You Can’t Train Away ADHD Executive Dysfunction

You promised you’d be there on time. You even set a departure time reminder. But when the alarm sounds, you tell yourself, “I just need two more minutes on this.” Time somehow slips by, and you’re not sure how, but you end up an hour late.

The sink is overflowing with dishes. You know you need to wash them, but the thought alone is overwhelming. Another day goes by, dishes piling Higher.

You remember you have a bill to pay. You try to sign in to your account, but you’ve forgotten your password. While you wait for the password reset email, you get sidetracked. Before you know it, that initial bill is forgotten.

This is ADHD – or, more accurately, executive dysfunction – in action. The brain processes humming in the background (i.e., executive functions) that are supposed to help you organize, plan, and execute simply aren’t reliable. Following through, as a result, is a core issue for you, even when you know what you’re supposed to do.

The biggest trap many of us fall into is believing we can “build” executive function or “train away” deficits. This is actually not the most effective way to help those of us with ADHD reliably and consistently do what we need to do. Here, learn why — and what to do instead.

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The Hard Truth About ADHD Executive Dysfunction

ADHD might as well be called Executive Function Deficit Disorder. It is fundamentally a disorder that impacts how we use the brain processes that help us perform day-to-day functions and work toward short- and long-term goals.

It’s not that individuals with ADHD necessarily have fewer or less effective executive functions. The problem is that executive functioning is applied inconsistently. We see this when we’re able to hyperfocus on tasks we find interesting yet find it downright painful to focus on what we find boring.

ADHD is a deficit in reliably converting intentions into actions. Your batting average on doing the right thing at the right time is a bit lower than the batting average of most people without ADHD. The question is, how can you improve your stats?

Building a library of executive function skills is not the answer. That’s because you already know how to use a planner to keep organized. You know that reminders are helpful for forgetfulness and time management. You know you should keep a to-do list. You know that you need to eliminate distractions to focus. The problem is with putting these skills to action.

[Read: The Adult ADHD Mind – Executive Function Connections]

Success comes from creating systems and backstops to support existing executive functions and take the strain off them. It’s about setting yourself up – with honesty, self-awareness, and intention – so that you can more reliably coordinate your abilities to make the better choice an easier one.

Strategies to Support Executive Functioning and Achieve Consistency

Externalize, Delegate, and Automate

Take the load off your executive functions by outsourcing the work to reliable tools.

• Externalize to-dos with intention. Whether it’s sticky notes on the bathroom mirror, planners, white boards, voice notes, texts to self, smart speakers, location-based reminders, or recurring alarms on your phone, find a way to dump it all out of your head so you don’t have to internally manage information.
• Set up automatic payments and purchases as necessary.
• Use AirTags and other trackers on your belongings. (Keep losing your keys? Consider installing a keypad or an electronic lock.)
• Use password managers to save logins for various accounts.
• Place clocks everywhere. Digital clocks are okay, but analog clocks may help you be more aware of the passage of time.

Your Environment Matters

Seek environments that allow you to perform at your best. Ask yourself: Where do I seriously do my best work? What keeps me on track?

Be as detailed and honest as possible in your answers, and don’t assume conventional approaches are best. Perhaps your productivity spikes when you work out of a bustling coffee shop. Or maybe it’s total silence you need, found at a corner of your office building or local library. Or you may be unusually productive while taking public transportation. Perhaps it’s variety you need if staying in one spot for too long becomes boring.

A note on clutter: A disorganized environment won’t do you any favors, but it may not be worth worrying about aesthetics if you’re still able to function and get things done in a full space.

Match Tasks to Brainpower

Our energy levels and ability to focus change through the day, so plan your most cognitively demanding tasks for when you have the most brain power. That may mean after a workout, in the morning before other tasks pile up, or in the evening once the day’s responsibilities are behind you. Plan to tackle demanding tasks when your ADHD medication is most effective, not when it’s wearing off.

Cut Down on “Noise” and Friction

Temptations and distractions compete for our attention 24/7. Our executive functions help keep us on track, but why make that harder than it has to be?

• Take willpower out of the equation. Why spend lots of energy resisting your phone when it would be much easier to silence notifications, install an Internet blocker, or keep the phone in another room?
• Think signal-to-noise ratio. Our attention is directed to what is big, loud, and obvious. Consider this as you boost the signal of desired tasks – where you want your attention to go – and reduce the noise of distractions.
• Would you bet $1,000 on it? Too often, we’re overly optimistic about our ability to handle distractions and muster the discipline to get things done. Cut through the false optimism by increasing what’s at stake: Would you bet money that you’ll be able to stay focused with your phone around? That you’ll be able to leave on time without setting (and honoring) reminders? What would it take for you to confidently make that bet?

Speed Up Consequences

We’re more likely to put off doing the things we need to do when the payoffs and consequences are vague, potentially avoidable, or too far off. It’s why we end up working on large and important school or work projects at the last possible minute, when consequences for failing to turn in work are front and center.

• Make potential regret come faster. Create artificial consequences that are immediate, certain, and specific enough to spur yourself into action. Take the initiative to schedule weekly check-ins with your boss to review progress on a large project. Externalize accountability by telling a friend about what you intend to do and by when.
• Create artificial circumstances. Set up a rule at home, for example, that phones can only be used after homework is completed.

Reduce Stress and Chaos

Chaos begets chaos. More things are likely to fall through the cracks with a disorganized, chaotic life. Trying to juggle it all and scrape by further burdens your executive functions. Reduce the chaos in your life by finding order wherever you can — with routines and healthy habits — to take the pressure off sensitive brain functions that are better used on cognitively demanding tasks. Intentionally build in breathing room to your daily schedule, especially during tricky transitions.

We can all agree that exercise, sleep, healthy eating, and mindfulness benefit cognitive and emotional processes, so don’t neglect these areas. Medication helps people with ADHD do what they know, so take medication as indicated.

Maintain Motivation by Enjoying the Journey

The central question that will follow you throughout your life as you manage ADHD is, “How will I do the things I know I want to do?” The answer lies in continuing to set up good processes that will help you experience more desired outcomes than negative ones. The more success and productivity you experience in managing ADHD’s impact on your life, the healthier your self-esteem will be.

• Make processes enjoyable. The benefits of making better choices — like reviewing your notes every day, dedicating time to keep your spaces organized, filing important documents, going to sleep on time, and attending to other responsibilities — often arrive far too gradually to fuel motivation. To the extent that you can, find ways to make these processes and routines fun and easy. Reward yourself along the way for putting one foot in front of the other.
• Don’t do it for anyone else. The processes you create are for your benefit only, not for anyone else’s seal of approval. The more you remember this, the easier it will be to seek changes that improve your life, without looking to the opinions of others as motivators.
• Always credit yourself for taking positive actions. Given how much criticism and correction those of us with ADHD receive, take pride whenever you make the right choices that set you up for success (or get you closer to it). Never sell yourself short, and don’t worry about achieving perfection.
• Setbacks are inevitable. Don’t beat yourself up or catastrophize when they happen. Handle them resiliently by refusing to surrender.

ADHD Executive Dysfunction: Next Steps

The content for this article was derived from the ADDitude ADHD Experts webinar titled, “Executive Function Strategies to Externalize Time, Memory, Motivation” [Video Replay & Podcast #479] with Ari Tuckman, Psy.D., MBA, which was broadcast on November 9, 2023.

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