What Are Executive Function Skills? A Guide for Students and Adults.
Executive function skills are the brain's upper-level management system. They're the higher-level thinking skills that help us plan, prioritize, organize, manage our time, regulate our emotions, and follow through on what we start. They live in the prefrontal cortex (behind your forehead), which is the last part of the brain to fully develop. Think of them like the executives in a big corporation: they don't do the hands-on work, but nothing runs smoothly without them.
I'm Hannah, and I've been supporting students and adults as an executive function coach since 2017. "What are executive function skills?" is the question I hear most often. The term sounds clinical, but once you understand what these skills actually do in your daily life, it clicks. In this post, I'll walk through all 11 executive function skills, explain how they help, and describe what it looks like when someone struggles with them.
The 11 executive function skills at a glance
You're not alone in this
If you came to this post because you or your child are struggling with executive functioning, I want you to know: you're not the only one. I've worked with many people who have said, "Wow, I thought I was the only one having a hard time with this! Everyone around me seems to be doing okay." I'm here to tell you that not everyone is doing okay, even if they seem like they are.
You'll often hear about executive function skills in relation to ADHD, but everyone, regardless of an ADHD or other learning difference diagnosis, can struggle with them. Our executive functioning capacity is impacted by the demands that life places on us. ADHD, other learning differences, trauma, and stress make it harder. But with some knowledge, awareness, and new ideas, we can learn strategies, strengthen our executive function skills, and start feeling some relief. It's hard work, but it's completely worth it. I know this to be true because I've seen it in myself and in the dozens of clients I've supported over the years.
The 11 executive function skills explained
If you Google "executive function skills," you'll find all kinds of lists, from simple ones that include just the core skills of working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, to expanded lists like the often-cited framework by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare, authors of the Smart but Scattered series. Their list is the one I use with my clients and the one I'll walk through here. I change the wording slightly to match my style, but the meaning is the same.
Everyone's brain and life experience is different, so as you read through these, take some time to think about how each skill helps you (or doesn't!).
1. Impulse control and self-monitoring
"Think twice before sending a heated text, slow down to proofread before submitting, or notice mid-conversation that you've been doing all the talking."
Impulse control is our ability to pause before we act or speak, and self-monitoring is our ability to check in on ourselves and adjust our behavior as we go. Together, these skills help us think before we react, consider consequences, and stay aware of how we're coming across to others.
In daily life, impulse control and self-monitoring are what help you think twice before sending a heated text, slow down to proofread your work before submitting it, or notice mid-conversation that you've been doing all the talking and it's time to listen. When we struggle with these, it can have direct consequences on our ability to feel successful at work or in school. It can also negatively impact our relationships with others, which doesn't feel good for anyone.
2. Working memory
"It's how we hold onto information long enough to do something with it."
Working memory is the brain's version of a mental sticky note. I like to say that it's how we hold onto information long enough to do something with it. It helps us follow multi-step directions, remember what we were just doing after getting interrupted, and connect new information to things we already know.
In daily life, working memory is what lets you keep a grocery list in your head while you're walking through the store (apparently some people can do this! Not me!), remember someone's name right after you've been introduced (also not me!), or hold the beginning of a sentence in mind while you're finishing it. Challenges with working memory can be embarrassing and impact our ability to do well on exams, remember what we read, or keep up with taking notes in a meeting.
3. Emotional regulation
"When we become dysregulated, it actually makes it harder to access the rest of our executive function skills."
Emotional regulation is our ability to manage our feelings in ways that are appropriate for the situation. It doesn't mean suppressing or controlling emotions and pretending everything is fine. It means being able to feel something, good or bad, without letting it completely take over.
Emotional regulation is what helps you take a breath and respond calmly when you're frustrated, bounce back after a disappointment without it derailing your whole day, or stay focused on a task even when you're feeling anxious or overwhelmed. When we become dysregulated, it actually makes it harder to access the rest of our executive function skills, so some education and practice in this area is often where I start when supporting my executive function coaching clients.
4. Sustained attention
"We can't remember what we don't pay attention to."
Sustained attention is the ability to stay focused on a task for as long as it takes to complete it, especially when it's not particularly interesting or engaging. It goes beyond just starting something. It's about staying with it through the boring or difficult parts.
Sustained attention is what allows you to read through a long report without losing the thread, pay attention during a meeting and still (mostly) know what was discussed at the end, or finish folding the laundry instead of getting distracted halfway through. Attention is closely linked to working memory because, as Dr. Sherrie All said in my interview with her on the Focus Forward podcast, "We can't remember what we don't pay attention to." When we struggle with attention, we might miss important details on that math assignment or our latest craft project, leaving us unhappy with the results.
5. Task initiation
"Start making dinner without a long stretch of standing in the kitchen thinking about making dinner."
Task initiation is the ability to start a task without a lot of procrastination or delay. It's the skill that helps us actually get going, rather than just planning to begin. This one trips people up because it has nothing to do with intelligence or even desire. Sometimes our brains just have a hard time launching, even if we really want to do the thing.
In life, task initiation is what helps you sit down and start writing the email instead of putting it off, begin a project well before the deadline, or start making dinner without a long stretch of standing in the kitchen thinking about making dinner. When task initiation is a big challenge for us, we may begin to rely on urgency to help us get the task done, often within minutes of the deadline. While some people may claim that this works well for them, it's pretty stressful on our brain and body and doesn't always lead to our best work. Learning strategies to help you start even a little earlier can make a big difference in your experience and the outcome.
6. Planning and prioritization
"Decide what absolutely has to get done today versus what can wait, and fit everything into a realistic timeline."
Planning is the ability to figure out the steps needed to reach a goal, and prioritization is the ability to decide what matters most and tackle things in the most helpful and efficient order. These two skills go hand-in-hand and you'll often see them referenced this way.
In our lives, planning and prioritization are what help you break down and map out the steps of a project so it doesn't feel overwhelming, decide what absolutely has to get done today versus what can wait, or figure out how to fit everything on your to-do list into a realistic timeline. Sometimes everything feels urgent and important, so when we strengthen these skills, we help ourselves get more done, experience less pressure, and feel happier with the results. This is an important skill area for all of my coaching clients, especially my college-aged clients, who are fairly new to managing multiple deadlines on their own.
7. Organization
"Knowing where your keys are without tearing the house apart."
Organization is the ability to create and maintain systems for keeping track of things, but it's more than just our physical stuff. Organization skill also helps us keep track of information and our thoughts. It's a useful skill for helping us not feel like our worlds are descending into chaos. It sounds dramatic, but when we're disorganized, it really can feel like chaos.
Benefits of strong organization skills might look like knowing where your keys are without tearing the house apart, keeping your files in order so you can find what you need, or managing the different parts of a project so nothing falls through the cracks. I often help students improve their writing by learning how to organize their thoughts. Organization saves us time and energy, and improves our daily living immensely.
8. Time management
"Where planning is about the steps, time management is about fitting those steps into your actual life."
Time management is the ability to understand time, estimate how long things will take, and use your time intentionally. It's closely connected to planning, but where planning is about the steps, time management is about fitting those steps into your actual life while considering all the things that are going on.
Time management is what helps you leave the house on time in the morning, avoid underestimating how long a task will take, and wrap up one thing with enough time to transition smoothly to the next. Our ability to manage our time improves when we are organized, so this skill is often strengthened alongside organization. When we struggle with time management, it can impact our relationships (punctual people are not fans of this behavior!) and can make it hard for us to complete our responsibilities. Along with planning and prioritizing, this is often one of the first skills my college-aged coaching clients like to work on.
9. Goal-directed persistence
"The skill that bridges the gap between wanting something and actually seeing it through."
Goal-directed persistence is the ability to stay committed to a goal over time, even when progress feels slow, obstacles come up, or more appealing things come along. It's a skill that helps bridges the gap between wanting something and actually seeing it through.
Goal-directed persistence is one of my personal favorite skills because it's what keeps you working toward a long-term goal like finishing a degree, building a new habit, or completing a big project even when motivation dips and life gets in the way. I love seeing my clients learn that they can do hard things, and seeing them succeed is the best! I've also struggled with this in my life, so I'm always looking for ways to strengthen this skill.
10. Flexible thinking
"Pivot when your original plan falls apart, or try a new strategy instead of doing the same thing over and over."
Flexible thinking (you may hear it called "cognitive flexibility") is the ability to adapt when things don't go as planned, consider different perspectives, and shift approaches when something isn't working. Rigid thinking is the opposite of this: getting stuck in one way of doing or seeing things.
Flexible thinking is extremely useful in life as it helps you pivot when your original plan falls apart, see a situation from someone else's point of view, or try a new strategy instead of doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. In fact, the most successful coaching clients are able to think flexibly. They can imagine a world that exists where they struggle less often, and they are open to trying new ideas and can modify existing tools to suit them better. It's a fun skill to strengthen because playing games is an effective way of doing this!
11. Metacognition (self-awareness)
"When we learn how our own brains work, we can move forward toward a better life."
Last, but absolutely not least, metacognition is thinking about your own thinking. This critical skill is the ability to step back and observe yourself to see how you learn, how you're doing, what's working, and what isn't. It's one of the most powerful executive function skills because it helps you make sense of all the others. If you cannot reflect on how things are going, you will find it very difficult to see what needs to change.
This is also the last executive function skill to fully develop, so you may notice that younger people struggle with this more often and most of us get better at it as we age. It allows you to recognize that you work better in the morning and plan your day accordingly, notice that a certain approach isn't working and adjust course, or reflect on a difficult interaction and understand your role in it. When we learn how our own brains work, we can move forward toward a better life, a better understanding of ourselves, and well, just a whole lot more fun!
Executive function skills can get stronger
As an executive function coach who was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and has spent nearly the last decade trying to figure out how to make my own life better (and easier), I understand these challenges from both a personal and professional perspective. The good news is that executive function skills can absolutely be strengthened. With the right strategies and support, things really do get easier. I've seen it in myself and in every client I've worked with.
Want to explore this further?
Learn more about executive function coaching
If you're curious about how strengthening executive function skills can improve your daily life, learn more about executive function coaching or book a free intro call with me. We can talk about what's going on and whether I can help.
Try the free planning tool
Not ready to talk yet? Download the free weekly planning tool and see what executive function strategies look like in practice.
Or just want more articles like this? Subscribe to the newsletter for occasional executive function tips and strategies.
