5 Tips to Improve Executive Function Disorder

It’s a typical weekday morning. You have asked your child a thousand times to meet you by the door for school with their backpack, shoes, and jacket on, but they come to the door 10 minutes later shoeless and wearing a T-shirt, and tell you they can’t find their backpack; they may have maxed out their executive functioning (EF) abilities. If you or your child (possibly both because…genetics) have traits of executive dysfunction, it can feel like time slips away, things pile up, and focus is long gone. You might wonder, “Is my child ever going to get their act together?” The short answer is yes, but they will need purposeful tools. While these challenges can feel daunting, there are smart EF strategies that can help you tame the chaos and help your child start turning things around.

What is Executive Function Disorder?

Executive Functioning Disorder (EFD) refers to difficulties in the cognitive processes that help individuals plan, organize, make decisions, control impulses, pay attention, regulate emotions, and manage time effectively. People with EFD may struggle with tasks that require these skills, leading to challenges in daily life, academic settings, and work environments.

While executive function difficulties are recognized as a significant challenge for many individuals, EFD itself is not classified as a standalone mental disorder in the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition). However, EFD or symptoms of it are often linked with common diagnoses like ADHD, Autism, learning disorders like dyslexia, traumatic brain injuries, OCD, and mood disorders.

Can Poor Executive Function Be Improved?

Executive functioning can be improved through consistent practice, early intervention, and supportive environments. The ability to improve executive functioning is closely linked to the concept of neuroplasticity, which is the brain's capacity to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. By starting early and incorporating habits like routine-building, children can develop key skills such as organization, planning, and emotional regulation. Cognitive training, therapy, and mindfulness practices also play crucial roles in enhancing these abilities. Additionally, parental and educational support, tailored interventions, and positive reinforcement further contribute to strengthening executive functioning, leading to better outcomes in various areas of life.

5 Proven Tips to Improve Executive Function Disorder

Executive function disorder can significantly impact a child's ability to manage daily tasks and emotions. These five tips offer practical strategies to help children establish routines, prioritize tasks, manage time, regulate emotions, and develop adaptability, ultimately leading to improved organization and emotional resilience.

1. Establish Consistent Routines

• Predictability: Routines help children know what to expect, reducing anxiety and helping them manage time more effectively.

• Visual Schedules: Use visual aids like calendars, charts, or checklists to reinforce daily routines and help kids stay organized.

2. Teach Task Prioritization

• To-Do Lists: Encourage the use of to-do lists to prioritize tasks by importance and deadline. This helps children learn how to manage their workload.

• First Things First: Guide kids in tackling the most important or challenging tasks first, which can boost their confidence and productivity.

3. Practice Time Management

• Time Blocks: Break tasks into smaller, timed segments (e.g., 20 minutes of study, followed by a 5-minute break). This keeps kids focused and prevents burnout.

• Time Awareness: Use timers or alarms to help children develop a sense of time and learn to allocate time wisely across different tasks.

4. Develop Emotional Regulation

• Self-Regulation Techniques: Teach kids strategies like deep breathing, counting to ten, or using a stress ball to manage emotions and stay focused.

• Reflective Practice: Encourage children to reflect on how they handled a situation and what they could do differently next time to improve self-control.

5. Encourage Flexibility and Adaptability

• Problem-Solving: Engage in activities that require flexibility, such as puzzles or strategy games, to help kids learn how to adapt to new situations.

• Positive Reinforcement: Praise children when they successfully adapt to changes or come up with creative solutions, reinforcing their ability to be flexible.

These strategies can help children build stronger executive functioning skills, leading to better organization, improved academic performance, and enhanced emotional resilience.

How to Get Out of the Executive Dysfunction Loop?

The "executive dysfunction loop" refers to a cycle where difficulties with executive functioning lead to negative outcomes, which in turn exacerbate the original difficulties. This loop creates a self-perpetuating cycle that can make it challenging for individuals to break free from the impacts of executive dysfunction. You can “break” this executive dysfunction loop by implementing targeted EF strategies, building a child’s EF skills through cognitive behavioral intervention and/or educational therapy. Oftentimes, stress is what has triggered the loop, so reducing anxiety with relaxation techniques, mindfulness, and therapy can also be effective.

If your child is in school, connecting with their teacher to help build EF skills can also help a child learn how to avoid the dysfunction loop and play “the game” of school, which heavily relies on organization, attention, planning, and problem-solving the further they go in their academic career.

Taking the First Step Towards Improvement

While Executive Functioning Disorder (EFD) is not a formal diagnosis, recognizing and addressing executive functioning issues is crucial for effective support and intervention. Many individuals facing these challenges benefit from behavioral therapies, educational support, and strategies designed to enhance organization, time management, and self-regulation.

To begin, starting with just one or two strategies can help ease you and your child into an intervention plan. For example, using a checklist and timers can improve your child’s daily routines and build consistency.

Psychological professionals, like the psychologists at Empower Child Learning, often assess executive functioning as part of a broader evaluation, especially when diagnosing conditions such as ADHD, ASD, or learning disabilities. Cognitive interventions, or what is often called Executive Functioning Coaching, are then tailored to the specific needs of the individual, focusing on areas where executive functioning deficits are most pronounced. Our Executive Functioning Coaches at ECL make customized plans and track your child’s progress to ensure growth in your child’s EF skills. Reach out to book a free consultation with one of our EF Coaches.