What is Executive Functioning?
What is Executive Functioning?
When you hear the word executive, the picture that comes to mind is likely a person in a suit in a board room leading a meeting, and not a six-year-old with untied shoes and a messy backpack. But, since the late 1970s, the words executive functioning have been used, often when speaking about kids, to refer to a series of skills associated with the prefrontal cortex of the brain.
Executive functioning refers to a group of cognitive skills associated with the frontal lobe of the brain which, working in concert, assist us with emotional regulation, recall, and planning. Skills that fall under these broad categories include organization, persistence, flexibility, and an ability to follow multi-step instructions. These types of skills are supported by three general areas of brain function: self-control, mental flexibility, and working memory. As you might guess, these areas are interconnected, and successful executive function requires them to work in harmony.
The Twelve Executive Function Skills
Self-Restraint
Self-restraint is the act of not giving in to or acting upon thoughts, emotions, wants, or impulses.
Working Memory
Working memory is focused on the here and now. It is the portion of short-term memory that processes visual images and receptive language.
Emotion Control
Emotion Control is a very straightforward phrase. In the world of social and emotional learning, this skill would be called self-management. Though it’s not often possible to control which emotions appear in reaction to an event, it is possible to manage emotional reactions.
Focus
Focus describes the ability to pay attention to the task at hand without being distracted by people or events around them.
Task Initiation
If you have ever stared down a pile of laundry or a sink full of dishes, you know that task initiation can be a challenge. A person who is skilled in task initiation understands that if they just start folding the laundry it is more likely to get done. If you open a book or put on running shoes and head to a trail, you are practicing task initiation.
Planning/Prioritization
Planning and prioritization may sound simple, but they actually require high level thinking. Think about what it takes to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; you need bread, creamy or crunchy peanut butter, your preferred jelly (or jam or preserves), a clean plate and knife, and knowledge of the allergies of people near you. Planning requires knowing the resources and time you need, understanding the steps needed and the order they should be completed, as well as thinking through contingencies and recognizing where you need help.
Organization
If you watch cooking shows, you have seen something called a mise en place, a French phrase meaning that all of your ingredients are chopped, prepared, and at hand before cooking begins. When most people think of organization, they usually think of tidiness, or neatly labeled drawers, containers, or shelves. In truth, organization simply means that you have a logical plan and have what you need to execute that plan easily at hand. Having to search for tools once you’ve started a project or start over because you performed steps in the wrong order takes time and often has an impact on momentum.
Time Management
Time management not only means knowing how much time a task is going to take—a task that is new to you or that you don’t do all the time usually takes longer than people think—and planning a schedule so that the time you need is available.
Defining and Achieving Goals
There is an old adage that says, If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will get you there.” Setting goals encourages a person to think about where they would like to be or what they would like to achieve in a specified amount of time: a day, a week, a year, etc. When setting goals, it’s important that they be both measurable and attainable. Measurable means that instead of saying I want to eat healthier, a person might say, I will include vegetables or fruit in two meals each day. To be achievable something both needs to be reasonable—one can’t go from never running to running a marathon in a week’s time—and have a plan behind it.
Flexibility
Flexibility means that you can go with the flow if plans or materials change. It requires the knowledge that, if your first choice isn’t available, your second or third choice will also be OK. If someone is flexible, they are able to draw with crayons if they planned on using markers.
Observation
Observation requires that someone go beyond themselves and is able to view and process what is happening around them. If someone is observant, they will see trends in the people and events around them.
Stress Tolerance
Stress tolerance is the skill that allows an individual to regulate emotions and anxiety while maintaining the ability to function effectively during times of challenge and uncertainty.