Smart But Scattered, Executive Function Help for Inattentive ADD

Executive Function Help for Inattentive ADD

I just finished reading the book Smart But Scattered and I wanted to tell you about it. This book is essentially a 'how to' book on the development of Executive Function skills in people with Inattentive ADHD and other subtypes of ADHD. The first part of the book explains the function and necessity of Executive Functions and the second part of the book gives you concrete exercises and strategies to improve the Executive Functioning of children and adults with ADHD.

This book is amazingly easy to read, to absorb and to apply which is what makes it a must have for any household suffering from the chaos and inefficiencies of the symptoms of ADHD Predominantly Inattentive.
Many of the suggestions in this book have been covered before in this blog but I always feel it is important to remind us all of what it takes to stay on task so that we can complete them.

I have linked to some of the older blog posts that specifically address the Executive Function difficulties that this book covers. The difficulties addressed in this fantastic book include:

• Looking at a task to determine exactly what needs to be done or in the case of a school assignment, looking at the assignment from the perspective of what needs to be learned and what are the most important components of what is being learned. 
• Planning is the second step and that involves forging a doable plan, making a to-do or task list and putting it front and center so you do not lose site of where you are and where you are headed. 
• Organizing is crucial and it is the third step. We have spoken about getting rid of clutter and staying organized in many, many posts on this blog. 
• Planning, include time management, developing a timeline and breaking the big steps of a task into little steps so that the task does not overwhelm you is another crucial part of accomplishing tasks when you are dealing with the symptoms of Inattentive ADHD. 
• Adjusting your plan when necessary and being flexible is another stumbling block for people with ADHD Inattentive and Executive Function problem. It can be a monumental hurdle for someone with an Executive Order disorder to shift gears and find another way to tackle a problem when the first way has failed. 
• Completing the plan is the last step; of course, The inability to "JUST DO IT" can be one of the most frustrating aspects of living with someone with an Executive Function disorder. 

Smart But Scattered may be at your library. That is where I found my copy but I have since ordered a copy from Amazon so that I can have it at home. Order the book or get it at the library. It is worth the read. After you read it, let me know what you think of it. Keep in touch!