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Executive function is the name given to the way that our brain manages our lives. It refers to things like organizational skills, time management, keeping on track in a task, and prioritization.
In ADHD brains, the areas that deal with these types of functions are often slower to develop than in neurotypical brains, which is why so many ADHD people may struggle with these types of issues.
It would be very easy to see this as a deficit or disorder, but context is everything. We happen to live in a society where these types of skills and functions are thought to be very important.
Look at the number of courses, apps, and books available on productivity, time management and organization. Being organized and efficient is seen as a key measure of worth.
But this is an arbitrary judgment made by our culture. It is not true everywhere in the world, and it has not always been the case in history.
Of course, some degree of organization is important – we all need to perform basic self-care such as remembering to eat, sleep, and wash, and we all need to be in certain places at certain times on occasion. But the need to be super organized and efficient every hour of the day is one of those areas where ADHD brains work differently.
In return, they have other strengths, such as being very creative or great at problem-solving and finding new angles. You do not have to be brilliant at executive function to be valuable or successful.
Not everyone is a brilliant cook, but you do not need to be to survive – you just need to be able to make a few things that you like to eat or be able to eat out most of the time.
The same is true for executive functions – do not waste energy fighting to be something that you are not designed to be. Find ways to work
around areas that you struggle with enough to get by and put most of your focus on your strengths.
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