I recently had a quick discussion with Dr. Hanna Gelfand on executive function (EF) and how it relates to everyday activity. I was curious what her take would be on me after having known me for almost two years. My layman interpretation of her explanation follows. EF covers planning, organizing, and completing tasks. There are a lot of buzz words thrown around in this area and half the time it isn’t clear what these things mean in the context of daily life. Dr. Gelfand gave me a clear example on how I function. I know I tend to procrastinate, but it’s never really been a problem for me. I need 4 hours to do something, so I wait until I have 4.5 hours to take care of it. That provides the pressure I need to get it done. Dr. Gelfand commented that I have a fast processing speed, so this is rarely a hindrance. However, she’s also noticed that I tend to require lots of time to research a topic. So to make sure I don’t come across as stepping on other coworkers’ toes, I should ensure that I let them know that it’s just part of how I tackle a problem. Its not that I don’t trust them. I would actually prefer them to send me the resources they trust, so I don’t have to dig through the plethora of dubious information myself. This all happened from a 5 minute impromptu conversation. If you’re curious about how the way you process information affects you and those around you, schedule a session with her. This is really important for children, especially those who are struggling. You hear the comments all the time that a kid is very bright, but is struggling in school. It could easily be due to their executive functioning skills. If I had a kid that used me as a model on how to perform their tasks, but they didn’t process information the same way I do; they would be setup for failure. Check out her website and if you’re in the bay area schedule an appointment. Could be the best money you’ve spent in a long time.
