2) Keep a folder of helpful resources to promote independence 

3) Try 5-minute goals

Sometimes big tasks are just too overwhelming. Either their scope is unmanageable or the actual steps to get there are unclear, which can lead to anxiety and disengagement.

Other times, the to-do list is longer than what can possibly be accomplished in a single sitting, and prioritization is required to increase effectiveness.

In either scenario, students can be coaxed out of their inaction by selecting a task that should take no more than 5 minutes, setting the timer, and springing into action. We have seen this tactic become a springboard for longer periods of work because it eliminates the friction of getting started. Sometimes, this kickstart leads to becoming immersed in the task and a productive 10, 20, 30 minutes, or more can follow.

4) Keep track of that paperback

Students frequently misplace reading materials for English. That play or novel is another item to keep track of, a smaller object amidst the bulky binders and heavy textbooks.

A three-hole-punched zippered pouch can work well as a dedicated holder for the current paperback your child’s class is reading. It can’t slip and slide its way to the bottom of the locker or scatter onto the floor in a rush to pack up at the end of class.

Want to take it a step further? A post-it note reminder attached to the front cover to return the book to its home often helps students maintain this habit because it's a visual cue that prompts the new, desired behavior.

5) Don't let breaks put the brakes on productivity

6) Color code to cruise through studying

You know that you stop at red traffic lights, slow down at yellow, and cruise through when it’s green. It also makes sense to manage study materials that way!

When kids have study guides for tests, they can start by color-coding them based on their level of mastery. Highlight in green what they know well. No need to spend a lot of time studying this material! Then, use yellow for what they “kinda-sorta know” to cue them to slow down and review. Any areas in red indicate a full stop: this content is totally unfamiliar to them.

By color-coding, students can spend time more effectively by focusing on the red and yellow material the most. This strategy can be folded into a larger spaced repetition study-based method like the one recommended in the book Make it Stick.

7) Use apps to help you stick with healthy or productive habits

Technology, when used as a tool instead of a distraction, can greatly aid your child's ability to stay on track and be productive.

Habit List reminds you daily of your goal and then tracks progress over time as you record it. Use it to remember to exercise, sit down to do homework at a consistent time, review notes for classes, prepare your backpack for the next day, and more.

When students need to remember to take their medication, the MediSafe app can help. This app shows four screens for time zones in the day: morning, noon, evening and night.  When you select a medication, it puts an actual graphic of what that pill looks like into the appropriate zone.

8) Transform the deadline mindset

Encourage your child to look at deadlines in a different and more empowering light.

They say that "a goal is just a dream with a deadline". Well, a deadline can then be viewed as a helpful tool – they force you to make decisions and push forward, rather than dwelling on a specific aspect of a project for days!

When your child commits to a deadline, they can begin to focus on that important task or goal and put aside distractions.

Talk to your child about reframing his or her thoughts – don’t think of that upcoming due date as a burden, but rather look forward to it as a time when your work will be finished! In fact, calling it a "finish line" might help your child adopt a different mindset that emphasizes accomplishment instead of looming misery.

9) Give yourself a gift: Be present

One of the best test prep tips for any student whether they need to overcome executive dysfunction or not is to be focused in class. Every class period is an opportunity for greater mindfulness and presence. Students can prepare for class by doing assigned reading and homework and participate by reframing what they've heard and asking thoughtful questions.

The level of intensity of concentration while taking in these inputs as well as producing new connections will correspond to the acceleration of their learning and knowledge accumulation.

Each day new nuggets of knowledge will nestle into their neurons!

It turns out that learning is most effective in these smaller, more intensely focused chunks over time. Students aren’t simply biding time until baseball practice or play rehearsal during class. The savvy ones know that they are preparing for the exam while dissecting that sheep’s lung in biology.

10) Prepare to dive in after a break

Study breaks are most effective when students have a clear sense of what they will do once they get back to work and do some quick preparation before taking a pause.

Your child can re-think the structure of their working sessions: 5-minute goal ("task initiation"), deep work (20 minutes), reflection & planning of the next 5-minute goal (5 minutes). This work block could be followed by a 10-minute break.

Here's how the setup and planning for the next 5-minute goal could look in practice: before taking a break, open up that textbook to the reading that needs to be done. Set out the graph paper and pencil for the math homework. Write down one simple bullet point about the next action you'll take when you resume.

This one-minute prep can help students who have a hard time starting work after a break.

Action makes the difference in overcoming "executive function disorder"

Now you are armed with some of our coaches' favorite executive dysfunction management tips. Use them to help your child stay organized, study effectively, increase productivity, and manage time better. Maybe you even found a tip or two that you might try for yourself. Hey, sharing is a good thing, right? Kind of like when your little Batman or Wonder Woman walks in the door with a surplus of peanut butter cups on Halloween...

(As you sort through the different terminology used in the world of executive dysfunction, it's useful to note that there is no recognized diagnosis of "executive function disorder"; rather, researchers often classify ADHD as a disorder of Executive Function.)

What to do if your child is struggling with ADHD, executive dysfunction, or learning challenges

Because these conditions sometimes lead to a skills gap that prevents kids from achieving the success they are capable of in and out of the classroom, it's best to create a treatment plan in coordination with your licensed medical professional, therapists, teachers, and other providers.

At Beyond BookSmart, we are dedicated to teaming up with parents and students to achieve results that aren't addressed by medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other treatments alone.

Watch our brief on-demand information session for parents to learn more about how coaching helps students succeed.

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