ADHD - The Different Types of Executive Function, Part 2
Continuing where we left off in the other blog post, here are more executive functions and how to support them.
Sustained attention is the capacity to maintain attention to a task despite distractibility, fatigue, or boredom.
Taking mindful moments throughout the day is a way to develop sustained attention. Meditation in small doses is shown to increase an individual's capacity to focus on one particular task at a time. To put this into practice, start by breathing (that easy!). Concentrate your attention on the individual breaths, then gradually shift your focus to your toes, your legs, your chest, and so on.
Planning and Prioritization is the ability to create a roadmap to reach a goal or to complete a task. It also involves being able to make decisions about what's important to focus on and what's not essential. You can use a template (such as a physical planner or an app); the struggle is finding a template that meets your needs. I recommend treating any planner as a dumping ground to identify everything related to a particular task, “dumping” everything needed to complete a task and then “organizing” those subtasks by priority. If a planner is unavailable, adults or parents can help by breaking the planning task down. Interesting fact: planning ahead is specifically a brain function unique only to human beings!
Organization is the ability to create and maintain systems to keep track of information or materials. We all have different systems, but whatever the system may be it should be created and maintained by the individual that plans to use it. Systems are less likely to be effective when they are created by a third party.
Time management is the capacity to estimate one's time, allocate it, and stay within time limits and deadlines. It also involves a sense that time is essential. Okay, so what does this mean? Individuals with ADHD underestimate how long a task takes or do not recognize how many steps or processes it takes. Interestingly, like with Planning and Prioritization mentioned above, using a planner is a natural tool to help develop this skill.
