The Executive Function Skills Every Teen Needs

Helping teens succeed in school, relationships, and daily life extends beyond academics; it involves developing executive function skills. These skills serve as the brain’s “management system,” enabling us to plan, organize, regulate emotions, and stay focused. Without strong executive function, even the most intelligent students may struggle to meet deadlines, maintain motivation, and manage everyday responsibilities.

The prefrontal cortex, located in the frontal lobes, plays a central role in executive functioning and continues to develop into the mid-twenties. Strengthening this part of the brain requires consistent practice. To help my students understand, I often compare the brain to a machine—specifically, a car. Just as a car needs regular maintenance to run smoothly, the brain needs ongoing exercises to strengthen executive function skills.

Whenever teens engage in tasks that demand planning, organization, focus, or self-regulation, they exercise their prefrontal cortex. This continuous practice builds the skills necessary for success not only in school but throughout life into adulthood.

Here are the key executive function skills every teen should practice and strategies for each:

1. Organization:

Teens juggle a lot: school, extracurricular activities, sports, friendships, and social pressures. They manage all of this while trying to stay on top of their responsibilities and regulate their emotions. Strong organizational skills can help reduce anxiety and stress, prevent avoidant behaviors, and make overwhelming tasks feel more manageable.

Strategies:  Using a planner or an agenda, keeping folders and binders for different classes, maintaining a clean workspace, organizing backpacks and supplies, and following a daily or weekly schedule are just some ways a teen can get organized. 

2. Time Management:

Teens often underestimate how long specific tasks take, which can lead to stress, last-minute work, or turning in assignments late. Developing strong time management skills helps teens meet deadlines, reduce anxiety, and use their time more effectively.

Strategies: Breaking tasks into smaller, manageable steps, scheduling daily priorities, and using timers to stay on track. Techniques like the Pomodoro Method (focused work sessions with short breaks) or the boxing method (blocking out specific time periods for tasks) can be especially helpful.

3.Procrastination:

Procrastination can derail even the most motivated students. Task initiation helps teens start projects without waiting for the “perfect” moment. Often, procrastination is fueled by distractions, like cell phones or social media.

Strategies:  Using the “just 5 minutes” rule to get started, creating checklists or to-do lists to break down tasks, and minimizing distraction by putting phones away or finding a quiet workspace can make it easier to begin tasks and build momentum.

4. Working Memory: 

Teens need to hold and manipulate information while completing complex tasks. Without strong working memory, students may fall into “learned helplessness,” waiting for instructions to be repeated instead of recalling them the first time. Strengthening working memory helps teens follow directions, solve problems, and retain important information.

Strategies:  Using checklists, notes, or visual reminders to track multistep directions, following through on teacher or coach feedback, mentally rehearsing instructions, or applying formulas and steps in subjects like math and science. Encouraging students to actively recall information rather than relying on others builds independence and confidence.

5. Flexible Thinking:

As Adults, we understand that life rarely goes exactly as planned. Teens with flexible thinking can adapt to changes instead of shutting down or becoming frustrated. Students often become dysregulated when routines or expectations shift, which can make problem-solving and collaboration more difficult.

Strategies: Practicing shifting strategies when solving a problem, adjusting to changes in group project roles, and learning to collaborate with new classmates. Using tools like “what-if” scenarios or flexible checklists can help teens anticipate changes and adapt more easily.

6. Emotional Regulation:

Managing emotions is critical for making thoughtful decisions, maintaining relationships, and staying focused on tasks. Teens who struggle with emotional regulation may act impulsively, shut down, or avoid challenges when they feel stressed or frustrated.

Strategies: Using breathing exercises, mindfulness techniques, or taking short breaks to calm down, keeping a feelings journal, and practicing self-talk to reframe negative thoughts. Learning to pause before reacting and reflecting on emotions helps teens respond more effectively to challenges.

7. Self-Monitoring:

Teens need to reflect on their actions and make adjustments to improve and grow. Without self-monitoring, students may avoid accountability and blame others for their choices instead of learning from mistakes.

Strategies: Reviewing work before submission, recognizing when help is needed, reflecting on which strategies worked or didn’t, and setting new goals after setbacks. Using checklists, journals, or progress trackers can make self-monitoring more structured and effective.