“Why can’t my kid just… do the thing?” (This also applies to adults)
Executive dysfunction and task initiation.
Let’s break this one down…
Several years ago, a tweet thread by Jana O'Connor explaining executive dysfunction and non-verbal working memory went viral. (Unfortunately, her account and the tweet thread no longer exist… but I'll summarize.)
In that thread, Jana explained how non-verbal working memory, which helps a person visualize the future, is impaired in those with executive dysfunction… and therefore makes it difficult for them to “just… do the thing.”
She explained that people without this difficulty simply imagine what “done” looks like and then work backward in their minds to figure out what steps they need to take to get there. Then, collect what is needed to complete the steps… and move forward until they reach “done.”
But for someone who struggles with executive dysfunction, not being able to visualize “done” can be so overwhelming that they have no idea where/how to start…. So, they often don’t.
Jana then outlined a clever strategy to help kids who struggle with this. Show them what "done" looks like. She gave an example of her son struggling to write a journal entry. His teacher turned to a previous page and talked him through the logistical steps of writing one.
But, in my estimation, this is really only half of the battle with executive dysfunction when it comes to task initiation (as someone who struggles with it myself).
Because just knowing what “done” looks like doesn’t mean we will instantly know HOW TO GET THERE.
E.g. I’ve created 1100+ tweets. I know what one looks like. I know the logistics of writing one. But looking at a previous tweet won't make it easy to create a new one. Even if I know the topic, it can sometimes take weeks to figure out HOW I want to talk about the topic.
The same goes for my son. He’s 10 and struggles with open-ended assignments. Even if he knows all the logistical aspects of the assignment, he will often still struggle with actually doing it.
Another example… laundry. If I go upstairs and look at my neatly folded clothes in their drawers before attempting to tackle a new load (let's be real, like 5 loads ), it won't help me get from sitting in front of a mountain of clothes to putting everything neatly away.
So "doing the thing" is not just about non-verbal working memory. It has to do with the COMPLEXITY of the task at hand. The more complex the task, the more steps involved, the farther away “done” is from where we are… the more difficult it is to work out HOW TO GET there.
So, if your child is struggling with a task…
1. Start by helping them visualize “done"
2. Help them work through the steps to get there
3. IDENTIFY NON-STARTERS. If there's a specific step they're avoiding… help them figure out WHY. Then help them work through *that.*