How to tackle your to-do list if you struggle with executive functioning

Conditions like ADHD and autism can make starting and completing tasks feel impossible, but experts say there are workarounds

- Christina Caron

The pomodoro technique. Power poses. Planners. Denise Daskal has tried them all, searching for the right strategy to improve her executive functioning, or the mental skills used to manage time and pursue goals.

Daskal has spent hours hunting through TikTok, reading books and taking classes to become better organized and more focused both at work and in her personal life. But the long list of strategies, while somewhat helpful, has felt exhausting, she said.

"My mind breaks a bit when I get overwhelmed and I have too much coming at me all at once," said Ms. Daskal, 63, who lives in Dearborn, Mich., and was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder a few years ago.

Conditions like ADHD, autism, obsessive compulsive disorder and depression can impede executive functioning; so can the period of life when women transition in and out of menopause. Life circumstances such as parenting young children, getting a bad night's sleep or even missing a meal can scramble a person's ability to focus and complete tasks, too. Here's how to understand executive functioning, and figure out which coping strategies might work for you:

What is executive functioning?

Executive functions are life management skills that help people "convert intentions into actions," said Ari Tuckman, a psychologist in West Chester, Pa., and author of the The ADHD Productivity Manual.

In other words, if you plan to do something, executive functions help you do it at the right time and place because it will benefit you, either now or in the future, he added. These skills are essential for planning, solving problems, managing time, making decisions and initiating tasks, as well as controlling your emotions and attention.