multiple tasks and a to-do list a mile long. Prioritizing helps us order these tasks effectively, enabling us to focus on what's most important first.
Time Management: There are (and will always be) only 24 hours in a day. By improving your time management skills, you will learn to allocate an appropriate amount of time to each task, thus improving your overall productivity.
Organization: This helps us to structure and order our surroundings and tasks in a way that leads to efficient accomplishment. Organization includes your physical space, as well as feeling mentally organized.
Focus: Imagine you have multiple things pulling you in different directions - how do you focus? Learning what works best for you to remain focused is key to achieving your goals, as there will always be distractions trying to sidetrack our brains.
Cognitive Flexibility and Metacognition: Sometimes life doesn’t go the way we intend and being able to think flexibly is important. Metacognition is your ability to be aware of your thought process.
Task Initiation: Being able to begin tasks, specifically those that are undesirable, can be difficult sometimes. Strengthening your task initiation skills grants you the tools to initiate tasks in a timely manner.
Persistence: The beauty of persistence lies in its power to help us keep going, even when tasks get challenging. This skill will help you see your goals through to the finish line.
Fostering these skills can transform our personal and professional lives, bringing about dramatic enhancements in our productivity and efficiency! But remember, like everything else in life, each individual’s executive function skills work differently. It's important to know that these aren't one-size-fits-all and developing them takes time and patience.
Remember, every small step you take towards honing these skills will bring you a tremendous long-term benefit!
Ready to start improving your skills? Let’s chat!
