Planning
Name one thing you should do before starting a big school project
Find out the due date, break it into smaller steps, make a to-do list, gather materials, ask questions about what's expected.
What does "task initiation" mean in your own words?
The ability to get started on something — especially when you don't feel like it or don't know where to begin.
What does "flexibility" mean when we talk about executive function?
Being able to adjust your thinking or plan when something changes — bending without breaking.
Name the THREE factors we use to prioritize tasks.
Urgency (how soon?), Impact (how much does it matter?), and Commitment (did I promise someone?).
You're a barista and your manager just told you that the espresso machine needs to be deep-cleaned before the shop opens tomorrow at 7am. You've never done it before. How do you plan to get it done?
asking for instructions or a checklist before leaving today, estimating how long it will take, arriving early enough to finish before opening, gathering supplies the night before, and having a backup plan if something goes wrong (like calling a coworker for help).
What's the difference between a PLAN and a GOAL?
A goal is WHAT you want to achieve. A plan is the STEPS you'll take to get there. You need both — a goal without a plan is just a wish.
Name TWO common barriers that stop people from starting a task.
Examples: feeling overwhelmed, not knowing the first step, perfectionism, distractions (phone, noise), boredom, fear of failing, task feels too big, low energy.
Your best friend cancels plans last minute. Name TWO flexible ways to respond.
Examples: make a plan B (solo activity, invite someone else), reschedule, check in with your friend, do something you've been putting off — instead of only getting upset or giving up on the day.
What does URGENCY mean? Give an example of an urgent task.
Urgency = how soon something needs to be done. Examples: homework due tomorrow, a friend needs help right now, the fire alarm is going off.
You work at a retail store and your manager asks you to reorganize the entire clearance section before your shift ends in 90 minutes. The section is a mess and you don't know where to begin. What do you do?
breaking the section into smaller zones instead of tackling it all at once, picking one starting point and committing to it, setting a mental checkpoint (finish one rack in 15 minutes), asking a coworker for a quick tip if truly stuck, and starting with the most visible area first so progress is noticeable.
Your plan was to study for 2 hours, but you have a headache. What are TWO things you could do?
shorten the session, take breaks, switch to an easier subject, review notes instead of new material, reschedule, ask for help, rest first then try again.
Your teacher assigns a 5-page essay. You freeze. Give THREE strategies to get unstuck.
Examples: break it into smaller steps, set a 5-minute timer to just start, write a messy first sentence, use a template, body-double with a classmate, do the easiest part first, remove distractions.
Role play: You studied hard for a test, but the teacher changes it to an essay. Show us how you'd adjust.
Look for: taking a breath, asking clarifying questions, using what you studied in a new format, not giving up, adjusting expectations (this may not be your best work, and that's okay).
Rank these by priority and explain: (1) text back a friend, (2) study for tomorrow's test, (3) clean your room this weekend.
Study for test (high urgency + high impact), text friend (commitment, quick), clean room (low urgency, can wait). Good answers weigh all three factors.
You're a server at a restaurant. Your section is full, a customer just sent their food back, and your coworker called in sick so you're covering their tables too. How do you adjust?
staying calm instead of shutting down, quickly reprioritizing which tables need attention most urgently, communicating with the kitchen about the returned dish, letting a manager know about coverage, and accepting that perfect service may not be possible tonight — good enough under pressure is the goal.
Role play: You have 5 assignments due Friday. Walk us through how you'd PLAN your week.
Look for: checking due dates, estimating time for each, spreading work across days, scheduling breaks, building in buffer time for the unexpected.
Role play: Your partner says "I can't start my homework, I just keep scrolling." Coach them through it.
Look for: naming the barrier (distraction), removing the phone, picking one small first step, using a timer, celebrating starting — not finishing.
Role play: A group project partner doesn't do their part. You have 1 hour left. GO.
Look for: staying calm, assessing what's done, deciding what's essential vs. nice-to-have, dividing remaining work, asking for extension if needed, focusing on what YOU can control.
Role play: You have 30 minutes and 4 tasks. Think aloud as you decide what to do first using urgency, impact, and commitment.
Look for: naming all 3 factors, explaining trade-offs, making a decision and sticking with it, acknowledging what won't get done.
You work at a veterinary clinic. It's 3pm and you have four tasks: restock exam rooms, return three client phone calls, clean the waiting room, and update patient files before the 4pm appointments. You can only fully complete three of them. How do you decide what to do?
identifying the 4pm appointments as the hard deadline driving urgency, returning calls next (commitment to clients), restocking exam rooms for the appointments (high impact), and bumping the waiting room clean to last or asking someone else to handle it. Bonus: communicating to a supervisor that the waiting room may not get done.
You just got hired at your first job. Your manager tells you on Monday that you have three tasks to complete by Friday: organize the supply closet, greet and check in customers, and attend a team training on Wednesday. How do you plan your week?
identifying which tasks are time-fixed (training on Wednesday, greeting customers during shift hours) vs. flexible (supply closet), scheduling the fixed tasks first and building the flexible task around them, estimating how long the supply closet will take and blocking time for it, and not leaving everything until Thursday. Bonus: acknowledging that greeting customers happens every shift, so it's built into the daily routine rather than treated as a one-time task.
What's the difference between WANTING to do something and being able to INITIATE it? Can you want to do something and still struggle to start?
Yes! You can genuinely want to do something and still struggle to initiate it. Initiation is a brain function separate from motivation. Examples: wanting to text a friend back but staring at your phone for an hour, wanting to exercise but not being able to get off the couch.
Role play: You've been looking forward to a free period to relax, but your teacher asks you to stay in and make up a quiz. Show us two flexible AND two inflexible responses — then tell us which response gets a better outcome and why.
Look for: flexible responses (agreeing calmly, negotiating a different time, asking how long it will take), inflexible responses (refusing, shutting down, arguing), and a clear explanation of why flexibility leads to better relationships and outcomes even when the situation feels unfair.
Your friend says "everything feels equally important and I don't know where to start." Using urgency, impact, and commitment, teach them how to break the tie when two tasks feel the same priority level.
Walking through each factor (which is due sooner? which has bigger consequences if skipped? which involves another person counting on them?), suggesting the "just pick one and start" rule when tasks are truly equal, and acknowledging that done is better than perfect prioritization.
You're working a cash register and the computer system goes down mid-shift. There's a line of customers. Your manager is in a meeting. What do you do?
staying calm and communicating clearly with customers in line, finding out if the store has a manual or backup process, getting a coworker to help manage the line, knocking on the manager's door if the situation escalates, and not just standing frozen waiting for someone to tell them what to do. Bonus: keeping a positive attitude with frustrated customers.