Executive functioning skills are a set of mental processes that enable us to plan ahead, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks successfully. These skills are essential for everyday life, including learning, working, and managing daily activities. Executive functioning skills develop through practice and are strengthened by the experiences through which they are applied and honed. There are several different skills that work together to make up our executive functioning, and each skill is valuable and important. The following are some of the key executive functioning skills:

• Working memory: The ability to hold and manipulate information in mind over short periods of time.

• Cognitive flexibility: The ability to switch between tasks or perspectives and adjust to changing situations.

• Inhibitory control: The ability to control impulses, resist distractions, and delay gratification.

• Planning and organization: The ability to set goals, plan ahead, and prioritize tasks.

• Task initiation: The ability to start tasks and take action without procrastinating.

• Time management: The ability to estimate how much time is needed for a task and to use time effectively.

• Goal-directed persistence: The ability to stay focused on a task until it is completed.

• Metacognition: The ability to reflect on ones own thinking and learning processes.

• Emotional regulation: The ability to manage emotions and respond appropriately to different situations.

• Self-monitoring: The ability to keep track of ones own behavior and performance.

Teaching and practicing executive functioning skills is important for academic growth, as well as for everyday life skills. Strategies for teaching executive functioning skills include using checklists, setting time limits, establishing routines, and using reward systems.