In Honor of ADHD Awareness Month

Have you struggled with letting go of clutter, all the decisions, and the steps needed? Or stared at a long to-do list and felt so overwhelmed that it was difficult to prioritize? Maybe it is difficult getting started on your laundry, paperwork, or work projects?

These everyday challenges are connected to executive function. Executive function skills are the brain’s coordination and management system. These are the cognitive skills that help you plan, organize, focus, regulate, and accomplish. Executive function is often the biggest challenge for people with ADHD.

Here are 25 things you should know about executive function, grouped by the 5 major areas it affects for organization and productivity.

Organization

Executive function helps you keep spaces orderly, track belongings, and let go of items that no longer serve you.

• Difficulty with organization can lead to clutter, misplaced items, and missed deadlines.

• Visual systems work best in supporting organizational skills.

• Digital tools (calendars, reminders, apps) are especially helpful for managing complex schedules.

• Organization improves when you break tasks into smaller, manageable parts.

👉 System Tip: Create a Command Center (a consistent spot for keys, bags, papers, or digital files) so items don’t get lost and routines stay on track.

Planning & Prioritizing

Executive function allows you to set goals and establish clear steps to reach them. It also helps you decide what order to do tasks in a project and manage multiple steps.

• Struggles with planning often look like procrastination, but often stem from unclear next steps and unaddressed emotions.

• Prioritizing means choosing from your master list the sequence of what to do.

• Using planners, checklists, or project outlines builds stronger planning habits.

• Planning backwards with the end goal and using time blocks in sequence helps reach your goal.

👉 System Tip: Use Weekly Planning Time (like Sunday evening planning) with a calendar and task list to decide your top three priorities for the week.

Working Memory

Working memory is the ability to hold information in your head while using it.

• It helps with following multi-step directions, solving problems, and recalling details.

• Limited working memory capacity can make instructions, conversations, or lectures feel overwhelming.

• Writing tasks down frees up cognitive load and makes it easier to start tasks.

• Strategies like repeating information aloud or chunking it into smaller parts boost recall.

👉 System Tip: Set up a capture system (like a notebook, notes app, or voice recorder) to quickly store thoughts and instructions before they slip away.

Task Initiation

Executive function helps with initiation, which is starting a task.

• Trouble with initiation frustrates people and often requires a specific strategy.

• Breaking down the very first step makes starting easier.

• Body doubling, which is working alongside someone else, can smooth out initiation.

• A clear routine or cue (like setting a timer) creates momentum to begin.

👉 System Tip: Use a “warm up” like the Pomodoro method (25 minutes work, 5 minutes break) to create a workflow.

Emotional Regulation

Executive function plays a role in managing fear, stress, frustration, and disappointment.

• Difficulty regulating emotions can lead to impulsive reactions or procrastination.

• Meditation and mindfulness practices strengthen awareness of emotions before they escalate.

• Pausing creates space for better decision-making.

• Naming your feelings (“I’m overwhelmed,” “I’m frustrated”) reduces their intensity and builds control.

👉 System Tip: Build an “emotional reset system” with tools like sensory awareness, a short walk, or a quick grounding exercise you can use when emotions run high.

Executive function skills are boosted by working with a certified professional organizer or coach. These skills can be supported and strengthened with the right strategies, tools, and guidance. Choose one area to start and focus on ways to strengthen your skills.