Blurting Stuff Out: A Simple Tool for Executive Function
What’s a simple way to get an EF coaching session started?
The first step in our coaching sessions is often: "Tell me everything that's on your mind about school right now. Don't organize it, don't filter it. Just blurt it out."
What follows depends on the kid. Sometimes they are quiet, or they don’t want to tell you, or they really don’t have anything to say. In these cases, we use a more structured protocol.
Other times they can just go:
"I have to finish the chem lab that was due yesterday but Ms. Miller said I could turn it in tomorrow with a small penalty, and then I have a history quiz on Thursday, actually wait, I think it's Friday, let me check... and I haven't started the English reading, but honestly, I don't think the teacher checks it anyway, and math homework is easy so I'll just do it during lunch...I also have a piano lesson later. And sometimes my track meet runs late on Wednesdays."
This might sound like a cluttered mind! But it’s essential. I listen carefully, and try minimize interruptions. I don't organize yet. Importantly I don't want THEM to organize yet.
This stream-of-consciousness gets everything out of their head and into a space where we can examine it together.
The mind needs emptying! David Allen calls this process "capture". Scholars call a related one cognitive offloading. Some call it a brain dump.
How do students typically prioritize?
As students talk through their assignments, patterns emerge. They're done capturing everything. Then their natural prioritization systems reveal themselves. Some students prioritize by -
1. Easy stuff first. "I'll do Spanish first because it only takes 10 minutes."
2. Teacher relationships. "Mr. Garcia gets really disappointed when I don't turn things in, so I always do his stuff first."
3. Peer pressure. "If I don't finish this group project, Emma and Josh will be mad at me."
4. Avoidance. "I'll do literally anything before studying for the Calc test."
5. ROI calculations. "Doing Stats gets me 5 points more on my grade than doing English."
These natural tendencies aren't inherently bad! (All else equal, I'm partial to "easy first", and "ROI calculation.") They might need a little refinement.
Then what?
Once everything is out, we move to the refining stage:
What actually needs to be done today? (Not what you want to do or think you should do)
How much time will each task realistically take? (Students almost always underestimate)
What's the logical sequence? (Sometimes it's strategic to do the hardest thing first, sometimes it's not)
For some students, this becomes a written list. For others, it's time blocks in a calendar. The format matters less than the process.
Conduct a post-mortem!
The next day, we start by examining what worked and what didn't:
"You planned to work on English for an hour, but it took two. Why do you think that happened?"
"You finished everything on your list except the biology review. Walk me through your evening - where did that time go?"
We don't judge. We want you to accurately understand and predict your own mental processes and work habits.
It takes practice. But our clients can develop more accurate time estimation and better prioritization. They need to first get the information out of their heads.
What executive skills does this address?
We find it supports several multiple executive function challenges simultaneously:
Working memory limitations. Teens can clear out the clutter, get it out of their heads.
Task initiation difficulties. Breaking down the day makes starting easier, you have a map of what’s to come.
Time management. Regular practice will improve time estimation skills
In short: get it out, organize it, execute against that plan, then reflect and improve.
They will get to a point where they can do it themselves. Until then, a coach can help.
