Executive functioning is broadly defined as the set of cognitive skills that allow us to plan, focus, problem-solve, and multi-task. Those with impaired executive functioning (as is common in conditions like ADHD and ASD), may experience difficulties involving time management, organisation, prioritisation, and task initiation as a result.
We have put together a list of free, online tools to help circumvent these difficulties in the workplace.
Goblin Tools
The Goblin Tools app is a comprehensive digital toolkit, comprised of 5 useful features for workplace efficiency.
Magic to-do
This feature allows users to add items to a to-do list, which the app will then break down into constituent components.
Formaliser
This feature of Goblin Tools will edit the user’s text to align with a number of selectable prompts, such as ‘more polite’ or ‘more professional’.
Judge
The Judge feature will assess pasted text and inform the user of how it comes across tonally. This could be useful for an individual’s own written correspondence, or alternatively, to understand the tone of information they have been given.
Estimator
For those with ADHD, who have difficulty predicting how long tasks will take to complete, simply entering the task into the ‘Estimator’ feature will provide a rough guideline!
Compile
Finally, the compiler feature allows the user to enter a ‘brain dump’ of things they need to get done, which will then be clearly delineated as a list of separate tasks.
(Special mention: there is a 6th feature, called ‘chef’ which will give the user a recipe based on ingredients in their cupboard!)
Evernote
Evernote is a versatile note-taking and organisation app that helps users capture ideas and organise thoughts. Evernote synchronises seamlessly across devices (a maximum of 2 devices when using the free version), allowing increased accessibility.
When creating a note, Evernote will offer template options to help the user navigate their tasks with greater ease.
To-do list
The template provides a format with which the user can separate their tasks into ‘do now’, ‘do soon’ and ‘for the future’ categories, thus assisting with prioritisation.
Meeting note
This template encourages the user to note the date and time, meeting goals, and attendees, before prompting a bullet-pointed agenda. As well as this, the template includes an ‘action’ box, where the users can set reminders for tasks based on meeting content.
Project plan
This template prompts the user to write a summary of the task, before breaking this into its individual components. A grid is also provided to help the user visualise time-frames and deadlines.
Further templates include meeting notes, weekly plans, daily reflections, reading lists, essay/report outlines, and lecture notes.
Priority Matrix
The Priority Matrix app is a productivity tool, designed to help users prioritise tasks and manage projects effectively. Using a four-quadrant matrix, the app allows the user to categorise tasks based on their importance and urgency. Users can then identify which tasks are critical, requiring immediate attention, and which can be deferred or delegated.
The different quadrants are colour coded, differentiating between tasks and categories, allowing the user to personalise their matrix and identify priorities at a glance.
The user can drag the central cross in order to enlarge or minimise certain quadrants, providing a more visual format to represent urgency.
Focus Keeper
Focus Keeper is an online tool that utilises the Pomodoro technique in order to help the user maintain focus. The Pomodoro technique involves breaking work into intervals traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. This helps to maintain motivation, minimise distractions, and boost overall productivity.
Online Workspaces
Online/virtual workspaces offer valuable support for individuals with executive functioning difficulties by providing visual organising, task management features, reminders and notifications, collaboration tools, flexibility and accessibility. The visual nature of these tools allows individuals to understand and manage their workload, while features for setting reminders and notifications act as memory aids, and assist with focus.
Further, customisation options allow individuals to tailor the workspace to their unique preferences and workflow, creating an environment that supports their executive functioning needs effectively.
Most virtual workspaces will provide a free version of the program, with options to upgrade for further features.
