Your Guide to Working with an Executive Functioning Coach

Do you struggle with staying organized, managing time effectively, or working through tasks? If so, you’re not alone. Many people—from business leaders to students—find it challenging to master executive function skills essential for excelling in both personal and professional life.

Executive functioning coaching has emerged as a transformative tool to help individuals build these skills, overcome challenges, and enhance productivity. Whether you’re a team leader, entrepreneur, or CEO, learning how to optimize your executive function could be the game-changer you’ve been looking for. 

What Is Executive Function? 

Executive function (EF) is the brain’s ability to:

• Manage time
• Stay focused
• Make decisions
• Regulate emotions
• Engage in goal-directed behavior

These cognitive processes play a crucial role in daily life and help us accomplish tasks with minimal distraction. Strong executive function skills contribute to academic and occupational success, as well as overall well-being and adaptive functioning in various aspects of life.

While executive function is traditionally taught to children at a young age, formally (in schools) and informally (through parenting), people rarely think of it as something to learn or practice by the time they’ve reached adulthood. However, thinking that way holds people back. As the Harvard Business Review points out, executive function skills are not innate. We can learn them and develop them over time.

No matter where you are in your EF development, these skills can be worked on and improved, especially with the help of a trained executive function coach.

Why Is Executive Dysfunction So Bad for Mental Health?

Unfortunately, not everyone has developed strong executive functioning skills. Executive dysfunction can appear as difficulty focusing, forgetfulness, poor task initiation, or challenges making transitions between tasks. These struggles can negatively impact personal productivity, organizational success, and mental health. For instance:

• Time blindness may cause missed deadlines, affecting business operations.  
• Poor task prioritization can lead to focusing on low-impact tasks instead of high-value objectives.  
• Emotional dysregulation may create workplace challenges, including difficulty managing stressful situations.  

For many, these executive function challenges can contribute to feelings of frustration, burnout, and underachievement—which is where coaching comes into play.

What Is an Executive Functioning Coach?  

Executive functioning coaching has emerged as a key resource for individuals seeking to develop their skills in multiple areas of life. A coach works with clients on key areas related to EF, such as setting goals, prioritization, multitasking, self-control, and focus. These skills are essential to effectively managing work, school, and other responsibilities. By getting executive function support, people of all ages can identify their strengths and weaknesses and build personalized strategies and tools for improvement.

What Happens in a Coaching Session?

Coaching sessions are collaborative and structured to address your unique goals. A typical session might include:

• Setting clear, actionable objectives for the week or month
• Developing strategies for challenges like procrastination or time management
• Reviewing progress and refining approaches

At a)plan, for instance, coaches combine one-on-one sessions with access to an app that enables real-time tracking of goals and self-management of skill development. This blend of in-person coaching and virtual coaching support provides continuous assistance for long-term improvements. 

How Much Does Executive Functioning Coaching Cost?  

Pricing for executive function coaching can vary based on the provider’s experience, session frequency, and level of support. a)plan offers transparent pricing structures for coaching programs and tools like unlimited chat options and AI-driven support for subscribers.

Benefits of Executive Function Coaching for Leaders

For team leaders, business owners, and entrepreneurs, executive function coaching can unlock critical advantages that ripple across your organizations.

1. Mastering Time Management & Prioritization

Time management is often the first hurdle leaders face. By building time-focused habits, you can feel less overwhelmed and more in control of your daily schedules. Coaches teach strategies to:

• Break down large projects into manageable steps
• Organize your workspace for focus and efficiency 
• Prioritize high-impact tasks for better results 

2. Boosting Focus & Organization  

Leaders juggling multiple responsibilities often struggle with focus and organization. Coaches assist by:

• Teaching mindfulness techniques that reduce distractions
• Implementing systems for tracking tasks, such as using digital planners or frameworks like MAPs (Multiple Action Plans)
• Streamlining workflows to maximize productivity

Executive Function and Its Connection to ADHD

Some individuals seeking executive function support do so because of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD may be a source of executive dysfunction, which is often described as the inability to hold focus and control thoughts.

While ADHD is often associated with children and high school-aged individuals, it frequently persists into adulthood, affecting people of all ages. Many adults are diagnosed later in life or may not have received the necessary support to develop their functioning skills as children. These gaps underscore the need for resources that help individuals strengthen their self-management across all stages of life.

Executive dysfunction is also linked to several other conditions that impact the brain and working memory, including drug and alcohol abuse, depression, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other types of neurodiversity.

a)plan’s proprietary “whole-person” approach to coaching enables our coaches to examine clients holistically, considering the habits, thoughts, and behaviors impacting their executive functioning (EF). Whether you’re identifying a pattern of missed assignments, having trouble with daydreaming or “spacing out” during meetings, or dealing with a lack of motivation to start new tasks, executive functioning coaching helps clients build new habits and improve their outcomes in work, school, relationships, and life.

What to Expect from an Executive Functioning Coach

Clients can expect a structured and supportive experience when working with an executive function coach. Key elements of a)plan coaching include:

• Custom Goal Planning: Coaches guide clients in creating actionable goals, such as developing better time management habits or improving transitions between tasks. At a)plan, we take this further with Multiple Action Plans (MAPs), offering several pathways to success.  
• Skill-Building Exercises: Practicing prioritizing, time-blocking, and breaking tasks into steps builds confidence and new habits.
• Ongoing Progress Tracking: Tools like the a)plan app enable continuous self-monitoring, letting clients measure performance between sessions.  
• Dedicated Support: Clients gain access to unlimited communication with their coach via chat, ensuring consistent guidance even outside of regular coaching sessions.

Our free coach-matching tool helps you find the perfect EF coach in minutes.

What to Look for in an Executive Function Coach

Since executive function challenges often intersect with conditions like ADHD or neurodiversity, the ideal executive function coach should:

• Have familiarity with brain development and mental health topics
• Understand the unique needs of those with ADHD, autism, or other neurodivergent traits  
• Offer a coaching background enhanced by relevant qualifications, such as a master’s degree in psychology or related fields (a trained psychologist-coach may help you understand if you should seek additional methodologies, such as therapy.)

Additionally, the client-coach relationship is crucial. Finding someone who resonates with your values, listens without judgment, and aligns with where you want to grow is essential. At a)plan, we simplify this process by providing a free matching tool and compatibility call so clients can find the perfect fit before committing to a coaching program.

Match with the Perfect Coach at a)plan

At a)plan coaching, we understand the significance of executive functioning development and its impact on personal and professional development success. Our executive functioning coaches are committed to helping clients overcome their EF challenges to thrive in all areas of their lives. 

If you feel overwhelmed with developing executive functioning skills on your own and want a trained professional to support you on this journey, you’re in the right place. Whether to improve your organizational skills, boost productivity, or enhance your decision-making abilities, you can start today by completing our coach-matching survey.  

Our survey allows you to select a coach (such as one of the sample coaches below who has experience with EF). Then, you can schedule a free “fit call” to ensure a perfect match and begin the journey of identifying your strengths, overcoming challenges, and unlocking your full potential.