Executive Functioning Success

Permission to rest today if you need it.

The brain actually needs downtime to regulate emotions and restore the energy it takes to focus.

If you've been pushing hard lately, maybe today the most supportive thing you can do for your brain is to stop for a bit. ❤️

If you're a professional who works with clients on executive functioning, this manual is for you!

Written by time management educator Marydee Sklar, the Seeing My Time® Instructor's Manual walks you through how to teach the full Seeing My Time® curriculum, either to yourself or to a client.

It's used as the textbook in our Teaching Seeing My Time® course, but it can also be used independently.
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It's being used by educators, speech-language pathologists, therapists, counselors, and coaches internationally, and it's appropriate for anyone from 6th grade through adulthood!⁠
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👉 One thing to know: this is not a stand-alone product. Each participant, including the instructor, needs their own Seeing My Time® Workbook alongside it.⁠
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You can even download a free sample chapter to get a feel for it before you buy. Visit our website via the link below to learn more.

executivefunctioningsuccess.com/seeing-my-time-instructors-manual

"Just do it" is pretty dang unhelpful advice for a brain experiencing task paralysis.

When the task feels too big or undefined, the brain gets overwhelmed. And an overwhelmed brain will find almost anything else to do instead.

This is something I see constantly in Seeing My Time private sessions, and honestly something I've experienced myself. The procrastination looks like avoidance from the outside, but on the inside it feels more like being really stuck.

The good news is that task paralysis responds really well to one thing: shrinking the entry point - finding a way in that the brain can handle.

Swipe to see the signs and a reframe that helps. 👉

Scroll down for the answer. 🧠
Answer: Forgive and forget

It's true! Most people go their whole lives not knowing that things like starting tasks, managing time, controlling emotions, or remembering what they walked into a room for are all connected to the same set of brain-based skills: executive functions.

And we all have varying levels of skill and difficulty in those EFs. That's part of being human (always nice to focus on that these days).

Once you understand how yours work, so much starts to make sense!

Read more on this topic via my recent blog, 4 Executive Function Skills for a More Adaptable Brain.

It's linked below.

executivefunctioningsuccess.com/4-executive-function-skills-for-a-more-adaptable-brain

Most people have heard the term "executive functions" but have never actually been taught what they are or how they work.

And they cover so much more than most people realize.

Things like knowing how to start a task, managing your emotions under pressure, holding information in your mind while you're using it, and being able to shift gears when something doesn't go as planned.

These are brain-based skills that can be 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥.

We have a whole blog series breaking down all 12, one by one.

If you've ever felt like your brain works differently and couldn't quite explain why, it's a good place to start. ♥️

Read the full series, 12 Executive Functions of the Brain.

Linked below.
executivefunctioningsuccess.com/12-executive-functions-of-the-brain

Timers are one of the most useful external tools for executive function support, and this one is a favorite around here.

The Polder Combination Clock Stopwatch is small, simple, and wearable. You can hang it around your neck, clip it somewhere visible, or set it on your desk. The whole point is keeping time in your line of sight, not buried on your phone where you'll end up scrolling instead.

For anyone who loses track of time or struggles to feel how long things actually take, having a physical timer nearby makes a real difference.

Search "Polder Combination Clock" on Amazon, or head to the Cool Tools section of our website to find it. 🧠

Did you know that bird songs you hear in the early morning are timed on purpose?

The cool, still air carries their songs up to 20 times further than it would at midday! They're basically making sure the whole neighborhood hears them, sending out their spring party invitations.

Go outside. You've been invited. ❤️

Lisa said it better than I ever could.

They came in hoping to help their son survive middle school. The homework load, the stress. What they didn't expect was that the whole family would walk away with tools they still use!

That's the thing about understanding your brain: It affects EVERYTHING ❤

Curious about the Seeing My Time® program? Find a list of all family courses via the link below.

executivefunctioningsuccess.com/executive-function-class-for-families-in-portland-oregon

Last year I rented a car for a work trip. Jet black, sporty, nothing like the mom van I've been driving for 11 years.

I sat down and immediately felt anxious. I had to stop, breathe, and remind myself that I know how to drive a car.

The reason this happens is actually really interesting. Learned skills don't always transfer easily from one context to another. When the environment changes, the prefrontal cortex needs time to find the familiar patterns and apply them somewhere new. My executive functions had to catch up.

The four skills that matter most when your routine gets thrown off are working memory, mental flexibility, response inhibition, and emotional control. Knowing which of those are your strengths and which are your weak spots changes everything.

Read more on the blog, 4 Executive Function Skills for a More Adaptable Brain. Linked below. 🧠

executivefunctioningsuccess.com/4-executive-function-skills-for-a-more-adaptable-brain