General Executive Functions
What does Executive Functioning mean?
Executive Functioning is how our brains control how we complete tasks in our everyday lives.
What are Planning and Organization?
Planning is the ability to figure out how to accomplish your goals. It includes analyzing what you need and what steps you'll need to take to undertake and complete a task.
Organization is the ability to keep materials, spaces, and plans neat and orderly.
What is Flexibility?
the ability to adapt to new situations and deal with change. It also includes perspective-taking, and making decisions to fix a problem.
What is time management?
having an accurate understanding of how long tasks will take and using time wisely and effectively to accomplish tasks. It includes pacing yourself and meeting deadlines.
What is perseverance?
sticking to a task and not giving up, even when it becomes challenging.
What are the 5 executive functions we learned over the past few weeks?
Bonus: Name all 10 executive functions (10 extra points per additional executive function IF you have already named the 5 we learned)
1. Planning
2. Organization
3. Flexibility
4. Time Management
5. Perseverance
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6. Task Initiation
7. Working Memory
8. Metacognition
9. Self-Control
10. Attention
What is a situation organization might be handy? Give an example.
School (possibly a project or keeping your homework organized)
Work (keeping your workspace clean and organized can help you and others find what they need quickly)
At Home (organized closets or other elements of the home make your daily routine go smoother)
What are some healthy ways to deal with frustration?
Reframe it to be a positive.
Use coping skills to manage stress.
Cut down on unnecessary stressors.
Talk to a trusted person about it and get ideas on how to fix a problem.
Why does estimating the time a task might take matter?
It can help you stay on track by letting you know where you are and where you need to be. You will be able to plan easier if you have an idea of how long a given activity may take you.
Name a person who persevered and how they did it.
Answers will vary. Peers will decide whether the answer was worth the point value.
Are the different executive functions linked to one another, or do they function separate
Executive Functions are extremely linked and intertwined! It is good to know the way they work separately, but they are rarely working alone. No matter the task, there are many functions working together to get you through it.
What are some tools that you can use to help you plan?
A daily or weekly planner
A calendar
To-Do Lists
What does it mean to be solution-focused in the face of problems? Why is it a good practice to follow?
Being solution-focused means that you are focused on ways to resolve an issue, rather than focusing on the issue itself. It helps you stay positive and keep moving in the face of problems.
What is pacing yourself and why is it important?
Pacing yourself means setting a working speed that works for you so that you are able to treat all tasks with an equal amount of care and energy. If you don't do this, you are likely to burn out trying to complete everything as quickly as possible, leaving the last things on your list to be done sloppily or to be ignored altogether.
Why might it be important to think of ways you might have to persevere in the future?
If you already are aware of some of the challenges you will face, it is more likely that you will be able to push through them because you can make a plan for it.
Can you improve your executive functioning skills or is everyone born with the skills they have and must learn to work within their limits?
You can definitely improve your executive functioning skills, however, in the meantime it is possible to learn tools that you can use so you can complete tasks by playing to your strengths.
What part does planning play in setting goals for your future?
Planning can help you reach your goals by allowing you to visualize the steps you need to take. It can help you tell if your goals are reasonable by showing you how much work it would be to get from exactly where you are to exactly where you want to be.
You find out that you are moving to a new town.
- How might you feel?
- What could a positive be?
- What self-talk could you use to cope?
- what uncertainties might you feel?
Answers will vary. Student must address all 4 questions thoughtfully to receive points.
How can setting deadlines help you be productive?
If you have a deadline, whether you set it or it was set by someone else, you are more likely to complete a task in a reasonable time frame.
What are some strategies you might use to persevere through a tough situation?
talk to someone you trust (this could even be yourself!)
visualize the results you want to see (might be helpful to make a vision board)
Take a break (but make sure you have a plan of when you will get started again)
Celebrate your small victories!
You have been assigned a long-term research paper. How could you use your executive functions to complete it?
Planning & Organization: you need to plan how to write the essay and get the materials you need
Flexibility: You need to be able to work with the information that you find, even if it doesn't line up with what you originally had planned.
Time Management: You need to know what you need to do in order to get the paper done on time
Perseverance: You have to be able keep going, even when things get in the way.
How can Habits and Routines help you plan and reach your goals?
Habits and Routines are something that, once formed, you can rely on. You won't have to worry about planning to do those things because they are already there. Routines also give you a structure that you can use to see what your typical day looks like and where you might be able to fit new activities to meet new goals.
Is trying new things important? Why or Why not?
Pose an argument and give supporting details.
Answers may vary. Peers must decide whether the answer given is worth the points.
What is prioritizing and why is it important?
Prioritizing is analyzing which tasks must be done first. This can be determined by a number of factors, such as deadlines or what is most important to you.
Prioritizing is important in creating balance in your life so you can live a life that feels valuable to you.
You have a huge exam on Friday.
- How might you have worked hard?
- What are the short term pay offs?
- What are the long term pay offs?
A possible answer might be:
- Studied hard, stayed after for extra help
- Doing good on the exam, getting a good grade in the class
- establishing good study habits for college