What are the 12 Executive Functioning Skills?

If your child has executive functioning issues, this scenario may be all too familiar for you:

It’s a typical weekday morning in the busy household of the Johnson family. Sarah, a bright 10-year-old, struggles to get out of bed despite her mother’s repeated wake-up calls. When she finally makes it to the bathroom, she sits on the edge of the tub, staring into space instead of brushing her teeth.

As the clock ticks away, Sarah’s mother, juggling her own work and household responsibilities, gently reminds her to get dressed. Twenty minutes later, Sarah is still in her pajamas, now distracted by her toys. The morning progresses in a similar chaotic fashion, with Sarah eating breakfast at a snail’s pace and forgetting to pack her backpack.

By the time they rush out the door, both Sarah and her mother are frazzled and stressed, only to realize that Sarah’s homework is still on the kitchen table. This all-too-common scenario highlights the struggles faced by children with executive function challenges and the frustration it brings to their families.

Understand Executive Functioning Skills 

Moms often come to me in Ridgefield, CT, seeking help for their children who are struggling with executive function issues. These challenges can manifest in various ways, such as difficulty in starting tasks, managing time, staying organized, or maintaining focus. 

Sometimes, these executive function issues are not isolated problems but symptoms of an underlying condition related to mental health, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Germano et al., 2010), anxiety, or depression.

To better understand and identify if your child has executive dysfunction, it’s essential to recognize the 12 components of executive skills. Each of these essential skills plays a crucial role in managing daily life and achieving personal goals. By understanding these components, you can gain insight into your child's executive function skills and seek appropriate support and interventions.

What are the 12 Executive Functioning Skills?

1. Self-Control /Self-Regulation

Self-regulation, an essential executive functioning skill, is the ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in various situations to achieve long-term goals. It involves resisting impulsive actions, managing emotional reactions, and maintaining discipline.

For example, a child with strong self-control can stay calm and focused even when frustrated with a difficult homework assignment. They can take a break if needed and return to the task without letting their emotions derail their progress. This skill goes hand in hand with inhibitory control or the ability to regulate one's thoughts, emotions, and actions to override impulsive responses and engage in more appropriate, goal-directed behaviors.

How Self-Control Helps Children and Teens

Helps in Making Decisions: Self-regulation enables children to think before they act, allowing them to make thoughtful decisions rather than impulsive ones. This leads to better choices in both academic and social contexts.

Improves Academic Success: Children who can manage their impulses and maintain focus are better able to complete tasks, follow instructions, and engage in sustained learning activities, all of which contribute to higher academic achievement.

Supports Emotional Well-Being: With emotional control, children experience fewer emotional outbursts and less stress. Managing emotions promotes a sense of well-being and confidence.

Strengthens Relationships: Self-regulation helps children interact more positively with peers and adults. They are better at resolving conflicts, showing empathy, and cooperating, which fosters stronger and healthier relationships.

Encourages Long-Term Planning: Children who can regulate their behaviors are more likely to set and pursue long-term goals. They can delay gratification and stay committed to their objectives, leading to greater success over time.

Reduces Risky Behaviors: Good self-regulation decreases the likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors, such as substance abuse or reckless actions. Children learn to weigh the consequences of their actions and choose safer, more responsible paths.

Promotes Adaptability: Self-regulated children can adapt to new or challenging situations without becoming overwhelmed. They can remain calm and resourceful, which helps them navigate changes and uncertainties effectively.

2. Attention

Attention refers to the capacity to maintain focus on a task or activity despite distractions or competing stimuli. Difficulty paying attention can impact working memory and executive function, making it challenging for children to follow directions and affecting their academic performance. It involves selectively concentrating on information that is relevant while ignoring irrelevant distractions. For instance, a child with good attention skills can concentrate on reading a book even when there are noises in the background, such as conversations or television sounds. This skill is crucial for learning and completing tasks effectively.

Facilitates Learning: Attention is essential for processing and retaining new information. It allows the brain of children to absorb educational material and build on their knowledge effectively.

Enhances Task Efficiency: Focused attention helps children complete tasks more efficiently and accurately, minimizing errors and reducing the need for rework.

Supports Skill Development: Sustained attention is necessary for practicing and improving skills in various areas, whether in academics, sports, or hobbies.

Improves Problem-Solving Skills: Attention enables children to analyze problems in detail and devise effective solutions by considering different aspects and potential outcomes.

Strengthens Cognitive Functions: Good attention supports other cognitive processes like memory and executive functioning, leading to better recall and more effective planning.

3. Flexibility

Flexibility is the ability to adapt to changing conditions or expectations, shifting strategies when necessary. Adaptable thinking involves adjusting one's thoughts and behaviors in response to new information or unexpected challenges. 

A child with flexibility can switch from playing a game to doing chores without becoming upset. They can handle changes in routine or unexpected events without significant distress, making it easier to cope with life's uncertainties.

Strengthens Analytical Skills: Flexible thinking allows children to approach problems from multiple angles and consider different solutions. This skill is crucial when faced with challenges that do not have straightforward answers.

Promotes Social Relationships: Children who can adapt their thinking and behavior are better equipped to navigate social situations. They can understand and respond appropriately to others' perspectives, leading to healthier and more positive interactions.

Encourages Creativity: Being flexible in thinking fosters creativity and innovation. Children can think outside the box and come up with original ideas, which is beneficial in academic, artistic, and everyday contexts.

Builds Resilience: Flexibility helps children to bounce back from setbacks and view obstacles as opportunities for growth. This resilience is vital for long-term success and well-being.

Promotes School Success: In a learning environment, flexible thinkers can adjust to different teaching styles and learning materials. They can integrate new information effectively and apply it to various contexts, enhancing their academic achievements.

Fosters Independence: Children with flexible thinking are more independent as they can adjust to new situations without needing constant guidance. This autonomy builds their confidence and prepares them for future responsibilities.

4. Working Memory

Working memory is the skill of holding and manipulating information in mind over short periods. It allows individuals to use and update information as needed to complete tasks. For example, a child with strong working memory can remember and follow multi-step instructions given by a teacher, such as “First, write your name on the paper, then solve the math problems, and finally, turn in your work.” This skill is essential for problem-solving and following complex directions.

Supports Learning and Comprehension: Working memory is crucial for integrating new information with existing knowledge. It helps children understand and retain academic concepts by allowing them to connect and organize information effectively.

Enhances Multitasking: The ability to juggle multiple pieces of information simultaneously is vital for managing various tasks or activities. Working memory allows children to switch between tasks and keep track of different elements of a project or assignment.

Facilitates Language Development: Working memory supports language acquisition by helping children hold onto and process spoken or written information. It aids in following conversations, understanding complex sentences, and learning new vocabulary.

Aids in Reading and Math Skills: In reading, working memory helps with decoding words, understanding sentences, and retaining plot details. In math, it supports the execution of calculations and solving problems that require holding intermediate steps in mind.

Improves Daily Functioning: Children use working memory to remember and follow routines, such as daily schedules or instructions from caregivers. It helps them manage personal responsibilities and navigate daily activities smoothly.

Boosts Cognitive Flexibility: Effective working memory enables children to shift between different tasks or concepts and adjust their thinking as needed. This flexibility is important for adapting to new information or changes in plans.

Contributes to Academic Achievement: Strong working memory is associated with better performance in academic settings. It allows students to handle complex assignments, participate in discussions, and perform well on tests and quizzes.

5. Planning

Planning involves the capability to set goals and determine the best way to achieve them by organizing steps and resources. Developing executive functions is crucial in this process, as it involves the prefrontal cortex and supports organization and problem-solving. It requires foresight, strategic thinking, and the ability to prioritize tasks. 

A child with good planning skills can prepare for a school project over several days, breaking the work into manageable parts and gathering necessary materials in advance. Effective planning helps ensure that tasks are completed efficiently and on time.

Prevents Overwhelm: Effective planning helps break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps, which reduces feelings of overwhelm and makes tasks seem less daunting.

Maximizes Resource Use: Planning ensures that resources, such as time, materials, and support, are used effectively. This optimal use of resources enhances the quality and efficiency of the outcome.

Enhances Time Management: By setting a clear plan and timeline, children can allocate time appropriately for different tasks, preventing last-minute rushes and ensuring deadlines are met.

Encourages Strategic Thinking: Planning fosters strategic thinking and problem-solving by requiring children to anticipate challenges and devise solutions in advance. This foresight prepares them for potential obstacles.

Boosts Confidence: Knowing that a clear plan is in place builds confidence, as children are aware of the steps needed to achieve their goals. This confidence can reduce anxiety and improve performance.

Facilitates Goal Achievement: Structured planning helps children stay focused on their objectives, track progress, and make necessary adjustments, increasing the likelihood of achieving their goals.

Improves Decision-Making: Planning involves evaluating options and making informed decisions about the best course of action, which enhances critical thinking and decision-making skills.

Promotes Accountability: A well-structured plan provides a framework for accountability, as children can self monitor their progress and take responsibility for completing each step.

6. Organization

Organization is the ability to create and maintain systems for keeping track of information or materials. Children who lack executive functioning skills often have difficulty organizing. It involves sorting, categorizing, and arranging items in a logical and orderly manner. 

A child with strong organizational skills keeps their backpack and desk neat and knows where to find their supplies. This skill helps prevent chaos and confusion, making it easier to access needed resources and complete tasks systematically.

Reduces Stress: Well-organized environments and systems reduce the feeling of overwhelm and stress, as everything has a designated place and is easy to locate.

Increases Efficiency: Organized children can complete tasks more quickly and efficiently because they spend less time searching for items and more time focusing on the task at hand.

Enhances Productivity: Good organization supports better time management and productivity. By having a clear plan and organized materials, children can work more effectively and meet deadlines.

Promotes Goal Achievement: Organization helps children set and track their goals by breaking tasks into manageable steps and keeping progress visible. This structured approach aids in achieving both short-term and long-term goals.

Supports Independence: Organizational skills foster independence by enabling children to manage their responsibilities and resources without constant supervision or reminders.

Facilitates Learning and Retention: Organized notes and materials make studying more effective, as children can easily review and understand their work, leading to better retention of information. In an academic setting, organization helps children keep track of assignments, materials, and deadlines, leading to better performance and fewer missed tasks.

Encourages Responsibility: Maintaining an organized environment teaches children responsibility and accountability for their belongings and tasks, fostering a sense of ownership.

7. Time Management

Time management is the skill to use time effectively and efficiently, prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines. Poor time management skills can lead to procrastination and underperformance, especially in academic settings. It involves estimating how much time tasks will take, setting realistic schedules, and avoiding procrastination. 

For example, a child with good time management can allocate enough time for homework, chores, and leisure activities, ensuring that each task is completed without last-minute rushes. This skill is crucial for balancing responsibilities and reducing stress.

Enhances Productivity: Effective time management ensures that tasks are completed in a timely manner, leading to increased productivity and a sense of accomplishment.

Improves Quality of Work: When tasks are completed within allocated time frames, there is more opportunity to focus on quality and detail, leading to better outcomes and fewer errors.

Encourages Healthy Routines: Good time management helps establish and maintain balanced routines, integrating responsibilities with self-care and relaxation, promoting overall well-being.

Reduces Procrastination: By setting clear deadlines and schedules, time management helps minimize procrastination, ensuring that tasks are started and finished on time.

Supports Long-Term Planning: Time management skills contribute to effective long-term planning by helping children break down larger goals into manageable tasks and allocate time for their completion.

Minimizes Stress: Proper time management reduces the pressure of last-minute tasks and deadlines, leading to a more organized and less stressful approach to completing responsibilities.

8. Metacognition

Metacognition is the ability to reflect on and understand one’s own learning and thinking processes, allowing for effective self regulation, re-monitoring and adjustment. It involves being aware of one’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses and using this awareness to improve performance. 

A child with strong metacognitive skills can assess their understanding of a topic and seek help when needed. They can evaluate their learning strategies and make necessary changes to enhance their effectiveness.

Fosters Self-Improvement: Reflecting on their learning processes helps children identify areas for growth and implement strategies to enhance their cognitive skills, and knowledge.

Encourages Adaptive Learning: Metacognitive skills enable children to adjust their learning approaches based on their effectiveness, leading to more efficient and personalized learning experiences.

Promotes Goal Setting: Understanding their cognitive and mental processes also allows children to set realistic and achievable goals, as they can better gauge their progress and adjust their strategies accordingly.

Supports Independent Learning: Metacognitive and self awareness help children become more autonomous learners by planning, self monitoring, and evaluating their own learning efforts.

Increases Motivation: Recognizing improvements and progress can boost children’s motivation and engagement, as they see the direct impact of their efforts on their learning outcomes.

9. Goal-Directed Persistence

Goal-directed persistence is the capability to set goals and follow through with them despite challenges and setbacks. It involves staying focused, motivated and committed to achieving objectives, even when facing difficulties. 

For example, a child with strong goal-directed persistence continues working on improving their reading skills despite initial difficulties. They remain focused on their long-term goal and do not give up easily, demonstrating resilience and determination.

Builds Resilience: Persistence helps children develop resilience by learning how to cope with and overcome obstacles, fostering a strong sense of determination and perseverance.

Encourages Growth Mindset: Persistent effort reinforces the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through hard work, leading to a growth mindset that embraces challenges as opportunities for growth.

Enhances Skill Development: Continued effort towards a goal leads to skill enhancement and mastery over time, as repeated practice and overcoming challenges contribute to expertise and improvement.

Strengthens Problem-Solving Skills: Persisting through difficulties often requires creative problem-solving and adaptation, or mental skills, which enhances a child's ability to think critically and find effective solutions.

Promotes Achievement: Goal-directed persistence increases the likelihood of achieving long-term objectives by maintaining focus and dedication, resulting in successful outcomes and personal fulfillment.

Fosters Self-Efficacy: Successfully reaching goals despite setbacks boosts a child’s self-efficacy, or belief in their own abilities, which in turn supports further challenges and achievements.

Encourages Long-Term Planning: Persistence encourages children to plan and work towards long-term goals, helping them set and achieve meaningful objectives that require sustained effort and commitment.

10. Task Initiation

Task initiation is the ability to begin tasks without undue procrastination and independently. It involves overcoming inertia and getting started on activities promptly. A child with good task initiation starts their homework right after school without needing constant reminders. They can motivate themselves to begin tasks and take the first step, which is often the hardest part of completing any activity.

Promotes Self-Discipline: The ability to start tasks promptly is a key aspect of self-discipline, helping children develop the internal control needed to meet their responsibilities and commitments.

Encourages Consistent Habits: Consistently starting tasks on time helps establish positive routines and habits, which can lead to long-term success in academic, personal, and professional areas.

Supports Emotional Regulation: Starting tasks without delay can reduce feelings of guilt or anxiety associated with procrastination, promoting better emotional regulation and mental well-being.

11. Sustained Effort

Sustained effort is the ability to maintain consistent effort and attention in day to day life and tasks until completion. It involves persevering through challenges and maintaining focus over extended periods. For example, a child with strong sustained effort can complete a long-term project by consistently working on it over time. They do not lose interest or become easily distracted, ensuring that their work is thorough and complete.

Develops Grit: Sustained effort cultivates grit, which is the passion and perseverance needed to achieve long-term goals. This trait is essential for overcoming obstacles and achieving success in various aspects of life.

Supports Mastery: By continuously applying effort, children can master skills and concepts, leading to deeper learning and better performance in academic and extracurricular activities.

Enhances Cognitive Endurance: Maintaining focus over long periods strengthens cognitive endurance, enabling children to tackle complex tasks and problems that require prolonged attention and effort.

Promotes Consistency: Consistent effort ensures steady progress and reduces the likelihood of falling behind on tasks or responsibilities, contributing to a more reliable and predictable performance.

12. Stress Tolerance

Stress tolerance is the capacity to manage stress and remain composed under pressure, enabling effective decision-making and problem-solving. It involves coping with stress in a healthy way and not letting it interfere with performance. 

A child with good stress tolerance stays calm and works through a challenging math problem without becoming overwhelmed. They can think clearly and find solutions even in stressful situations, maintaining their performance and well-being.

Enhances Emotional Resilience: Stress tolerance helps children build emotional resilience, allowing them to bounce back from setbacks and maintain a positive outlook even in difficult circumstances.

Improves Physical Health: Effective stress management is crucial for physical health, reducing the risk of stress-related conditions such as headaches, fatigue, and weakened immune systems.

Supports Social Interactions: Being able to handle stress well improves social interactions, as children who manage stress effectively are less likely to experience conflict or withdrawal in social settings.

Fosters Long-Term Success: The ability to cope with stress is essential for long-term success, as it prepares children to handle the inevitable pressures of adulthood, including work, relationships, and other responsibilities.

Promotes Mental Health: Good stress tolerance is linked to better mental health, reducing the risk of anxiety, depression, and other stress-related mental health issues.

Understanding and supporting the development of executive functioning skills in children is crucial for their overall success and well-being. These skills—self-control, attention, flexibility, working memory, planning, organization, time management, metacognition, goal-directed persistence, task initiation, sustained effort, and stress tolerance—are foundational for effective learning, problem-solving, and navigating life's challenges.

Your Next Steps 

As a parent, recognizing the signs of executive function issues can help you provide the necessary support and interventions to help your child thrive. Whether it's creating structured routines, teaching coping strategies, or seeking professional assistance, there are many ways to bolster your child's executive functioning abilities.

By fostering these skills and having a supportive environment, you empower your child to manage their responsibilities, achieve their goals, and handle stress and setbacks with resilience. This comprehensive approach not only aids in their academic and personal growth but also sets the stage for a fulfilling and successful future.

If you have concerns about your child's executive functioning, don't hesitate to reach out for help. In Ridgefield, CT, and beyond, there are resources and professionals available to guide you and your child on the path to improved executive functioning and overall well-being. Remember, with the right support and strategies, every child has the potential to develop strong executive function skills and reach their full potential. If you want to work with us, take our free solutions matcher.

If you're struggling to help your child focus and complete tasks, the Executive Functioning Parent Toolkit is here to assist. This toolkit provides science-based strategies to tackle attention and executive function issues, offering practical solutions to end the cycle of frustration. 

By implementing these evidence-backed techniques, you can manage behaviors more effectively, boost your child's focus, and foster their independence, all while reducing stress for both of you. With these tools, you'll see meaningful improvements in just 30 days, making your daily parenting challenges more manageable and positive. Check out the Executive Functioning Parent Toolkit.