What is Executive Functioning Disorder (EFD)?

EFD is a relatively new term used to describe mild, moderate, or severe impairments in Executive Functioning capacities or skills that cause challenges in accomplishing age-appropriate adult competencies and meeting adult benchmarks.

Executive functioning is a term used to describe 11 different mental, behavioral, and emotional capacities that are fundamental to achieving goals, competence and success in life:

1. Self-regulation of affect You are able to manage your emotions in order to achieve goals, complete tasks, and direct or control your behavior.

2. Meta-cognition You are able to stand back and take a bird’s eye view of yourself in a situation, from where you can observe, monitor, and evaluate yourself and your behavior.

3. Goal-directed persistence You are able to set goals and follow through to completion, despite distractions and competing interests.

4. Flexibility You are flexible in response to changing circumstances. You can revise plans in the face of obstacles, setbacks, mistakes, or new information.

5. Sustained attention You’re able to maintain your attention on the task or situation at hand, despite distractions, fatigue, or boredom.

6. Working memory You are able to hold information in mind while performing complex tasks. You have the ability to draw on past learning or experience to apply to the situation at hand or to project into the future.

7. Response inhibition You think before you act. You can stop or delay your response based on your ability to evaluate multiple factors.

8. Time management You are able to estimate and allocate the required amount time for tasks, and to complete them within a set time frame.

9. Planning/Prioritization You’re able to create a roadmap to reach a goal or to complete a task. And you are able to make decisions about what’s important to focus on and what’s not.

10. Organization Your home and/or workplace are arranged according to a system.

11. Task initiation You are able to begin a task in a timely fashion, without undue procrastination.

Why is executive functioning important? Executive functioning skills are essential for effective functioning in life – at work, school, and at home. These capacities help us regulate our thoughts and emotions, solve problems, make decisions, and direct our actions to meet our goals. They help us develop effective strategies for accomplishing tasks and goals, and promote healthy, mature ways of responding to life’s challenges.

Executive functioning weaknesses affect common daily living skills, and detract from your ability to act effectively in your life. Coach Tyree emphasis is on current action steps to take to reach your goals and to function effectively in your life. His coaching is a very hands-on, flexible, and present- focused type of support.

Coach Tyree will first assess which executive functioning skills are your strengths and which are your weaknesses, specifically identifying the areas that are creating the most difficulty in your life. He then co-creates with you a realistic action plan that includes specific supports for your areas of challenges. He will provide a structure, and direct, hands-on problem- solving assistance, with the focus on current problem areas and action steps that lead to their resolution.

Once we developed an action plan, we will schedule accountability check-ins to help you stay on course and to provide on-going support as you work toward your goals.

Check-ins happen on a time-table and in a form that works for you. Email, texting, video chatting and/or phone calls are ways we can stay connected between our in-person appointments.

Executive functioning coaching focuses on taking action in the here and now to achieve desired outcomes. It’s about practical, hands-on support to help you accomplish tasks and achieve your goals.

Your coach can come to your home or office, or meet you at a gym or at some other location to help you complete a needed task. Coaching is tailored to the individual as everyone has different strengths and areas they could use help.