When it comes to self-improvement, the options can feel endless — shelves of books, countless blogs (including the one you're reading now!), YouTube channels, and articles. Two recent pieces from the New York Times caught my eye: “How To Break Free From Your Phone” and “35 Simple Health Tips Experts Swear By.” Both got me thinking: what would a Beyond BookSmart version of this look like? After all, our Executive Function coaches are full of practical strategies that help people make real, lasting change. So, I asked some of our coaches to share their best life improvement tips from an Executive Function perspective. I’ve grouped their insights into three major themes: 1. Building habits and getting small wins, 2. Organization and task management, and 3. Self-care and mindfulness. Not only does the “rule of three” make it easier for our brains to remember, but these themes also reflect the challenges our Executive Function coaching clients most often face.
1. Coach Tips for Building Habits & Getting Small Wins
As Executive Function coaches, we hear from our clients that they're feeling frustrated and would love to see major positive change happen quickly and easily. But as behavior change experts, we know that lasting change is hard and is best tackled in small steps, building habits slowly over time while looking for small wins to reinforce our new habits along the way. Let's check in with our coaches to see what they have to share on this theme of building habits and small wins.
“The best advice I can give my clients is to be kind to themselves. Addressing Executive Dysfunction can be challenging, and we should celebrate the small steps forward.” — Sara P.
"I lean into James Clear's 1% Better. Improve by just 1% every day; small, consistent gains add up exponentially; leads to major long-term results; it's realistic and achievable; and helps build momentum and motivation.” — Lisa W.
"It's all about habits. What can we do on a daily basis to help ourselves to become more organized, less anxious, more productive, and even comforted by the routine of a habit? I use Atomic Habits extensively and have clients choose the strategy they find most aligned to their personality." — Bob G.
"One thing I do is over utilize the alarms on my phone. I put an alarm, label it, and make sure I give myself 5-10 minutes before the task that needs to get done. I set these alarms weekly on Fridays to end out my week and get ready for the week to come!" — Mariam M.
“When I look at something small I need to do, like tossing an empty water bottle in the recycling vs. letting multiple bottles build over the day, I tell myself 'Do it NOW, Do it NOW, Do it NOW!'" — Wendy C.
What do you do to help yourself build habits? As Bob and Lisa both mentioned, we coaches love James Clear's book, Atomic Habits, for great ideas and support for building habits that last. And, as Wendy and Sara said, it's so helpful to use our inner voices for motivation and compassion. This work to improve our lives is challenging, so let's support ourselves from the inside, as well!
2. Coach Tips for Organization & Task Management
Executive Function coaches know that when life feels overwhelming, having the right systems in place can make all the difference. That's why we spend so much time with our clients trying to build long-lasting systems based on our clients' strengths and specific needs. Many of the strategies coaches use focus on practical organization methods, task management tricks, and ways to stay on track without burning out.
"Don't put it down. Put it AWAY!". This is so simplistic, but it really does help to keep things orderly. I have clients who have made tremendous progress in the area of organization, all because they are now mindful of this phrase.” — Drew T.
“Don't keep your email open all day! It will suck you in and never let you go. Instead, try selecting three times during the day to check it (first thing in AM, after lunch, before leaving the office, for example.) And if you have your notifications turned on, go ahead and turn those off and give your brain a little bit of peace and quiet. Uninterrupted time without constant interruption can be a mental game changer.” — Amanda E.
"'Staging/Stationing.’ is a strategy where you intentionally place items to prompt you to take action when you see them. This can be a game-changer as it serves not only as a reminder but also can be step 1 of any task to be completed. Staging/Stationing is one of the most consistently and successfully used strategies amongst all of my clients. It overtly supports the following EF skills: memory, organization, and task initiation.” — Heather T.
"My 'go to' tool is to begin with cleaning your space. A cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind. Getting rid of that clutter tends to relieve a lot of anxiety and allows one's Executive Functioning to function." — Jeanette W.
"Having trouble staying focused or getting started on a task? Try body doubling! Basically, it's working alongside someone—either in person or on the phone—to help keep you on track. Just having someone there can make it way easier to stay motivated and get things done, especially when you're feeling overwhelmed or distracted. Another bonus? No chatting necessary. Just knowing someone is there helps! This is the only way my dishes and laundry get done.” — Katelyn H.
“Many of my clients struggle with getting up in the morning. So, I always recommend Clocky, the runaway alarm clock, for a new way to combat alarm clock troubles!” — Amanda E.
Simple reminders, like Drew's advice, “Don’t put it down, put it away”, and creative strategies like Amanda's "Clocky" can have a huge ripple effect. What’s your go-to strategy for keeping chaos under control?
3. Self-Care & Mindfulness
Productivity can feel like it's all about getting more done, but it’s also about feeling balanced, present, and mentally well along the way. These self-care and mindfulness strategies highlight the power of intentional breaks, boundaries, and mindset shifts. As we all know, we cannot get much done, or at least do it well, when we're overtired, stressed out, hungry, or in any other uncomfortable state. Some basic self-care, learning about self-regulation for ourselves (and our kids!), and a moment for mindfulness can be invaluable and why our Executive Function coaches build it into our coaching practice in some form or another.
“When I realize I’ve been sucked into the [cell phone] vortex, I employ a Self-Talk strategy not fit for inclusion in your article (Editor's note: I included it anyway!) — i.e., “Put DOWN the [expletive] PHONE!!” — Christine K.
“About a year ago, I started leaving my phone in the kitchen when I go to bed. It was absolute torture the first week, and now I'll NEVER have it in my room again. My quality and quantity of sleep have greatly improved. I do keep a Paperwhite Kindle under my pillow. If I can't fall asleep, I read. I know it's not for everyone, and no judgment from me if it doesn't work for you, but I recommend just trying it for a week and see what happens!” — Hannah C.
"Know Your "Why?” This provides motivation, clarifies goals, increases focus, enhances self-advocacy and accountability, strengthens self-regulation and time management...and so much more. — Lisa W.
“I’m a big believer in square breathing (box breathing). Not just taking a breath but controlled breathing as a great way to reset, destress and bring yourself back to stability. Sometimes we don’t realize we need it but once we do a few rounds, we realize that we did!” — Margo F.
“When I have a chore or at home task that is mindless to do like laundry or cleaning, I phone a friend and talk with them while I do the task - it makes the time fly by!” — Wendy C.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as pausing to do some box breathing or calling a friend to make a task easier. Caring for yourself is just as important as checking off your to-do list. What’s your favorite self-care practice that helps you reset?
Want to Learn More About How Our Coaches Support Students and Adults?
At Beyond BookSmart, our coaches work one-on-one with students and adults to help them build the Executive Function skills they need to succeed. We work on building skills like organization, planning, time management, focus/attention, and self-regulation. Executive Function coaching isn’t just about school or work; it’s about giving people the tools to feel more confident, capable, and independent in every area of life.
If you’re curious about how coaching might help you or your child, we’d love to connect. You can explore more on our website, read other blog posts on the topic, listen to our Focus Forward podcast for real stories and strategies, or reach out to speak with our team directly. We are here to help!
