How to Create an Executive Function System
What if no systems work for me? This is how to build your operating system.
🔎 TL;DR
Buying another planner or app will not fix executive dysfunction
Complex systems might work against your neurodivergent brain
My entire operating system is 3 tools, not 30, and I'm sharing exactly what they are
A while back, I stood in Target holding my ninth planner in three years, seriously debating whether this one, with its slightly nicer dot grid, would finally fix my procrastination.
I put it back, knowing it wouldn’t.
Then I picked it up, bought it anyway, and used it for eleven days before it joined its cousins in the planner graveyard.
If you've ever downloaded a new app at 11pm convinced it would change your life, or wondered if a more detailed morning routine would finally make you someone who has it together, pause with me for a second.
Simple systems scale. Fancy ones fail. Confusing complexity with progress is where so many of us with ADHD and autism go wrong.
Today I'm sharing my actual operating system. These are the tools I use every day. Plus, I’ll teach you how to build and test your own strategies to improve your executive function skills.
Let’s dive in.
Why Your Brain Needs a Simple System, Not a Perfect One
Executive function skills are the mental processes that help us plan, start, manage time, and regulate emotions. When you have ADHD, are autistic, or are otherwise neurodivergent, these skills often work differently.
The same three steps (remember it, do it, feel okay about it) can feel like climbing a mountain in flip-flops (yes, I’ve actually tried that before).
A simple system works because it cuts down the number of decisions your brain has to make just to function. Every extra app, rule, or step is one more place for executive dysfunction to trip you up.
The Mistake Most Neurodivergent Adults Make
Most of us try to fix executive dysfunction. So, we build a strict morning routine because that's what "successful" people do on Instagram, forgetting we don't have their brain.
We buy another planner, convinced this one will magically work better than the last nine.
And when we miss a workout, put off something important, or can't face the pile of clothes on the office chair, we say things to ourselves we'd never say to a friend.
None of that is a system. It's self-punishment masked in a productivity costume.
My 3-Part Executive Function System
When people design their systems, they focus on creating more structure. Which makes sense. Structure is important, especially if you’re neurodivergent. But when we focus on structure, we forget what our systems are actually designed to do: reduce friction.
Our systems should make life feel easier. They should enhance our executive functions. And that’s exactly what mine is built to do.
Before you read on, keep two things in mind:
Every brain is different.
This is a science experiment.
Steal what works for you, ignore the rest, and test out different strategies for a few weeks before moving on to a new one.
1. One Calendar
If it's not on my calendar, I will not show up. Anything with a time and place goes here. Meetings, appointments, plans, all of it.
I use Google Calendar because I can set reminders and recurring events. Now I'm not manually re-adding the same meeting every week or forgetting my friends' birthdays.
Pro tip: set double reminders for birthdays. One, two weeks out, so you can plan for it, and a second, the day of, so you remember to text or call.
2. One Capture System
This is the single place where to-dos and random ideas land the moment you think of them, instead of scattering across sticky notes and app store good intentions.
One capturing system, my friend.
Currently, I’m using a bullet journal, but setting my phone up to capture ideas the same way was a game-changer for my techier clients.
I walk through it, step-by-step, on Instagram.
3. Three Personal Rules
These are the small habits that fuel my executive function skills day to day.
Mine are no caffeine after 2pm, movement before work starts, and two intentional breaks during the day.
To find yours, ask yourself this question: What would help me move and sleep better?
The Bottom Line
You don't need a better app, a stricter routine, or your tenth planner. You need one calendar, one capturing system, and three rules that fuel your executive functions.
Remember, we are curious scientists trying to learn how our brains work best.
Build your operating system, test it for two weeks, keep what works, and replace the rest with new ideas.
If you’d like some help building your system, I’d love to help!
About the Author
Eric Kaufmann is an Educational Therapist, Certified Executive Function Coach, and speaker. He is the Co-founder of UpSkill Specialists, an executive function coaching company that helps adults and workplace teams overcome disorganization, procrastination, and productivity roadblocks.
Want to learn more about 1:1 coaching? Click here.
Interested in hosting a workshop for your team or company on how to improve executive function skills in the workplace? Click here.
Looking for guidance on how to become an adult executive function coach? Click here.
