7 Proven Strategies to Boost Executive Functioning Skills in College Students

The summer flew by, and now it’s time for back to school! In my last blog post, I discussed how starting college can be a significant time of change for students. I identified why college can feel so hard for students and also discussed the role executive functioning plays in a successful college career.

Executive functioning is a set of cognitive processes that help us plan, organize, and manage our thoughts and actions to achieve goals. It is involved in task initiation, memory, impulse control, task switching, and self-monitoring. As you can probably guess, these tools are needed for academic success.

While some people are able to learn and develop executive functioning skills naturally, other minds might have more challenges. For example, people diagnosed with ADHD, autism, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder can find it more difficult to use these skills. The good news is that there are tools that can help us build executive functioning skills. Check out our list of six strategies to help boost executive functioning.

Executive Functioning Strategies That Work

Time Blocking and the Eight-Eight-Eight Model

Time blocking involves assigning specific time periods to certain tasks. For example, look at your day and block off time for all of the tasks you have to complete. This can help you decide if you have too much on your plate and might need to readjust priorities. One helpful framework is the eight-eight-eight model: eight hours for sleep, eight hours for academics including class and studying, and eight hours for everything else such as meals, exercise, chores, and leisure.

Chunking

Chunking is the idea of breaking large assignments into smaller and concrete tasks. Have you ever felt overwhelmed when assigned an essay? Chunking would ask us to break down an eight-page essay into smaller, more manageable tasks. This would include picking a topic, finding research, writing a thesis, and so on. This tool promotes task initiation and reduces overwhelm.

To-Do Lists

To-do lists are a tried-and-true favorite of executive functioning pros. Instead of holding all the tasks you have to complete in your brain, try writing them down. This can be in a single list, a planner, or an agenda book. By writing out our tasks, we have a better chance of remembering to complete them all. We also get the satisfaction of crossing off a completed task!

Establishing Daily Routines

All brains benefit from routine. Humans like to have expected days. College tends to have a lot more “free” time than high school, so it’s important to build your own routine. Consistent wake-up and bedtimes provide a healthy sleep schedule. Then plan scheduled mealtimes, homework times, class times, and exercise times for a well-rounded day.

Timer Use for Time Awareness

Time blindness, an inability to manage and perceive the passage of time, is especially common for students with ADHD. Time blindness can then make it difficult to estimate how long tasks take. If time blindness is a challenge you face, timers can help. Using timers such as the Pomodoro technique can build time awareness, reduce procrastination, and increase task completion.

Weekly Self Check-Ins

Instead of checking in with an academic advisor, try creating once-a-week check-ins with yourself. In your weekly check-in, you can review what went well the previous week and what needs adjusting for the next week. This promotes self-monitoring and accountability. You could even add a peer check-in to improve consistency and accountability.

Proven Executive Functioning Support Options

While the tools above can be great hacks for improving our executive functioning, there are also many other resources that can be helpful. Check out our other go-to resources.

Executive Function Coaching

Executive functioning coaches work with students to develop personalized systems for time management, task initiation, organization, and goal setting. They can be especially useful for students who are neurodivergent or have learning differences.

Academic Skills Workshops

Many colleges offer skill-building workshops to help with study habits, prioritization, and test preparation. Attending these workshops can improve confidence and academic performance.

Campus Disability Support Services

Students who struggle significantly with executive functioning may qualify for accommodations such as extended test time, flexible deadlines, or academic coaching. Disability services at your college can assess eligibility and provide structured support.

Peer Accountability Groups

Forming a small group with peers to study together, set weekly goals, or reflect on challenges can improve motivation and consistency. Social support plays a vital role in executive functioning success.

Mobile Tools and Apps

Tools like Todoist, Notion, or Forest can help students track progress, reduce distractions, and organize their schedules. When paired with therapy or coaching, these tools become even more effective.

Mental Health Therapy

Those struggling with executive functioning challenges may also experience shame, self-doubt, anxiety, and depression. Therapy can help build healthy separation between ourselves and our output, and improve our self-esteem.

Final Thoughts

College is not just an academic journey. It is a developmental one. The freedom it offers can be empowering or disorienting. Developing strong executive functioning skills allows students to stay focused, self-regulate, and build the kind of balanced life that fosters long-term success.

With practical structure, reflection, and strategic support, students can move from simply surviving college to thriving.

A Personal Note

As someone who has balanced textbooks, deadlines, children, and healing all at once, I know what it means to build structure, not out of ease, but out of necessity. If I have learned anything, it is that freedom without direction can be overwhelming, but even the smallest bit of structure can become a lifeline.

By Shagufta Khaliq, MD Candidate and Graduate Therapist

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Calm Mind Therapy is a boutique mental health practice located in Ardmore, PA, specializing in the care of children, adolescents, and adults. Our mission is to provide the Main Line with high-quality mental health services for all ages. Our goal is to help our clients achieve emotional well-being and build a life worth living. Serving clients in Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Wynnewood, Narberth, Radnor, Lower Merion, Haverford, Havertown, Villanova, Swarthmore, Devon, Berwyn, Malvern, Bala Cynwyd, and more.