Executive Functions

Effort: Regulating alertness, sustaining effort, and processing speed.

Effort refers to regulating how alert you are for a given task. Your mind helps you stay alert and maintain the right amount of effort for the task while performing the task you are processing input and making connections with previous knowledge. You are cognitively applying what you already know with the incoming input. And deciding the answers to questions like “so what?” and “now what?”

Students with ADD syndrome often just fall asleep if they are not actively involved in a task. This might not be due to a lack of sleep but rather to a re-occurring difficulty in sustaining alertness. The individual needs steady feedback in order to stay alert. They need to be moving or mentally engaged to stay awake. On the other hand, many times they appear to doze off because of they didn’t get enough sleep. They aren’t getting enough sleep at night because they cannot regulate their alertness at bedtime and their brain just keeps working. Hand in hand with regulating alertness comes the challenge of managing brain energy to sustain effort for work task. These students’ brain power tires easily if there is little immediate reward. If a person’s processing speed doesn’t match the cognitive task then he or she will benefit from a little more time to think it through and make connections.

Let’s look at this scenario. You have to read 50 pages for class tomorrow. You go to the library, set up at one of the tables, and open up your book to the right page. You start. Half way through the first page, your head nods off and oops you’re asleep. You know you fell asleep because 15 minutes later something wakes you up. You kick yourself in your little rear end and feel like a failure. You’ll never finish 50 pages for tomorrow so you give up and leave the library.

Another scenario. It’s 12:30 at night. You have a full day tomorrow. Your mind is racing. You really wish you could find the turn off switch and fall asleep. Healthy sleeping patterns is a recurring problem among my clients and students. This will be a topic for another blog post.

Ruth’s  favorite hacks to address this inefficient effort from your executive functions.

Step 1: Basic self-care. Make sure all your physical needs are met. Sleep, nourishment and exercise. Drink plenty of water.

Step 2: Basic stress management. Regular rigorous workout with other people.  Did you notice I said rigorous? Think about Camp Gladiator or Cross Fit. Regular relaxation practices. Feed your soul. Feed your spirit. Keep your happy level up. Surround yourself with positive influences.

Step 3: Control your environment. Turn off your phone. Choose a place with good lighting and the right amount of noise. Make sure your seat isn’t too comfy which encourages dozing off. Make sure the environment has enough stimulation to keep you alert but doesn’t compete for your attention.

Step 4: Work for short periods of time. This will help you sustain effort. Take regular short breaks.  Your work time will vary based on your energy level and the complexity of the task and your interest in the task. Try working for 15 minutes then take a 5 minute break. Then increase your work time by 5 minute increments. Keep your break at 5 minutes. The break will help you sustain effort during your work time. Eat a power snack. Be kind to yourself. It’s ok if you only work for 20 minutes and then your mind starts wandering. You need a break. Be sure you come back after a short break (five minutes). And work for 20 more minutes.

Step 5: Incorporate a regular digital fast in your life. Take a break from all things digital on a daily basis for an hour or two. Your mind will become addicted to the constant non-stop stimulation from the digital world. You might find yourself easily bored or falling asleep or impatient without the digital stimulation. By making a digital fast a daily part of your life, you can train your mind to embrace silence, calm and inner tranquility.

Step 6: Keep life simple. Decide what really matters right now. Determine what your goals are and what things in your life actually help you reach those goals. Determine what your values are and what things in your align with your values. Trim down on your commitments. Go through a thorough commitment cleanse.

Step 7: Incorporate good time management. Allow yourself enough time to get the job done. It will always take longer than you expected. It will usually take you longer than it takes your peers.  Be kind to yourself. Give yourself a break. And allow yourself more time to get the task done.

If I get my own executive function manager to keep up the good work, my next blog post will be about Emotion: Managing frustration and modulating emotions.