ADHD and Executive Functioning
- VHC team
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Why Motivation, Memory, and Organisation Feel Hard (and What Helps)
Welcome to the first post in our new “ADHD and…” series, where we explore how ADHD shows up in everyday life, from time management and organisation, to relationships and rejection sensitivity, to how ADHD can present differently for women and gender-diverse individuals.
Today, we’re diving into ADHD and executive functioning — otherwise known as our brain’s behind-the-scenes management system.
What Is Executive Functioning?
Imagine your brain as the boss of an office. This boss is in charge of planning, organising, paying attention, and making decisions. That “boss” is called executive functioning.
Now, in ADHD, the boss is still brilliant, maybe even a creative genius, but sometimes their superpowers get a bit wobbly. They might struggle to keep track of everything, miss a few memos, or get lost halfway through the to-do list.
Executive functioning is made up of a bunch of mental “skills”:
Working memory – your brain’s notepad. It helps you remember and use information short-term.
Task initiation and planning – the ability to start tasks without a three-hour warm-up scroll.
Emotional regulation – managing feelings and reactions, even when frustration kicks in.
Cognitive flexibility – think of it as mental gymnastics, being able to switch tasks or adapt quickly.
Inhibition – the skill that helps us resist distractions and impulse-buy another houseplant.
Planning and organisation – creating a roadmap for goals, breaking them down into manageable steps.
Time management – estimating and using time effectively (yes, that slippery concept).
In short, executive functioning is what helps you remember your keys, start that report, and resist watching just one more episode.
How ADHD Impacts Executive Functioning
ADHD isn’t about laziness or lack of willpower! It’s a neurodevelopmental condition that affects the brains executive functioning.
Executive dysfunction can sneak into almost every part of daily life:
At work or school: Struggling to plan ahead, prioritise, or finish tasks on time.
At home: Clutter piles up, routines fall apart, and “I’ll do it later” becomes the day’s theme song.
In relationships: Forgetting plans or interrupting mid-conversation, not from rudeness, but from a brain that moves fast and means well.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. These aren’t character flaws, they’re signs that your brain’s management system operates differently, and often, that same difference also brings creativity, empathy, and out-of-the-box problem solving.
What Helps — Strategies and Supports
Here are some practical, affirming ways to work with your brain, not against it:
The first-five-minute rule: Commit to doing a task for five minutes. Most of the time, momentum will carry you through — and if it doesn’t, five minutes is still progress!
Task chunking: Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps (we love Goblin Tools for this).
Priority lists: Try a “traffic light” system (red = urgent, yellow = next, green = can wait).
Simple organisation systems: Lets try and put perfection aside (we know it's easier said than done), and use what already works. Whether its tubs, labels, visible storage, or keeping important things in sight (because “out of sight, out of mind” is real for ADHDers due to challenges with working memory).
Visual timers and routines: External reminders and visual timers help make the abstract concept of time tangible.
Body doubling: Work alongside someone (in person or virtually) to stay on track.
Therapeutic Support: Psychology or occupational therapy (OT) can both be incredibly helpful if you’re looking for more personalised support to understand your brain and build strategies that that fit your life, not the other way around.
What Research Says
Research shows that with the right support, executive functioning can be strengthened:
A review looked at 14 studies and found psychological support improved executive functioning skills and daily functioning (Ramos-Galarza et al., 2024).
Therapy which utilised a mindfulness-based approach led to significant improvements in executive functioning and emotion regulation (Mitchell et al., 2017; Hepark et al., 2019).
Clients who understood why their brain works differently reported higher quality of life and satisfaction, demonstrating why psychoeducation as part of therapy is so important (Holsbrekken et al., 2025).
Occupational therapy delivered via Telehealth has been shown to support adults with ADHD in improving executive functioning and achieving specific goals, such as meeting deadlines and managing daily routines (Grinbalt & Rosenblum, 2023).
Individual parent coaching for children with ADHD improved parental confidence and children’s emotional regulation compared to therapy focused solely on the child, highlighting the benefits of involving parents directly in the therapeutic process (Heubeck et al., 2025).
How We Can Help
At Very Helpful Chats, we provide neurodiversity-affirming support for ADHDers of all ages. Our psychologists and occupational therapists can help you:
Identify unhelpful patterns and create personalised systems to better support you.
Manage overwhelm, motivation, and emotional regulation.
Build strategies that work with your brain, not against it.
Understand the “why” behind executive functioning challenges.
If you’ve been nodding along thinking, “That’s me,” — you don’t have to figure it all out alone.
Read more about our Psychological Therapy and Occupational Therapy.
References
Grinblat, N., & Rosenblum, S. (2023). Work-MAP Telehealth Metacognitive Work-Performance Intervention for Adults With ADHD: Randomized Controlled Trial. OTJR Occupation, Participation and Health. https://doi.org/10.1177/15394492231159902
Hepark, S., Janssen, L., de Vries, A., Schoenberg, P. L. A., Donders, R., Kan, C. C., & Speckens, A. E. M. (2019). The Efficacy of Adapted MBCT on Core Symptoms and Executive Functioning in Adults With ADHD: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Attention Disorders, 23(4), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054715613587
Heubeck, B. G., Richardson, A., & Lauth, G. (2025). Parent stress and social support in a randomized controlled trial of individual versus group parent training for children with HKD/ADHD. The British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64(2), 148–165. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12483
Mitchell, J. T., McIntyre, E. M., English, J. S., Dennis, M. F., Beckham, J. C., & Kollins, S. H. (2017). A Pilot Trial of Mindfulness Meditation Training for ADHD in Adulthood: Impact on Core Symptoms, Executive Functioning, and Emotion Dysregulation. Journal of Attention Disorders, 21(13), 1105–1120. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054713513328
Holsbrekken, Å., Skliarova, T., Mandahl, A., Sæther, S. G., Lund, A. G. S., Surkovic, J., Søndenaa, E., Vaag, J., Torgersen, T., & Lara-Cabrera, M. L. (2025). Effects of a psychoeducational group intervention for adults diagnosed with ADHD: a pilot randomized controlled study. BMC Psychiatry, 25(1), 983. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07452-5
Ramos-Galarza, C., Brito, D., Rodríguez, B., Guerrero, B., Cruz-Cárdenas, J., & Bolaños-Pasquel, M. (2024). Systematic Review of Executive Function Stimulation Methods in the ADHD Population. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(14), 4208. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13144208
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