What is Executive Dysfunction and How Can You Deal with It?

Picture this: 

1. You have people coming over soon. 

2. You need to prepare food for them.

3. You’re also starving right now. 

4. Your house is an absolute mess. 

5. And you need to get ready. 

6. And you also have a very, very, very important presentation tomorrow that you need to rehearse. 

7. Aaaaaand the barista from earlier got your coffee order wrong.

What a mess. What do you do?

For most people, this might be a bit of a stressful crunch, but they manage to do everything. The coffee? Just throw it out, it happens. Eat a quick snack. Do a routine clean while the pasta boils. Put on some nice clothes. After everyone leaves, rehearse the presentation a few times before sleeping. No biggie.

For the remaining population? This is a nightmare situation. What task do you start with? You’re still upset about the wrong coffee. And how did thirty minutes pass already? What are you going to wear? What is going on???

This internal struggle is something called executive dysfunction. It sounds scarier than what it actually is, so let’s unpack this. 

Executive functions are mental processes that help us to carry out daily tasks that happen mostly in our prefrontal cortex. There are seven executive functions that are widely considered to be the main ones: self-awareness, inhibition, nonverbal working memory, verbal working memory, emotional self-regulation, self-motivation, and planning/problem solving. 

From our childhood, parents, caregivers, teachers, and whomever else around us guide our ability to do things like prioritize finishing homework, eat on a timely basis, etc. Executive functions become so natural, it’s like breathing!

That is, unless you have executive dysfunction. ADHD brains are wired differently from neurotypical brains. The areas of our brain that are supposed to naturally carry out executive functions are impaired in some way by comparison. It’s not a lack of effort or deliberate ignorance–these functions are harder to carry out on a deep cognitive level. 

So, now we know what executive dysfunction is–how can it be addressed?

No two brains are alike. Some people are able to plan, but have a hard time to motivate themselves. Someone else might be able to motivate themselves, but have severe time blindness, and so forth. Because of this, it takes some trial and error to figure out what helps address your specific needs.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of things you can experiment with to better function in your daily life and goals:

• Set visual reminders, such as an analog clock, post its, a whiteboard, etc

• Set up a reward system by yourself or with someone else for motivation

• Have a set note-taking structure to help with memory problems

• Designate spots for things like your keys, wallet, etc–and make sure to stick to it!

• Clump tasks together in a specific order so that once you get started, you can march through them (eg emptying out the dishwasher while waiting for your coffee)

• Cognitive behavioral therapy with a licensed therapist (check out our team here!)

• Utilize external tools to keep track of things and stay accountable, such as a digital calendar and timers

• Use mnemonic tricks to remember things

• Body double with someone and do tasks around them–it can help with motivation and initiation

Executive dysfunction is difficult to deal with, but never impossible. It’s also not just experienced by ADHDers–autistics, addicts, and people with other cognitive disabilities can also struggle with executive functions. Everyone has different experiences with it, but we’re never alone!

If you need help with executive functioning or are unsure about whether it’s because of either ADHD or autism, we have a great team of therapists, as well as screeners on our website. Email clientcare@newpathfamily.com to talk with our Client Care Coordinator as well. We’re all here for you–we want to help!