Executive functioning weaknesses are the absence of those behaviors that make it possible to complete everyday tasks in a reasonable period of time. These are the skills we are all expected to be able to perform in the course of our daily life to make our lives run smoothly and work successfully.
Most of our productivity is based on using our brain’s executive functions to stay on track with our intentions. Some common examples of good executive functioning are:
- Starting and finishing tasks
- Prioritizing tasks
- Anticipating what is required to complete each step in a sequence
- Stopping to plan ahead of time so we know in advance how we will succeed
- Pausing to think before taking action to avoid needless mistakes
- Maintaining focus and difficulty switching from one focus to another
- Overwhelm and panic when rules or routines change
Based on the list above, it is easy to see why people with executive functioning weaknesses need the help of a good ADHD Coach. In addition, research shows us that the sooner people in this category get help, the better off they will be in the long run. Interventions can be made at various stages in the timelines of one’s life. Below are possible ways to get help based on typical life stages:
Addressing Executive Functioning Weaknesses in Primary School
School-aged students showing executive functioning weaknesses should be identified as early as possible using cognitive and academic testing protocols. Once identified, the school should share with the parents or caregivers the services they provide under the law for students with special needs. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ensures students are not to be discriminated against based on special learning needs once the student is assigned to that category through identification and testing. As a result of this law, sometimes referred to as the “Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act,” students may be qualified to receive special accommodations like more time on tests, separate testing environment, and someone to take notes for them among others.
Improving Executive Functioning Weaknesses in College
College-aged students who have been identified as having executive functioning weaknesses through official testing before entering or while they are in college can also qualify for the accommodations mentioned above. It is at this point that ADHD Coaching through virtual portals becomes a very effective strategy to ensure students do not go off track academically because parents and teachers are not on campus to oversee their progress. This is often where students can get into serious trouble that can be hard to come back from.
Moving Beyond ADHD as an Adult
Adults in and out of the workplace will usually at some point in their life have serious enough issues staying employed, or married or emotionally healthy that they will need to reach out for help to get them through a particularly rough patch. This is where an ADHD Coach can help them get the support, understanding, and strategies they have likely needed for a long time.
Would you like to help the growing population of people with executive functioning weaknesses be successful in their lives and careers? Become a Certified ADHD/Executive Functioning Weakness Coach. Live ADHD Free offers a one-of-a-kind coach certification program. Click the button below to learn more.
