Executive function toolkit for teens + young adults
Executive function skills help us plan, start tasks, stay focused, manage time, and regulate emotions. When these skills are stretched — especially under stress — even simple tasks can feel overwhelming.
This guide is designed to help you work with your brain, not against it.
Here’s an example of how the guide helps you connect your behaviors with what might help:
What’s inside the guide?
This guide focuses on practical strategies to support:
Task initiation and follow-through
Focus and attention
Time management and planning
Emotional regulation when things feel overwhelming
The tools are based on what we know about how executive skills develop over time and how external supports can help build independence.
This guide may be especially helpful if you:
Feel “stuck” starting or finishing tasks
Struggle with organization despite effort
Rely on urgency or last-minute pressure to get things done
Notice overlap between stress, anxiety, and focus challenges
How to use this guide
You don’t need to try everything at once. Choose one or two strategies that feel realistic for where you are right now. These tools are meant to scaffold skills — not create pressure or dependence.
Progress often comes from small, consistent changes.
This guide is educational and self-guided.
When tools aren’t enough
If executive function challenges are significantly impacting school, work, or daily life — or if applying tools on your own feels overwhelming — therapy can help tailor strategies to your specific needs and reduce the stress that often comes with these challenges.