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Keep Your Executive Functioning In Check With These 5 Expert-Backed Steps
Our attention is more divided than ever, with endless scrolling at our fingertips, group chat messages going off, and advertisements galore. But despite all these distractions, our daily lives demand our attention and focus, and if you already struggle with executive function, it can feel impossible to stay on track.
So, we asked experts their top tips for improving executive function—and they're not as complicated as you might think. Here's what to know.
What is executive function?
Executive function is essentially the cognitive processes that allow us to get things done, like organizing our thoughts, managing time, planning and prioritizing certain tasks, and making decisions.
With poor executive functioning, however, those things don't come easily. Focusing, staying on top of deadlines, following directions, and even regulating emotions can take extra effort. These types of issues are often seen in people with ADHD, according to prominent experts in the field like Russell Barkley, Ph.D., who consider ADHD to actually be an executive function deficit disorder.
However, according to licensed therapist De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, MSW, LCSW, you don't have to be clinically diagnosed with ADHD to struggle with executive function from time to time. Especially, she says, in the past few years, as she's witnessed the rise in digital technology result in weakened attention spans for many of her clients.
5 simple ways to improve executive function
Work in steps
According to Blaylock-Solar, many people with executive function trouble find it helpful to work in steps, prioritizing different tasks based on how important they are.
For some people, she says, you might find it easier to knock out the most important thing first and get it out of the way, then tackle the smaller things. On the flip side, other people might respond better to tackling smaller things first to "get the ball rolling," so to speak, and then work up to the more important tasks.
Give yourself visual or alert cues
If you struggle with executive function, the reality is, you can't rely on your brain alone to keep you organized and on schedule. As such, Blaylock-Solar tells mindbodygreen, having different visual cues or alerts will be super helpful.
"I have a friend who lives by the alarm on her phone," she says, adding that this friend sets separate alarms to wind down in the evening: One to start reading before bed, and another to put down the book and hit the hay.
Similarly, Blaylock-Solar adds, she always uses her calendar to stay organized, "because having external cues and not relying on yourself will help you avoid beating up on yourself for not remembering things." (Which, let's be real, is all too common if you struggle with keeping yourself organized.)
Try nootropics
"Nootropic" is a category used to describe a handful of different compounds that support various aspects of brain health and cognitive function, and some of them happen to be pretty helpful for executive function, according to research.
Take L-theanine, for example—a phytochemical found in green tea that's both a nootropic and an adaptogen, because it helps generate a relaxed and focused mental state1.
Meanwhile there's resveratrol, an polyphenol powerhouse loaded with antioxidants and properties that support a healthy inflammatory response. Research has shown reservatrol promotes brain blood flow2 and cognitive task performance3, and it's found in plenty of your favorite foods, like blueberries, grapes, peanuts, and pistachios.
Have different rooms for different things
If you struggle with your attention span and executive function, never underestimate the impact your environment can have on you. From distracting sounds or visuals, to simply feeling restless, Blaylock-Solar says switching up the scenery can go a long way.
If you're losing steam on a task for instance, she explains, you might find all you need to do to refocus is move to a different room. To that end, she adds, it's not a bad idea to have different rooms for different things (i.e. you read in one room, do your home yoga workout in another, make phone calls in your bedroom, etc.).
Move your body
Finally, according to MIT- and Harvard-trained brain researcher Elizabeth Ricker, movement is a great way to get yourself back in the zone if you feel yourself slipping.
It might be during your afternoon slump, for instance, when you would normally reach for your second or third cup of coffee. According to Ricker, "Most people reach for coffee when their focus falters, but they might consider taking an exercise break instead," adding, "Many studies have demonstrated the benefits of exercise on executive function, which relates strongly to both focus and productivity—even after just one session."
Similar to the idea of switching up your scenery, leaving your work zone to take a quick walk outside and coming back can also help you recenter your attention (and get any bodily jitters out through movement).
The takeaway
Struggling with executive function can come with a whole lot of shame and embarrassment, so one last tip would simply be to not be too hard on yourself. With a few helpful tools in place, a rock solid calendar, and perhaps a reminder or two set on your phone, it is possible to keep your executive function going strong when you need it most.
3 Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6836118/
- https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/91/6/1590/4597194?login=false
- https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/effects-of-chronic-transresveratrol-supplementation-on-aspects-of-cognitive-function-mood-sleep-health-and-cerebral-blood-flow-in-healthy-young-humans/AAF7BA17E3D18035582F7E69D6E6805D
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