15 Ways an Executive Function Coach Can Transform Your Life

Did you know that roughly half of all teens are stressed? Whether your child battles stress or other personal difficulties, those obstacles can impact how they perform in other parts of their life. Managing school and social activities can start to feel overwhelming.

It doesn’t have to be that way, however. Coaching services tailored to your child’s needs can make a huge difference. Read on to learn 15 ways an executive function coach can be transformative!

1. Help with Time Management Skills

One of the biggest challenges teens can face is time management. They may lack the ability to prioritize tasks or budget time effectively.

Unfortunately, small time management issues can snowball into bigger problems, which will impact academic performance.

Planning is an essential executive function. A targeted executive functioning curriculum can transform students’ approach to:

• Determining which tasks are most urgent
• Creating schedules
• Allocating time effectively

Students will learn how to look at deadlines for projects and prioritize. They’ll also learn how to estimate times for projects. Not every task requires the same time investment, and some tasks require recurring efforts over days or weeks.

For instance, preparing for an algebra test may require three 45-minute sessions. Completing a brief reflection may only take 30 minutes once a week. By understanding time commitments and developing a plan, students will be primed to do well.

2. Set Goals

For students struggling with time management or self esteem, the idea of setting goals may seem too lofty. Goals can feel out of reach, especially if poor academic performance or other struggles start to define a student’s sense of self.

With a coach at their side, however, students can begin to feel confident that goal-setting is within reach. They’ll understand that goals can be both small and grand. For example, future goals may include:

• Improving a grade in a class
• Hitting a specific GPA
• Attending college
• Working in a particular industry

In some cases, goals can be as small as sticking to a schedule for a given day or week. A coach will work with a student to brainstorm immediate and future goals. Then, students can plot out a schedule, with benchmarks along the way, to ensure they’re making progress toward that goal.

Obtaining a higher GPA, for example, requires better performance in some or all classes. Students can start to connect the dots more easily with a trusted coach at their side. They’ll help students see tutoring or improved time management as steps toward better performance in the classroom.

3. Learn How to Take initiative

Sometimes the hardest part of a project is getting started. And some teens may feel reluctant to start projects if they’re not confident in their ability to complete them. Coaching can help younger individuals move past mental barriers to take more initiative.

By learning how to take initiative, students will establish better timelines for completing projects. For instance, a student working on a research paper can make steady progress by starting shortly after the project is announced. By diving in right away, they’ll have time to seek input and revise drafts before submitting their final paper.

4. Improve Study Habits

With demanding courses on their schedules, it’s not surprising that many students feel overwhelmed at school. Unfortunately, many students do not learn the necessary executive functioning skills and academic habits to make approaching academic work easier.

Academic coaching offers a personalized solution to help students find more academic success. Coaching can guide students toward better:

• Accountability
• Planning skills
• Steady progress

Organizational coaching tips steer students toward better study habits. For instance, they can learn to block time for specific tests or homework. Daily goals or deadlines for reading assignments can offer accountability.

Coaching also helps students understand the ramifications of poor habits. These can include studying while the television is on or a friend is distracting them. In short, coaching enables students to make small changes that can lead to big improvements.

5. Identify Strengths

Does your child understand what their biggest strengths are? Many students lack the confidence or self-awareness to even consider feeling good at something. As a result, finding a sense of purpose can feel like finding a needle in a haystack.

Coaches lend a listening ear and use questions to understand students’ biggest assets. They can provide a more objective presence and help students see that they might be excellent listeners or talented writers. In doing so, coaches provide a critical boost to students’s self-esteem so they can channel these strengths toward greater success.

6. Enhance Organizational Skills

It’s easy to assume that people are either organized or they’re not. But it is possible to nurture organizational skills with a diligent approach.

Students will need to use systems to track information or objects. The practical applications are clear in academic and social contexts. Organizational skills allow students to:

• Maintain clean and structured living and studying spaces
• Keep notes and coursework tidy
• Remember to attend key events and appointments

Messy desks and lockers won’t promote focused study habits. Similarly, a binder randomly stuffed with notes won’t serve as a good study resource.

Targeted coaching can help students learn effective systems to become more organized. Students can plan regular cleaning sessions for workspaces and use folders or desk trays to access resources easily.

7. Communicate Better

Knowing how to articulate ideas and questions clearly is one of the best skills students can harness. For many students, however, advocating for themselves or expressing an opinion can feel like a daunting process.

With coaching, students can learn how to communicate better. They’ll learn sample language and stylistic approaches to make anything from casual to academic conversations easier. Stronger communication skills will help students:

• Feel empowered to speak up during classroom discussions
• Articulate their feelings clearly and respectfully
• Know when to abstain from saying something

Coaches will model respectful ways of engaging with others and alert students to the value of listening, too. Heated conversations can cause snap responses that someone will regret later. By learning to listen first, students can avoid situations where their communication is hurtful or abrasive.

8. Focus Better

With phones and other screens as a constant temptation, it’s easy for students to lose focus. Executive functioning skills training can help students recognize the need for focus – and discover how to find it. As a result, students will see better results in their academic studies and feel less frustrated.

Focusing can involve turning on light background music or studying at a particular time of day. It also can mean knowing when to decline a social engagement in favor of a more pressing activity.

9. Boost Productivity

Students who are already pressed for time will need strategies to boost productivity. When students can be more efficient, they’ll feel better about themselves. Boosting productivity entails:

• Working on a schedule
• Breaking projects into smaller pieces
• Removing distractions

With coaching, students can learn how to map out a schedule that approaches projects in manageable chunks. They’ll also learn how to set up a quiet environment free of distractions. Turning off phones or going to a designated quiet zone, like a library, can set up students for more productive study or homework sessions.

10. Harness a Growth Mindset

Cognitive development coaching enables students to see the value in ongoing learning. Sitting in different classrooms every day can create a sense that academic subjects don’t have relevance beyond classroom walls. It also can cause students to see learning as something limited to school assignments.

Coaches model a broader way of thinking about learning. Subjects that can feel compartmentalized will gain greater meaning through the lens of a coach.

Students can begin to see how attention to learning now will impact future opportunities. They’ll also see that learning happens in everything from daily conversations to summer jobs.

11. Make Better Decisions

Students are confronted with big and small decisions every day that can impact subsequent events. Consequently, knowing how to arrive at the best decision possible is a necessity. Through intentional coaching, students can learn how to:

• Evaluate options
• Consider the timetable for a decision
• Learn strategies to make decisions

Options can include deciding whether to accept or decline a social commitment the day before a big test. Making a better decision may mean knowing when to step away from social media or other habits that can harm mental health. Students will need to sort through consequences of each option in front of them, and a coach can help direct that process.

Students will learn to factor in the immediacy of a decision. In some instances, they may have time to take a more comprehensive look at options and seek advice from trusted adults. In other instances, they’ll need to have the frame of mind to quickly evaluate options and choose the best one.

12. Tackle Complex Problems

A simple fix doesn’t suit every problem. Facing more complex problems, however, can seem like a reason to run away. Students without the skills to break bigger problems into more manageable pieces might just let those problems fester.

That’s where coaching can make a significant difference. With a plan, problems will seem solvable rather than insurmountable. Coaches can help students:

• Determine the right steps
• Set deadlines or goals for achieving those steps
• Figure out contingency plans

When students start to see a problem as a series of steps, they can take a more organized approach. Better yet, deadlines help with accountability and ensure that a resolution is within reach.

Coaches will stress the importance of flexibility, too. Not every plan ends up working as expected. A good coach can help students harness the patience and adaptability to figure out another option.

13. Manage Stress

From tests to term papers, academic life can bring stress to students’ lives. Social or family challenges can only compound the problem. Not addressing the stress can cause mental and physical health problems that fracture relationships and hurt academic performance.

As such, it’s critical for students to learn coping mechanisms. Coaches can teach students stress management strategies like:

• Taking exercise breaks
• Scheduling a social outing with friends
• Watching a favorite TV show

Getting outside and going for a walk can be an excellent stress reducer. For others, relaxing and watching a TV show can be a better solution.

Each student will find that different approaches work better. The important outcome is that students recognize the value of addressing stress before it becomes chronic.

14. Improve Academic Performance

While some students will excel in several subjects, others may struggle to grasp the material or find enough interest to study. Coaches can help students determine strategies to achieve better performance in the classroom. Strategies may include:

• Designating a study area at home
• Using rewards to incentivize focused study
• Turning to a planner to block time
• Seeking academic support help
• Taking breaks during homework sessions

Weaving these simple techniques into a student’s schedule can start to yield positive results in the classroom. For a student struggling in a history class, devoting specific chunks of time, with occasional breaks, may be the best way to promote preparation. If incentives and breaks don’t work, however, a coach can be the essential nudge for a student to seek more formalized academic tutoring in a subject.

15. Find a Better Balance

Ultimately, working with an executive function coach can help students find balance in their lives. Some students may devote too much time to social activities at the expense of academic performance. Some students may lack the study skills to maximize their time.

Academic coaching resources assist students as they develop lasting better habits that will promote more balance. Long-term changes have a lasting impact, encouraging students to block time more effectively. As students progress through high school, they’ll feel more confident and secure in themselves.

Work with an Executive Function Coach

An executive function coach can assist students with essential skills like time management and academic performance. Coaches will tailor their approach to each student, helping them hone their communication skills and deal with stress. Students will end up with improved productivity and a better sense of purpose.

At Peak Academic Coaching, we offer a comprehensive approach to academic coaching services that will help your child succeed. We’ll match your child with a qualified coach and structured plan to meet their needs. Contact us today to learn more!