I feel like I’ve been going on about Executive Functions for years. Probably because I have been a wee bit obsessed for quite a while. In fact it has been many years since I first did a conference presentation about this topic – connecting it to neurodivergence and productivity.

What are Executive Functions?

Executive Function (EF’s) are a set of mental skills that help you manage your thoughts, actions and emotions. They are kind of like the brain’s “management system” enabling you to plan, focus, remember, and adapt. EF’s are skills that are essential in everyday life, and especially in the workplace.

More formally:

Executive function refers to a set of cognitive processes that are necessary for the cognitive control of behaviour: selecting and successfully monitoring behaviours that facilitate the attainment of chosen goals.

Depending on the article, book or website you read, the list does differ slightly. The range of EF’s I discuss with private coaching clients and workplaces is below.

These functions are not innate. We are not born with amazing organisation skills or the ability to control our emotions. EF’s develop over time and can be strengthened with practice, tools and support. They also vary across people, and can be impacted by things like sleep, situations, stress, and develop at a different pace for people.

Executive functions are human functions. Understanding them helps us know more about ourselves, and can be a great framework for understanding, and having a mutual dialogue, with neurodivergent people.

We’re all similar in executive functions because these skills are part of how every human brain manages daily life. No matter our background or neurotype, we all:

• Use working memory to hold and use information (like remembering directions)
• Inhibit impulses to stay focused or act appropriately
• Shift attention when plans change or problems arise
• Plan and organize to meet goals
• Monitor our behaviour to adjust and improve

These functions are universal, even if they vary in strength or style. They’re the shared foundation for learning, decision-making, and self-regulation.

You may have a great memory, be really organized, or be really calm in a crisis. You may also be aware of how family, friends or colleagues are different from you.
Are some people hot-headed?
Are some calmer and more logical than you?
Learn more in my YouTube series.

How Understanding EFs Can Help You Daily

1. Better Time Management

• Recognizing how your brain organizes tasks can help you plan your day more realistically.
• You can use tools like calendars, timers, or task lists to support your working memory and planning.

2. Improved Focus and Productivity

• Understanding your attention span and triggers for distraction helps you create environments that support deep work.
• You can build routines that reduce decision fatigue and increase consistency.

3. Enhanced Emotional Regulation

• EFs help you pause before reacting emotionally, which is key in stressful or high-stakes situations.
• You can develop strategies like mindfulness or journaling to strengthen this skill.

4. Stronger Goal Setting and Follow-Through

• Knowing how your brain handles long-term planning can help you break goals into manageable steps.
• You can track progress and adjust plans without feeling overwhelmed.

5. Better Decision-Making

• EFs allow you to weigh options, consider consequences, and make thoughtful choices.
• You can use decision aids or frameworks to support complex thinking.

Remember, everyone has executive functions, but how they show up varies widely based on personality, neurotype, environment, and life experiences.

How people can differ:

• Strengths and weaknesses: One person may excel at planning but struggle with impulse control, while another may be great at adapting but find it hard to stay organised
• Context sensitivity: Stress, fatigue, or environment (like noise or clutter) can impact executive function differently for each person. It can also relate to life and external pressures
• Developmental pace: Executive functions develop at different rates—some people mature earlier or later in specific areas. Neurodivergent children are estimated to have a 30% delay in Executive Functions.
• Coping strategies: People use different tools or habits (e.g., lists, routines, apps) to support their executive functioning

Neurodivergence can significantly affect EFs. It can impact daily routine, work habits and productivity, relationships and also flow into self-esteem and emotional challenges. Most of my private coaching clients have been people who struggle and want to know more about themselves, and strategies to ease the load and improve daily life.

Why do I go on about this?

As I said, EF’s are human functions. Understanding more about this is useful for everyone. We can all do with knowing why we react, why we have good days and bad, and we can all get value from know more about ourselves. Moving from “why can’t I get started?” to knowing “I am having trouble initiating work, I’ll lean on a strategy that can help me get going today”. Or, “why am I feeling anxious?” and sensing a feeling in yourself, connecting it to an impact on EF’s and using a strategy to help move through it. There are so many more examples.

We focus so much on teaching people about digital tools and other skills, but in life we don’t learn core skills to understand ourselves. Doing so can help everyone have a better day, and I love seeing that change.