- What is Executive Dysfunction?
- 3 Core Executive Functions
- Am I a Bad Employee? Working with Executive Dysfunction
- 13 Strategies to Improve Executive Dysfunction that Actually Work
What is Executive Dysfunction?
Before we can take a look at how to work with executive dysfunction, it’s important to first understand what executive functions are and how a deficit in them can affect our lives.
Executive functions are a set of cognitive processes and mental skills that are responsible for regulating and controlling everyday behaviors like planning, organization, memory, and more. Thus, executive dysfunction, sometimes called executive function disorder, is when an individual struggles significantly with one or more executive functions.
Typically, people who experience executive dysfunction will notice that it may interfere with all aspects of their life, including at home and work.
Adults can still improve their executive functioning skills to be more productive and successful in all aspects of life.
Does this sound like you?
- I’m usually late to appointments because I misplaced my car keys and had to search for them.
- I have difficulty completing complex tasks because I don’t know where to start.
- I often act without thinking and interrupt conversations.
- I make a list of items I need from the grocery store then forget it at home.
- I draw a blank when trying to recall the names of people I’ve met before.
- I have trouble starting or finishing tasks.
- I often act without thinking.
- I have difficulty remembering information, planning and executing tasks, maintaining motivation.
If you can relate to one or more of the above statements, you may be suffering from executive dysfunction. The good news is that adults can still improve their executive functioning skills to be more productive and successful in all aspects of life. In this post, I’m going to share tips, tools, and strategies to teach you how to work with executive dysfunction and be your most productive self.
3 Core Executive Functions
While executive functions control a variety of behaviors and processes, they fall under three primary categories: inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility.
Inhibition
Inhibition, or inhibitory control, is the ability to suppress an automatic, internal response to a stimulus in order to behave or act in a way that is more appropriate in a given situation. It is one of the most important and most used executive functions and can present on both the attentional and behavioral levels.
At the attentional level, inhibitory control helps us to selectively choose what to focus our attention on while simultaneously suppressing all other stimuli. Similarly, cognitive inhibition helps us resist irrelevant or unwanted thoughts and memories. At the behavioral level, self-control is a form of inhibitory control that enables us to resist temptations and not act impulsively.
Poor inhibition may look like:
- Tendency to dwell on negative thoughts and problems. Cannot turn off negative thoughts
- Tendency to interrupt conversations, making it difficult to maintain a fluid conversation
- Unable to refrain from eating a piece of cake while dieting
- Reading a book and getting distracted by a sound outside
- Honking your horn when you get frustrated at the driver in front of you
- Unable to stay quiet when you want to say something, but know you shouldn’t
- Hyperactivity, unable to control yourself from getting up when you get bored or distracted
- Distractibility and difficulty paying attention
- Impulsive behavior that cannot be inhibited
Working Memory
Another core executive function is working memory, which involves storing and working with information in your mind in order to complete a task. It plays an essential role in concentration and is necessary to make sense of written and spoken language. It differs from short-term memory in that it specifically involves the manipulation of information in the mind. Tasks that utilize working memory include mental math, mentally reordering a to-do list, translating instructions into actions plans, considering alternative solutions to a problem, and drawing connections between seemingly unrelated things.
Poor working memory may look like:
- You go to the grocery store with a mental list of everything you need but come home having forgotten most of the items.
- You want to run a question by your boss, but she is on the phone and you have to wait a few minutes before asking. By the time she is finished, you completely forget what you wanted to ask.
- At work, you have to reread an email several times before you can respond or move on.
- You find it difficult to follow conversations with coworkers, forgetting what was said just moments before.
- In the morning, you usually rush around to get ready for work but still often end up being late.
Cognitive Flexibility
Cognitive flexibility, the third core component of executive functioning, is the ability to shift between tasks and priorities and adapt to change. It plays an important role in learning and problem-solving. While it’s normal to have a hard time adapting to changes, people with a deficit in cognitive flexibility will have a much harder time than others.
Tasks that utilize cognitive flexibility include creatively thinking outside the box, approaching a situation from multiple angles and perspectives, quickly adapting to a changed circumstance, and controlling thoughts and feelings before reacting.
Poor cognitive flexibility may look like:
- When things don’t go as planned, you have difficulty considering alternative options or ways to adjust.
- After making a minor mistake at work, you start worrying that you’ll get fired and will never have another job opportunity again.
- You get easily distracted by upsetting thoughts or feelings.
- Your thoughts and emotions interfere with your ability to concentrate.
- You have a hard time managing your emotions.
- It’s hard for you to shift your attention away from negative thoughts or feelings.
Am I a Bad Employee? Working with Executive Dysfunction
In the workplace, people who struggle with executive dysfunction may incorrectly be labeled, by others or by themselves, as lazy or unproductive. But it’s important to understand that executive dysfunction makes it more difficult to carry out important work tasks and functions—no matter how badly the employee wants to be productive.
Some of the ways executive dysfunction appears in the workplace includes:
- Repeatedly missing or forgetting deadlines
- Showing up late for work or meetings
- Trouble shifting between and prioritizing tasks
- Interrupting others during meetings or speaking up at inappropriate times
- Getting distracted easily
- Difficulty following through on projects
- Chronic procrastination
It is not innately “bad” to have executive dysfunction, and people with executive dysfunction are not “bad employees.”
While these things can certainly be frustrating for both employer and employee alike, it’s worth noting that those with executive dysfunction are also equipped with other strengths that make them stand out in other ways than their peers. For example, people who face executive function challenges are often extremely creative.
Therefore, it is not innately “bad” to have executive dysfunction, and people with executive dysfunction are not “bad employees.” Rather, it just means that those who suffer from it have to work harder at developing certain skills and may require coming up with new systems or routines that work for them.
13 Strategies to Improve Executive Dysfunction that Actually Work
With the right support and tools, people with executive dysfunction can improve their skills, become more productive, and feel more confident at work.
1. Play brain games on your phone or tablet
There are countless games and apps available for download that can help you improve your executive functions. For example, Lumosity, available on the Apple Store and Google Play, offers 50+ fun, brain training games designed to strengthen your memory and improve attention, problem solving, processing speed, and mental flexibility.
2. Use routine and structure
The more structure you build into your day, the more fuel your brain will feel to stop one thing and move on to the next. Be consistent about waking and sleep times, and other recurring tasks throughout your week. Don’t forget to add buffer time between tasks and to include time for self-care!
3. Practice mental math
Find ways to incorporate mental math into your daily activities to help strengthen your working memory. Calculate the server’s tip in your mind when going out to eat; add up the cost of items in your cart when out shopping; etc.
4. Avoid multitasking
It’s not uncommon to see job descriptions touting that the ideal candidate be a master of multitasking. However, research has shown that our brains are not wired to be handling many tasks at once and that multitasking could actually be a detriment to productivity, attention, and overall performance. Rather, take the time to work on improving cognitive flexibility by focusing on one task at a time.
5. Get up and switch your environment
A change of scene can help your brain switch gears. Go outside or to another room to help clear your head after one task and shift your focus to the next task.
6. Or make changes to your existing environment
Do what you can to make sure the space you are working in is free of distractions. If you work from home, you may want rearrange furniture, remove clutter, or move to a different room in your home. If you work in an office, you could ask to be relocated to a quieter, low-traffic space.
7. Build in buffer time between tasks
Give yourself some time between the hard stop of one task or meeting and the beginning of another. Use this time to decompress and refocus.
8. Take a different route to work
While routines and structure are helpful for people with executive dysfunction, switching up small parts of your routine can help to improve cognitive flexibility. This can be as simple as taking a different route to work for the day, eating lunch at a different time, or even ordering something than your “usual” at your preferred coffee shop. It doesn’t have to be spectacularly different—just different.
9. Listen to audiobooks or podcasts
Listening to audiobooks and podcasts requires you to keep your attention focused without visual aids. You can try incorporating this into your daily routine, whether that be during your work commute or for half an hour before bed.
10. Create physical to-do lists
Instead of keeping the never-ending list of tasks and projects floating around in your brain, utilize physical to-do lists to keep you on track and organized. For people who tend to think more logically, a simple, written to-do list on a notepad or white board might suffice. For people who tend to think more creatively or visually, bubble maps or color-coded calendars might work best.
11. Plan your days like a pro with the Structured app
This app makes planning your day-to-day activities quicker and easier than ever. A visual day planner that can integrate with your existing calendars and to-do lists, Structured helps you reduce distractions, stay on task, and make better use of your time. Even better? The app is free with the ability to upgrade to the premium version for a one-time payment of $9.99.
12. Practice remembering people’s names with a fun game
Faces & Names is a great game for people who have trouble memorizing or recalling essential information when meeting new people. The game introduces a series of new people in rounds, including their names and occupations, and asks you to recall the information you were shown. This can help to develop your ability to make associations for improved recall.
13. Ask for workplace accommodations
To help make sure you are fully supported at work, you can ask your employer for one or more accommodations. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a job accommodation is an adjustment to a job or work environment that makes it possible for an individual with a disability to perform their job duties.
For people with a documented and diagnosed disability, such as ADHD, you are protected by the American with Disabilities Act and are entitled to have reasonable accommodations. If you are not diagnosed or do not want to disclose your disability, you can still talk with your manager to request basic accommodations. For example, if you work in a noisy office, you may ask your manager if it is okay to wear headphones. This kind of request is general and does not require the disclosure of a disability to accommodate. Explore a full list of workplace accommodations from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN).
