Working from home can sometimes feel like an uphill battle.

You’re often managing your time, tasks, and focus without the built-in structure of a traditional workplace. That’s why this week we’ll be learning strategies for managing the 5 main areas of executive functioning.

Executive functions refer to a set of cognitive processes that enable us to plan, make decisions, regulate our behavior, and manage tasks in a goal-oriented way. 

#1: Inhibitory Control

Inhibitory control is the ability to suppress impulsive behaviors and reactions. This may show up in your life as interrupting others, making snap decisions, or acting without thinking through the consequences. 

Struggling with impulsivity can often lead to painful outcomes such as unintentionally offending others, overspending, or making decisions that are out of alignment with our values.  

Research has shown that one of the best ways to get a handle on our impulsivity is through mindfulness.

One study specifically found that just 5 weeks of mindfulness practice can reduce impulsivity and make lasting brain changes.

By building our brain’s ability to return to present-moment awareness, we are better able to notice in the moment we have an impulse and to pause instead of reacting. 

Our invitation today (well everyday, really, in our Wake-Up Calls!) is to practice mindfulness techniques.

This can look like guided meditation, deep breathing, body scanning, yoga or any other method that helps you slow down and connect with the present moment.

#2: Working Memory

Working memory is basically your brain’s notepad — it helps you hold onto information just long enough to use it.

Think about trying to remember a phone number while you dial it, or juggling a few steps in a project without losing your place. That’s your working memory at play.

For people with ADHD, working memory can sometimes be a challenge. It’s common to forget things quickly, feel disorganized, or have a hard time following through on instructions. 

One of the best ways to support your working memory is to get information out of your head and into view.

Use sticky notes, whiteboards, or digital task boards to keep your to-dos visible and organized. We haven’t announced it publicly yet, but we have a tool coming soon to the app called “Brain Dump” that is going to help you get tasks out of your head!

Research has shown things such as keeping a routine, breaking tasks down into smaller chunks, and time blocking your day takes a load off your brain and helps you feel more anchored throughout your day.

#3: Cognitive Flexibility

Cognitive flexibility is about adjusting to the unexpected — like handling sudden changes with ease or switching from Task A to Task B without getting stuck.

This skill can be a “superpower” for some with ADHD — but for others, it can be a struggle and even small changes like a schedule shift can feel overwhelming. 

Inflexibility or rigidity often pair with difficulties in time management and emotional regulation, which are both tied to executive function.

For example, imagine someone plans to write a report in the morning, but a last-minute meeting gets added to their schedule.

Instead of smoothly switching gears, they might feel thrown off, anxious, or even shut down completely. Without strong time management tools to reorganize the rest of their day, and without emotional regulation to manage the frustration, it becomes much harder to move forward. 

The key is viewing change not as a threat, but as something you can roll with — with practice and some self-compassion, you really can make pivots feel less like hurdles.

One way to make unexpected changes easier is to practice making low-stakes changes — like shuffling the order of your morning tasks — which can help you get more comfortable with change. 

Another strategy is to have a "go-to" self‑talk line such as: “I’ve adapted before — I’ve got this”, or even just taking a minute before reacting to a sudden change can give your brain a sense of safety.

#4: Planning and Organization

Planning and organization are all about turning big goals into manageable steps — kind of like getting all of your ingredients prepped and chopped before putting them all together.

But for people with ADHD, this process can feel really tricky. Instead of a clean list of steps, everything might feel jumbled or overwhelming.

Without a clear structure, it’s easy to forget important details or lose track of deadlines. You might start a project with good intentions but find it hard to finish because you’re not sure what the next step is.

That lack of flow can make your work feel scattered, even when you're putting in a lot of effort.

One helpful approach is to break big projects into small, doable chunks.

We do this in the focused space app each morning on these calls, but if you’re someone who struggles with breaking down tasks you can use AI tools like chatGPT or Goblin Tools to help with this. Just plug in your task and it will generate steps for you. 

#5: Time Management

Our final executive function is time management, which is one of those skills that sounds simple but can be really challenging — especially for people with ADHD.

It’s not just about staying on schedule; it also involves estimating how long something will take, choosing what to do first, and staying focused long enough to finish it. That’s a lot of moving parts!

For folks with ADHD, things like procrastination, hyperfocus and time blindness (misjudging how long tasks will take) can make time management feel nearly impossible.

You might intend to start a project early but end up rushing to finish at the last minute. That scramble can create a lot of unnecessary stress and frustration.

Using time intentionally can boost focus and reduce overwhelm.

Techniques like the Pomodoro Method — the way we do in our Community Sessions — help break tasks into manageable chunks, while time-based goals and timers keep you on track. 

Visible clocks, especially analog ones, make the passage of time more tangible and can prompt more mindful time use. 

Lastly, scheduling tasks directly into your calendar, rather than keeping a loose to-do list, helps you prioritize, stay focused, and adjust your day without losing sight of your goals.

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We hope this week's theme helped you take stock of your executive functioning skills, with some recommendations for how you might strengthen then. Remember, not all of these skills come naturally to everyone, but with practice and support, there's nothing you can't accomplish.

P.S. If you could use help accomplishing your goals, busting through procrastination, or getting motivated — please join us at one of our live guided work sessions, or morning planning sessions! Our entire community is waiting for you.

Take care,

— Darya and the focused space team