Executive function refers to skills that you use to manage everyday tasks like making plans, solving problems and adapting to new situations.

What is Executive Functioning?

It is a set of cognitive processes that help us self-regulate, so we can effectively plan, prioritise and sustain effort toward our (long term) goals.

Everyone experiences differences in executive functioning strengths and challenges and not every autistic person experiences issues with executive functioning, but it is common. Some autistic people may be very strong in a particular area of executive functioning due to their skills in organising.

Executive functioning difficulties may also occur for people with other conditions, such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychosis.

Overall, executive functioning skills help you to monitor your actions and act based on your own choices. 

Executive functioning is thought to occur in pre-frontal cortex area of the brain, which is a very slow developing area and continues to change and develop throughout life.

Other factors also play a role in executive functioning, such as motivation and interest in the task or activity, attention, mood, anxiety, stress and relationship issues. Some people have specific learning issues in areas such as maths or reading that will also play a role in executive functioning problems. 

Executive Functioning in Brief

Executive functioning involves: 

Planning is to identify an end goal and how to reach this goal.

Prioritisation is to decide what is more and less important and then focus accordingly.

Organisation is keeping track of your belongings, organising thoughts, managing time, and knowing how to get things done. 

Flexible thinking is to think about different ways to solve problems, adjust to new situations, learn from mistakes, cope with routine changes, try new things and switch from one task to another. 

Impulse control is to think before acting or speaking and consider consequences of behaviour. 

Emotional response is to feel, identify, label and know the difference between different emotions. To then self-regulate or control those emotions in a variety of social situations. To stay calm if you’re anxious or recover from a setback without letting disappointment or frustration take over.

Working memory is to hold information in mind for a period of time and process this information. It helps us to problem solve and make decisions.

Initiation is to get started on a task or take action. 

Executive Functioning: A Personal Perspective by Finn Gardiner

Finn Gardiner is a community educator, researcher, advocate, and designer, currently working with the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. In this link, he explains how executive functioning problems impact on his life and work and shares some solutions that work for him. 

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/executive-functioning

Possible Signs of Poor Executive Function

Because executive functions involve so many processes inside of your brain, executive dysfunction can take many forms. Some examples of executive dysfunction include:

• Difficulty managing time effectively
• Forgetfulness in daily activities
• Challenges in organizing thoughts or materials
• Struggles with adapting to unexpected changes
• Impulsivity in decision-making
• Difficulty regulating emotions

As a result, people may be very intellectually able, but struggle with daily living tasks, such as:

• Initiating tasks including get out of bed
• Self-care / wash and dressing, laundry
• Accessing public transport and facilities
• Going out into the community
• Managing finances
• Preparing meals
• Managing work loads
• Maintaining environment
• Work life balance/occupational balance 

Strategies can be used to help reduce the impact of the executive functioning difficulties you experience. Not all strategies suit everyone, you need to find the ones that work for you and this can involve some trial and error.

Make a list of the things you have difficulty with. This will help you choose which strategies might work for you.

Identify your strengths

People have different executive functioning strengths. Examples include: 

• Attention to detail
• Analytical thinking
• Seeing patterns & connections that others don’t
• Ability to hyper-focus
• Using special interests to achieve chores
• Ability to order and organise things
• Creative or innovative approaches to problem solving
• Reliability with schedules and routines

Identify the strategies you already use to help you with:

• Self-care
• Laundry
• Meal preparation
• Shopping
• Public transport
• Accessing the community
• Managing your home environment
• At work
• Hobbies and leisure activities
• Time management
• Learning from your mistakes (and successes!)
• Emotional control
• Planning and organising

Maintain calm when possible                                              

Examples include:

• Pause for 3 - 5 seconds before you respond – it gives you time to organize your thoughts
• Find time to relax however you do it – mindfulness, yoga, special interest, being in nature
• Take breaks
• Plan for transition times and shifts in activities
• One task at a time
• Learn relaxation, mindfulness or meditation techniques

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/breathing-exercises-for-stress/

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/mindfulness/ 

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/how-to-meditate-for-beginners/

Writing / Visuals / Sound 

Examples include:

• Lists and master lists (holiday, work, exercise)
• Timetables
• Mind maps
• Write down instructions / steps in a task
• Diaries (daily, weekly and monthly)
• Colour coding
• Budgeting tools
• Playlists for moving on

Technology

Examples include:

• Apps (e.g. Cozi, Otter, Ayoa, Medisafe, gamify apps)
• Phone calendar and reminders
• Google Maps and City
• Mapper
• Monzo
• Direct debits and standing orders
• Grammarly (if dyslexic)
• Robot vacuum cleaner

There are various Apps that may help, below are some examples.

• Brain Focus – a management app that will help set up on-tasks and off-tasks time. Cost – free
• MindNode – allows virtual or analytical thinkers to create a virtual representation of their thoughts to help them brainstorm and execute their ideas. Cost – free with in-app purchases
• Trello – an app- that helps to manage your to-do list – work tasks, future plans or random thoughts. Cost – free with in-app purchasers
• Asana – allows you to break larger projects down into subtasks to focus on one at a time. Cost – Asana Personal is free
• Remember the Milk – a flexible and creative to-do list. Cost – free to use, Pro account has a cost and gives additional features
• Due – for iPhone and iPads – set yourself up to get your tasks completed and stay on top of your deadlines. Cost – monthly fee
• Calm – is ideal if you enjoy listening to relaxing stories while you sleep. Cost – free 7-day trial, annual or lifetime fee
• Brain in Hand – practical human support and digital tools to help you think about what you need and plan for things that are difficult. They are partnered with Health and Social Care and offer funding applications for those in receipt of Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Price – annual licence. There are monthly payment plans.

Environmental organisation

Arrange your environment in advance so that it helps you, for example:

• If you shower in the morning place towel, clothes and products out and ready to use.
• Have set places for things and have labels on cupboards and drawers
• Put things away as you go, or have a set time each day where you tidy up
• Have less items!

Reduce demand

Too many demands make it harder to manage, so reduce demands in the areas you find difficult, for example:

• If you have problem with fine motor skills, have clothes without buttons / zips, use Velcro on shoes.
• Bulk cooking for the week, plan meals in advance, choose quick and simple recipes
• Buy the same products to reduce decision making
• Plan for an alternative, so you are prepared if your first solution doesn’t work or route to work changes
• Travel or shop at less busy times
• Do things when they are less busy e.g. late showings at cinemas or early afternoon on a school day
• Decide what is important for you to do and prioritise those things

Ask for help

For example:

• Ask others to help you plan and prioritise
• Ask people to offer information in written format, e.g. instructions
• Ask friends or family to provide reminders
• Ask staff at train or tube stations if you are lost or confused
• Ask for regular meetings at work to help keep you on schedule and on task
• Ask for reasonable adjustments
• Ask about autism friendly options e.g. relaxed screenings or quiet hours at shops

Other Tips

• Use rewards to increase motivation
• Plan when you are going to do particular tasks or activities