What Happened When I Applied Executive Function Strategies for 30 Days
Understanding Executive Function Skills
When I first embarked on this 30-day journey, I realised I didn’t fully grasp what the term executive function really means. In simple terms, executive function refers to the set of mental skills that help us manage, regulate and organise our behaviour: things like planning ahead, staying focused, shifting between tasks, and controlling impulses. OUP Academic+1
The core components often cited include:
Working memory: holding information in mind and using it (e.g., remembering what you planned to do).
Inhibitory control: resisting distractions or impulses (e.g., checking social media when you should work).
Cognitive flexibility: switching between tasks or adapting when things change (e.g., changing strategy when a meeting runs long). SpringerLink
From my own life, I felt I was weak in all three: I’d forget what I had committed to, get pulled into distractions easily, and when something disrupted my plan, I’d struggle to shift gears without losing time. The idea that these are skills you can practise and improve resonated with me (rather than viewing them as fixed traits). That belief kicked off my 30-day experiment.
Why I Decided to Try a 30-Day Experiment
There were multiple motivators. Professionally, I was feeling overwhelmed: tasks piling up, deadlines creeping in, feeling like I was constantly chasing instead of leading. On a personal level, I wanted more mental space, fewer “lost hours,” and better clarity in how I use my time.
I realised I often said things like “I’ll remember that later” only to forget. Or I’d start a task, get distracted, switch to something else, and somehow end up further behind. I wanted to change that.
Why 30 days? Because it seemed long enough to form a habit, but short enough to feel doable. I committed to a clear start date, set a simple promise: for 30 days I’ll apply one or more executive-function strategies every day, reflect on progress, and adapt weekly.
Day 1–7: Setting Up the Foundations
The first week was about preparing rather than expecting radical transformation. I did three things:
Goal setting & clarity: I wrote down my top 3 professional goals and top 2 personal goals for 30 days.
Habit tracking: I created a simple spreadsheet (and also used a habit-tracker app) where each day I logged: did I plan my day? did I use a timer? did I review at day’s end?
Environment tweaks: I removed obvious distractions: turned off email/pop-ups for 2 hours in the morning, set my phone to “Do Not Disturb” except for priority contacts, and cleared physical clutter from my workspace.
These actions set the stage. I didn’t aim for perfection — I aimed for intention. In those 7 days, I noticed that simply having a plan felt more empowering than jumping in. The act of writing goals made them real.
Day 8–14: Building Routines and Time Blocks
With the foundations in place, I moved into using routines and time-blocks. Here’s what I did:
I blocked out two uninterrupted “focus sessions” each morning (50 minutes working, 10 minutes reset).
I used a “first-things-first” list: the top 3 tasks of the day went to the top of my list — everything else waited.
Mid-week I realised I was still reactive: I’d respond to small tasks before working on the big ones. So I started using a “buffer” period of 15 minutes before checking email or Slack.
By day 12 I found I was completing more of my top tasks, and by day 14 the “start of the day” felt less chaotic. The time-block method gave structure, and the habit-tracker kept me accountable.
Day 15–21: Monitoring, Adjusting and Self-Regulation
Now I shifted into reflection mode. Each evening I paused for 5–10 minutes to ask:
What went well?
What got in my way?
What will I adjust tomorrow?
I also added self-regulation exercises:
Setting a timer for checking messages (instead of constant checking).
Using a short breathing or mindfulness pause when I felt frustration or drift.
Checking mid-morning: “Am I doing what I planned, or drifting?”
This helped me catch when I was drifting off plan, and brought attention back to my intentions. Some days I failed — e.g., I let one email chain consume 45 minutes. But catching that mid-week meant I could adjust, rather than burying it until the end.
Day 22–30: Deepening Practice and Expansion
In the final third of the month I both consolidated and expanded:
I introduced task switching drills: after finishing a major task I gave myself 5 minutes to switch context before starting the next one, to mentally “reset.”
I experimented with cognitive flexibility: I had a contingency plan for interruptions — if a call or meeting came up that I didn’t anticipate, I paused, quickly adjusted my next 2 tasks rather than fight the disruption.
I reviewed my habit-tracker: I looked for patterns (days I failed, time of day I was weakest) and set a corrective rule for the next 30+ days.
By Day 30 I felt noticeably sharper: I wasn’t perfect, but I was far more intentional. I spent less time recovering from distraction, more time executing tasks I’d set.
Key Metrics and How I Measured My Progress
Because I believe what gets measured gets improved, I focused on three simple metrics:
Number of top-priority tasks completed each day (out of 3)
Total uninterrupted focus sessions (50-minute blocks achieved)
Number of times I got pulled into a “minor task” before the big ones
Tools used: spreadsheet + habit-tracker app + 5-minute nightly reflection.
At the beginning, I averaged 1 out of 3 priority tasks completed; by Day 30 I was averaging 2.5. Focus sessions went from 0–1 to 2 daily. And the “minor task before major” metric dropped significantly.
Major Wins and Surprising Outcomes
Wins:
Clearer mornings: instead of wandering into the day, I knew what I’d do and when.
Less “mental clutter” — because I spent less effort deciding what to do next, I had more energy for doing.
Improved recovery when disrupted — interruptions still happened, but I responded more calmly and adjusted faster.
Surprises:
My evening routines improved. Because I reflected each night, I started winding down better, and my sleep quality felt better.
Behaviour spill-over: my personal life benefited too — I used time-blocks for personal tasks and felt less “running around.”
Motivation increased: seeing measurable progress made me more likely to stick with the practice rather than revert to old habits.
The Challenges, Failures & What I Learned
It wasn’t all smooth. Some major challenges:
Days when I simply forgot to plan in the morning. On those days, the rest of the day drifted.
One week I tried to “go full throttle” and scheduled too many focus sessions — ended up burnt out and less productive.
I underestimated the transition cost when switching tasks. Even with a 5-minute buffer, I lost momentum sometimes.
What I learned:
The most critical step is setting up the morning intention. If I skipped that, I skipped the day’s advantage.
Routines must be realistic. Over-ambition backfires. Start modest, scale up.
Flexibility matters. Rigid plans feel safe but break down under real-world disruptions. I needed built-in buffer and adjustment.
Reflecting nightly is as important as planning in the morning — otherwise you don’t learn.
What Research Says About Executive Function
The strategy of improving executive function isn’t just self-help fluff — there’s solid research. As the Education Endowment Foundation notes, executive function skills include monitoring one’s own behaviour, resisting impulses, directing attention and switching between tasks. EEF+1
Also, the Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child describes executive function and self-regulation as like the “air traffic control system” of the brain: these skills help us hold information in mind, manage distractions, and shift between tasks. Harvard Center for Developing Child
And one review highlights that practical strategies (e.g., monitoring, planning, environment modification) can promote executive function in daily life. Parallel Learning
All of this supports the idea that a deliberate, measured 30-day effort can lead to meaningful improvements.
How to Apply These Strategies in Your Life
If you’re inspired to try your own 30-day executive function experiment, here’s a simple roadmap:
Start with goal clarity: Write 2-3 professional and 1-2 personal goals for the next 30 days.
Plan daily: Each morning, spend 5 minutes planning your top 3 tasks, and schedule two focus sessions of 45-60 minutes each.
Protect focus: Use time-blocks, turn off non-urgent notifications, set “Do Not Disturb” periods.
Track your metrics: Use a simple sheet or app to mark your “top tasks done”, “focus sessions achieved”, and “interruptions before big tasks”.
Reflect nightly: Spend 5 minutes asking: What worked? What didn’t? What will I change tomorrow?
Allow flexibility: If a disruption happens, pause, adjust your plan rather than fight it.
Gradually expand: Once the routine is stable, try adding a flexibility or task-switch drill.
Link it to your life: Use similar strategies for personal tasks (chores, personal project, family time) so the benefit spreads.
If you’d like more help, I’ve created a 30-day executive function workbook you can download. (See CTA below.)
Linking to My Other Content
If you found this helpful, check out my other posts:
“My Habit Tracking Template” (link internally to that post)
“How I Overcame Procrastination” (link internally to that post)
These posts complement the strategies above and give you tools and stories to boost your productivity systems.
Call to Action
Ready to take your cognitive control and productivity to the next level?
🎯 Download my 30-Day Executive Function Workbook → Use the workbook to structure, track and reflect your own 30-day challenge.
Or, if you want tailored support, Book a call with me where we’ll map out your personalised plan and set up accountability checkpoints.
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FAQ Section
Q1: What exactly are executive function strategies?
A: They’re intentional practices that improve skills like planning, focus, task switching and impulse regulation — for example, time-blocking, setting daily priorities, and doing nightly reflection.
Q2: Do I need a 30-day commitment?
A: No — you could start with 7 or 14 days. But 30 days give you enough time to build a habit and gather meaningful data, as I found in my experiment.
Q3: Will this work for someone with ADHD or other cognitive challenges?
A: Many of the strategies apply broadly, but if you have ADHD or other diagnoses you might benefit from specialised support or coaching alongside these practices.
Q4: What tools do I need?
A: Very simple tools: a notebook or spreadsheet/habit-tracker app, a timer for focus sessions, and a short nightly reflection habit. That’s often enough to start.
Q5: How do I stay motivated when progress feels slow?
A: Tracking progress (even small wins) helps. I found seeing my metrics improve (from ~1 top task/day to ~2.5) gave momentum. Also: celebrate small wins and allow yourself to recover from off-days.
Q6: What if I fall off track mid-experiment?
A: It happens. The key is not perfection, but return. Use your nightly reflection: acknowledge what went wrong, tweak your plan, then start fresh tomorrow. The momentum builds with consistency, not perfection.
Q7: Can I apply these strategies to both work and personal life?
A: Yes! One of the surprises for me was the spill-over effect into my personal routines. Use the same principles (focus blocks, priorities, reflection) for personal tasks, hobbies, home projects.
Conclusion
My 30-day dive into executive function strategies wasn’t a magic cure — but it did transform how I work, think and live. By planning deliberately, protecting focus, reflecting nightly and adjusting as I went, I built habits that gave me more control, clarity and momentum.
If you’ve been feeling scattered, overwhelmed, or stuck in reactive mode, consider your own version of this 30-day challenge. The tools exist. The structure helps. The journey is worth taking.
👉 Ready when you are: Download the workbook, book a call, or sign up for the newsletter and let’s elevate your mental game together.
