Executive function — the term for critical mental skills like organization, focus, time management and emotional regulation — help all of us navigate our daily lives. People with ADHD are much more ...

Even if you’ve never heard the term “executive function,” you may be painfully aware of how important it is for everyday life. Executive functioning is often described as the management system of the ...

Imagine a movie character’s day going exactly as she planned: her organization systems make her space pristine, she’s on time or early for everything, her focus rivals an Olympian’s, and she adheres ...

Your working memory, cognitive flexibility, and self-regulation are core components of executive function (EF), an interrelated set of mental skills that lay the foundation for advanced cognitive ...

Maybe it’s not you getting in your own way, maybe it’s your brain’s wiring hitting the brakes. Imagine trying to finish a task but never getting around to it. For instance, you’ve been meaning to take ...

As people, we rely on our mental capabilities and cognitive skills to do things like regulate emotions and navigate our day-to-day lives. Planning and organization, completing tasks, time management, ...

Teens’ focus is interrupted, on average, every 90 seconds. Something as simple as an audible notification can draw focus away from a task. And when humans are distracted, it takes 23 minutes to get ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I cover Mental Wellness for Adolescents and Adults. Executive functioning skills are your child’s mental control center, ...

Principal Ian Knox’s thoughtful opinion essay, “Kindergartners Are Struggling With Self-Regulation. How Principals Can Respond ” (July 8, 2025), centers on steps school leaders can take to respond ...

Executive function describes a set of cognitive processes and mental skills that help an individual plan, monitor, and successfully execute their goals. The “executive functions,” as they’re known, ...