Executive Function Impairment: Understanding symptoms, and impact through an ADHD lens
- Nat Harrison
- May 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 5
MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN RELATE TO
For as long as I can remember, I have struggled work in the way everyone else around me seemed to, been sensitive to and sidelined by emotions and would rather stratch my eyes out, than start some tasks on my to do list! The “Why can’t I just…” thought was on repeat and I accepted and normalised the labels given too me - “disorganised” - “forgetful” - “clumsy”. It wasn’t until I accepted that I probably had ADHD (what I know call the "knowing") that I started to understand what was going driving my challenges. It turns these were all to do with executive function impairment.
WHAT ARE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS?
In short, they are the brain’s management system that supports you through everyday life - they help you stay on task, manage your emotions, and plan, organise and streamline your day. There are eight core functions to look at:
Task Activation and Initiation – Organisation, planning, and prioritisation. This is about planning your day and starting tasks or quickly switching between them.
Managing your Effort - Maintaining energy levels, being aware of effortful tasks, checking in on energy drains and burnout resilience.
Emotional Regulation – Managing big feelings without them taking over.
Working Memory – Holding information in your mind while using it.
Impulse Control – Pausing before acting and speaking.
Flexible Thinking – Adapting and re-strategising when plans change.
Self-Monitoring – Noticing what you’re doing in the moment and adjusting appropriately.
Organisation – Keeping track of schedules, documents, and physical belongings.
WHAT DOES EXECUTIVE IMPAIRMENT LOOK LIKE
For some people managing their exective functions is effortless, but for ADHDers most executive functions are impaired to a lesser or greater extent. So what can executive impairment look like?
Jumping in and saying or doing something without first thinking about it
Feeling emotions intensely (the highs and the lows) and struggling to shift them
Losing your train of thought mid sentence
Losing track of what you were doing mid-task
Struggling to start tasks and being fearful of the big scary task monster
Losing track of time or double-booking meetings and plans
Getting stuck or easily overwhelmed in daily life
Regularly losing your keys/cards/phone
This can bleed into every part of our life - work, home, and our relationships and it can be incredibly challenging to change these patterns of behaviour without awaredness of the ADHD Lens and the right support.
THE 30% IMPAIRMENT THEORY BY DR. RUSSELL BARKLEY
ADHD researcher Dr Russell Barkley that suggests these executive function challenges are due to a 30% developmental delay for ADHDers in childhood compared to their peers. The developmental delay is in the pre-frontal cortex (or frontal lobe), which is the control centre of the brain.
Dopamine seeking: Dr Barkley also looks at dopamine dysregulation in his theories on ADHD. He suggests that we struggle with low gratification and stimulation, which is why we’re naturally pulled towards things that light us up and give us that quick dopamine hit, it’s also why we take higher risks, and I guess this plays a role in why ADHDers make great entrepreneurs. ADHDers are driven by interest, novelty, urgency and passion.
The Hunter/Gather versus Farmer Theory
There is another theory , which suggests ADHD traits were an evolutionary advantage for nomad tribes. Hunters and gatherers who lived in precarious and uncertain environment, had to develop pattern recognition, constant alertness, and heightened senses to watch out for danger. There all strengths of an ADHDer (from the book "ADHD: A Hunter in a Farmer's World" - Thom Hartmann ). London Psychiatric Clinic also has a great article on the possible evolution of ADHD.
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ADHDers?
What this means, is that our brains are wired differently and work differently from those of someone without ADHD. I like to think what we lose in some exective functions we gain in others, but with that said, we do need to chalIenge ourselves to find strategies to help our exective functions which means finding ways to harness our brains and ADHD Coaching really helps with this - we get creative and come up with innovative ways to trick the brain into giving us that dopamine blast we need and useful ways into self connection and energy management. If this sounds good to you, then absolutely get in touch. (You don’t need to be diagnosed, or want a diagnosis, to work with me as an ADHD Careers Coach).
In the meantime, check out more resources with useful tips. You can also download my free daily morning routine journal to support emotional regulation.
ABOUT NAT HARRISON - ADHD CAREER COACH, AYAMA COACHING
Hi, I am Nat. I'm a certified ADHD coach specialising in supporting neurodivergent people who want to harness their brains for the better, improve their relationships with themselves and overcome barriers to making the desired change.
Book a FREE consultation below if you would benefit from some coaching in your work life.
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