Executive functioning (EF) is a set of skills that enables a person to plan, organize and carry out actions to achieve what he/she has set out to do for that day. It involves problem solving, the ability to think flexibly and consider alternatives, self-monitor and use feedback to respond to shifting demands in the situation. Four Executive function skills are listed below:
- Impulse control – the ability to inhibit behavior that potentially gets us into trouble;
- Emotional Control – the ability to manage one’s emotions and keep them under control when faced with challenging situations;
- Flexible Thinking – the ability to consider alternatives and different perspectives;
- Working Memory – the ability to keep information in one’s mind while working on it (e.g. multi-step instructions, calling a phone number).
(list of skills taken from www.pinterest.com, definitions are my own)
The next four skills under executive functioning will be featured in my next article.
