509 - What is the Executive Function of Working Memory?
Organize 365 Podcast
Lisa Woodruff
4.5 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 4 November 2022
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What's next for research at Organize 365®? Now that I've learned that I have ADHD, I'm ready to dive deeper into this topic of executive function and organization with formal research.
Lots of times ADHD can be diagnosed when the person's executive functions are analyzed.
In this episode, I shared three examples of me relying on my working memory. I analyze if my working memory helped or hindered the situation and explore explanations as to why I responded, the way I did, in each situation.
The executive function of working memory holds information in your head for a short amount of time so you can manipulate that information and do something. Example: A math problem. You take in the information of the numbers and functions that are being requested. When you do the problem in your head you are using your working memory to solve the problem.
All hope is not lost - yes we can improve our executive functions according to Psychology today. They suggest to identify which executive function you want to improve and then pick a strategy to help you improve.
Strategies to improve your executive functions include:
- Chunk things into smaller tasks
- Externalize information using notepads, to do lists, or reminders
(had you completed the math problem, mentioned earlier, on paper, you would be helping your working memory by reducing demand upon your working memory so it is available for other items you need to remember)
- Buddy up with a peer to foster accountability
- Blocking access to distractions such as your phone in a drawer while focusing on a task
- Use rewards to motivate periods of consistent effort
EPISODE RESOURCES:
- Psychology Today
- Strategies for improving executive function
- The Sunday Basket®
- The Friday Workbox®
- The Holiday Blitz
- Planning Day for Home
- Planning Day for Work
- Notepads and Notecards
- Find me on Instagram @Organize365
Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the organized 365 podcast. I'm your host, professional organizer, productivity |
| 0:11.8 | expert, and motivational speaker, Lisa Woodruff. This podcast will help you embrace progress |
| 0:18.8 | over perfection and create lasting, functional organizing in your home. I have so much to share |
| 0:25.3 | with you, so let's get started. In the October podcast, I talked about, does Lisa |
| 0:36.8 | have ADHD or not? What is ADHD? I told you about the brief study that I did that measured |
| 0:44.8 | my executive function. What is executive function? It's a question that people often ask |
| 0:50.4 | me. And in that brief assessment, which stands for the behavioral rating, something |
| 0:56.6 | executive function, that's a detail people. I identified nine executive functions. What |
| 1:04.1 | is an executive function? An executive function is the prefrontal cortex of your brain that |
| 1:09.7 | executes your daily activities that helps you stay on tasks, stay on time, get projects |
| 1:15.0 | done, recognize how far you've gone, organize your supplies as you are going through all |
| 1:19.8 | of these different activities that you do. Executive functions. And they are usually |
| 1:26.2 | associated with ADHD. Now, in doing my research for these podcasts that are coming up, where |
| 1:32.3 | I'm going to deep dive into five of the executive functions, I realized that, well, I had |
| 1:38.3 | learned and along the way figured out executive functions are related to ADHD. You can have |
| 1:48.6 | ADHD and still have optimal executive function. You can have executive function deficits and |
| 1:53.6 | not have ADHD. They are not mutually exclusive. And I think now is a good time for me to come |
| 2:00.1 | in and make 8,000 different caveats. I am not a doctor. I am not a therapist. I am not |
| 2:06.6 | a psychologist. I am, I am a state home mom who started a company and has a teaching |
| 2:13.1 | degree and has had a podcast for eight years. That's who I am. I'm like your friend next |
| 2:17.4 | door. So do your own research. Do your own due diligence. This is my understanding up |
| 2:22.2 | until this point. This is the subject that I want to really explore in my PhD is the |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Lisa Woodruff, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Lisa Woodruff and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.