Executive Functions

Focus: Focusing, sustaining and shifting attention to tasks.

This executive function plays a major role in academics. Take for example the task of reading. Reading requires that we stop paying attention to something else like the furry puppy in the room or the weather outside or our friends talking at the next table. Reading then requires turning our attention to written material either hard copy or a digital. Next the reader must sustain focus on the written material which requires mental energy. We block out any noise or sights that are not part of the book we are reading. We are still aware that the task of reading has a stopping point. The ending point could be the amount of time allowed for this task has finished. Or an interruption from our environment like someone calling our name. The ending could be hunger or the need for sleep.

If this part of your executive functions is underdeveloped or simply working inefficiently, then you will struggle to turn your attention onto a task that needs your attention.  Once you have focused on a task you might not be able to stay focused and ignore distractions. Take this scenario. You are sitting in a coffee shop to work on a research paper. You pull out all your material. (Organization is not an issue). You have your coffee cup, a ham croissant and a bottle of water. You are ready. But first you take a peek at Face Book or Twitter or Instagram and boom two hours later you realize the employees are sweeping and closing shop.

You might struggle with stopping the task and starting another. Here’s one scenario. You have to turn in a major presentation that includes visuals and illustrations. You have spent countless hours getting all graphics for your presentation. Now you know you need to practice the content of your speech. You set aside time to write out your speech. You have your facts and data. Easy, right? You know what you want to say. You just have to put it into words. You open up a google doc and before you know it you’re watching a tutorial about how to use something in Adobe Photoshop to adjust the exposure of the photo you want to use in your presentation.

Your ability to focus, sustain focus and shift focus is inefficient. (I prefer the word inefficient over deficit or disorder. Inefficient just sounds like I could find something to make things more efficient. It sounds like there is hope for me and my ADD syndrome!)

Sorry to say, I have no fairy dust to “fix” inefficiency. But I do have experience in working with college students with ADHD and adults with ADHD. I have some practical suggestions that have made a difference.

 

Ruth’s Hacks to Focusing, Sustaining Focus and Shifting Focus.

I’ve listed my ideas in steps for simplicity of communication. However, these steps could be done out of order. You might have to circle back and repeat some steps. You might have to back and forth between two steps.

Step 1

Location. The place you choose to study has to match the cognitive demand of your task and the level of distraction. Think about the task at hand. Do you need to comprehend abstract concepts? Do you need to complete hard reading? Do you need to write? Do you need to think and digest information? Do you need to review and memorize? Now choose a location that will support the level of difficulty of your task. Choose a place that isn’t distracting but has some stimulation.

Let’s look at a coffee shop. Choose a shop where no one knows you. You have the sounds of a coffee shop, talking, laughter, chairs scraping, the baristas working, and the music.  It is just the right amount of sights and sounds. All these distractions are things you aren’t interested in so you can resist and stay focused on your task. Coffee shops don’t work for all learning tasks. You might need the silence of a study room in the library for reading abstract concepts. It’s up to you. Use trial and error. You might start on one floor of the library and then need to move to another floor that is quieter or that is noisier.

Step 2

Time of day. Become aware of your level of alertness during the day. You might be more alert in the morning and less alert in the afternoon but then get your second wind in the evening after supper.  Keep a journal for a week. Record how awake and clear minded you feel during the day. Match the level of complexity of your task with your mental alertness of the time of day. Do your abstract and difficult conceptual learning tasks when you are more alert. Work on your less demanding tasks when your alertness is lower.

Step 3

Use a timer. Simple but true. Set a timer for 30 minutes. Work for 30 minutes. Then take a 5 minute break. Set the timer for the break. During your break get up, drink water, go to the bathroom. Then return to work for 30 minutes. This approach will help with fatigue and with sustaining focus long enough to finish the task.

Step 4

Work side by side. Work with someone else who is working on their work. This person might be at the same table or across the room. Every time you feel distracted you look up and see your friend at work. This will give you a image of what you want to be doing and you can mirror that image. This “friend” doesn’t have to be someone you know. It could simply be other people in the coffee shop.

Step 5

Schedule your day. If you need three hours to complete a task then make an appointment with someone after those three hours (that someone could be yourself). For example, start at 9:00  a.m. to work 3 hours on a paper. Make an appointment with your friend to meet for lunch at 12:30.  Your lunch appointment will help you switch tasks. It also serves as an accountability component to your time management.

 

If I get my own executive function manager to keep up the good work, my next blogpost will be about Effort: Regulating alertness, sustaining effort, and processing speed.