Last episode I talked about why smart, capable college students get stuck. Today I'm sharing the good news: there are five concrete systems I build with students that help them navigate college with more confidence, ease, and self-compassion. These aren't one-size-fits-all fixes, they're tools we design together to fit each student's unique brain.

Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to build a real time management and prioritizing system when your student has never had this much freedom before (and why "one day at a time" stops working in college)
• Strategies to get unstuck and break the procrastination loop, including how we uncover what's really going on underneath the avoidance
• Why self-care requires executive functioning too, and how I help perfectionist, overachieving students learn to slow down without guilt
• Practical ways to minimize phone distractions, including a tool I personally love and recommend to students
• How to help your student actually use their campus resources, and work through the "I should be able to do this on my own" mindset that keeps them from asking for help

Want to Explore if Executive Function Coaching is Right for your college student?

• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

Mentioned in this episode:

Start the Semester Strong

Five coaching spots are now open for college students ready to build organization, time management, and executive functioning skills before the fall semester begins. Apply today to schedule your free 45-minute discovery call at https://www.executivefunctioningfirst.com/college

College

If your bright, capable college student is procrastinating, missing deadlines, or avoiding their inbox altogether, I want you to know something first: it's not laziness.

In this episode, I'm breaking down why the strategies that worked in high school often fall apart in college, and what's really happening in your student's brain when they get stuck. This is the conversation I have with parents all the time, and I think it'll bring you some relief.

Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why procrastination often isn't about waiting for urgency, it's about avoidance, overwhelm, and shame building up underneath the surface
• The real difference between high school and college that trips up so many bright students (hint: it's not intelligence, it's structure and freedom)
• How executive function challenges show up differently for students with ADHD, anxiety, or who are neurodivergent
• Why "I should have started this sooner" is a red flag I hear constantly, and what it tells me about what your student needs
• How to support your student now, whether they're already struggling or you're just being proactive, without waiting for a crisis point

Want to Explore if Executive Function Coaching is Right for your college student?

• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

Mentioned in this episode:

Start the Semester Strong

Five coaching spots are now open for college students ready to build organization, time management, and executive functioning skills before the fall semester begins. Apply today to schedule your free 45-minute discovery call at https://www.executivefunctioningfirst.com/college

College

If you've ever wondered what actually happens in an executive function coaching session — or whether it's even the right fit for you — this episode is for you. I'm answering the questions I get asked most on discovery calls, from what coaching looks like week to week to how long it actually takes to see change.

Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What executive function coaching is (and isn't) including why it's different from therapy, tutoring, or just downloading a new app
• What a real coaching session looks like, with a behind-the-scenes example of how I helped a client tackle time blindness and all-or-nothing thinking
• Why self-talk is the foundation of executive functioning, and how we work with it in coaching
• How long coaching typically takes and why building a sustainable toolbox is more important than quick fixes
• How to know if a coach is the right fit for you — and the questions to ask before you commit

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

Want to Explore if Executive Function Coaching is Right for you?

• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

If you've ever wondered whether other people struggle with the same things you do: getting started on tasks, keeping up with laundry, remembering what you said you'd do in that meeting last week — this episode is for you.

As an executive function coach, I'm sharing the nine most common reasons people reach out to work with me, based on patterns I've seen in over a decade of coaching and 200+ applications.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why it feels impossible to get started on tasks (even ones you're excited about) — and what's really going on underneath that stuck feeling
• Why relying on urgency and deadlines to get things done can be a strength and a burnout trap
• How an executive function coach helps you stop forcing yourself to use productivity systems that were never built for your brain in the first place
• Why self-care requires executive functioning — and why executive functioning requires self-care (it's a two-way street)
• How executive function challenges quietly show up in your relationships with partners, friends, coworkers, and kids
• Why "I should have gotten more done" is a self-talk problem as much as a productivity one

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

Mentioned in this episode:

Start the Semester Strong

Five coaching spots are now open for college students ready to build organization, time management, and executive functioning skills before the fall semester begins. Apply today to schedule your free 45-minute discovery call at https://www.executivefunctioningfirst.com/college

College

"I didn’t get as much done as I wanted to." If you've said this to yourself more times than you can count, you're not alone. It's one of the most common things I hear from my executive function coaching clients.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why your brain fixates on unfinished tasks (and what "open loops" have to do with it)
• How all-or-nothing thinking convinces you that nothing you did today counts
• Why comparing yourself to your past self or to other people can quietly sabotage your executive functioning
• How to adjust your expectations to fit your actual capacity
• The mindset shift that ties it all together and helps you give yourself credit, even on the hard days

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

Mentioned in this episode:

Start the Semester Strong

Five coaching spots are now open for college students ready to build organization, time management, and executive functioning skills before the fall semester begins. Apply today to schedule your free 45-minute discovery call at https://www.executivefunctioningfirst.com/college

College

Delegating sounds simple; just hand something off and check it off your list, right? But if you have ADHD, executive functioning challenges, or a touch of perfectionism, it’s rarely that straightforward. In this episode, I’m breaking down why delegating can feel so complicated, sharing a few real-life examples, and giving you practical strategies to make it a little easier.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why delegating requires all of your executive functioning skills
• The most common reasons it’s hard to delegate — from time blindness to people-pleasing
• How to separate planning from action so you can actually pass things off
• Simple check-in questions to help you decide what’s worth keeping and what to delegate
• How to reframe delegation as an act of trust, not control

Resources Mentioned:

• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
• Join the ADHD Coaching Membership: Stuck to Started
• Read the Blog here

Other Episodes You Might Enjoy:

• Episode 45: How to stop being a people pleaser: 5 traps to watch out for
• Episode 46: Why Asking for Help Feels So Hard (and How to Make It Easier)
• Episode 47: Why “Just Ask for Help” Isn’t Actually That Simple (& how to practice asking for help)

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

Mentioned in this episode:

Start the Semester Strong

Five coaching spots are now open for college students ready to build organization, time management, and executive functioning skills before the fall semester begins. Apply today to schedule your free 45-minute discovery call at https://www.executivefunctioningfirst.com/college

College

Life is joyful, stressful, chaotic, and never seems to slow down. Between the laundry, emails, deadlines, and all the things you want to make time for (like rest, hobbies, or time with your people), it’s no wonder your brain feels maxed out. In this episode, I’m diving into the messy reality of overwhelm, why it shows up, how it snowballs, and what you can do when it feels like too much.

I’ll share gentle mindset shifts, questions to reflect on, and real-life examples (including my own) to help you process your overwhelm with a little more self-compassion.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why overwhelm hits differently when you have ADHD or executive functioning challenges
• The “something goes up, something has to go down” mindset shift
• How to spot (and stop) the habit of comparing yourself to a past version of you
• Questions to ask when you're in survival mode and need to re-center
• Reframes and reminders to support yourself when overwhelm takes over

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
• Read the Blog here

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Have you ever tried to take the most efficient route… only to end up creating more work for yourself? In this episode, I’m sharing a very real (and very soggy) story about how my attempt to save time ended with me falling into a lake. We’ll talk about why your brain chases efficiency, how it can actually drain your executive functioning, and how to create systems that help both current and future you.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why chasing efficiency can backfire (especially with ADHD)
• The difference between actual efficiency and avoiding discomfort
• 5 reflection questions to ask before taking a “shortcut”
• How to be more efficient with time without overwhelming yourself

Whether you're folding laundry, writing emails, or building a business, this episode will help you work more efficiently with ADHD by prioritizing sustainability over speed.

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Resources Mentioned:

• Free Private Podcast: The ADHD Action Plan
• Read the blog version here
• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

Mentioned in this episode:

Start the Semester Strong

Five coaching spots are now open for college students ready to build organization, time management, and executive functioning skills before the fall semester begins. Apply today to schedule your free 45-minute discovery call at https://www.executivefunctioningfirst.com/college

College

“How can I be more consistent?” If you’ve asked yourself that question lately, you’re not alone. As an executive function and ADHD coach, I hear this all the time. But here’s the twist: today’s episode is all about why it's okay not to be 100% consistent and how redefining consistency can actually help you stick with your habits, routines, and systems more sustainably.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Why being consistent all the time isn’t realistic—especially with ADHD
• A more flexible, ADHD-friendly definition of consistency
• The surprising role self-talk and perfectionism play in your consistency struggles
• Three mindset shifts to help you come back to habits, routines, and systems (without shame)
• Alternative words to use when “consistency” feels rigid or overwhelming

Whether you're trying to figure out how to be consistent with ADHD, how to be consistent with habits, or how to be consistent with routines and systems, this episode gives you permission to do it your way—messy, imperfect, and full of variety.

Host: Sarah Lovell, Executive Function & ADHD Coach

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Resources:

• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan
• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!

Music by: AudioCoffee, Inspirational Background

Mentioned in this episode:

Start the Semester Strong

Five coaching spots are now open for college students ready to build organization, time management, and executive functioning skills before the fall semester begins. Apply today to schedule your free 45-minute discovery call at https://www.executivefunctioningfirst.com/college

College

What is body doubling and why does it work so well for ADHD brains?

In this episode, I'm breaking down one of my favorite (and most underrated) executive function strategies: body doubling. Whether you've been doing it your whole life without a name for it, or you've never heard of it before, this episode will help you understand why it works and give you a whole menu of ways to try it.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What body doubling actually is (and why it's not just "going to a coffee shop to work")
• The science-backed reasons it helps with task initiation and focus especially for ADHD and neurodivergent brains
• Creative ways to body double and how to find the type of body doubling that fits your brain, your life, and your social battery
• How body doubling connects to Parkinson's Law and why it helps you stop dragging tasks out
• How Body Doubling Platforms like Flown can help you with task initiation, sustained focus, and navigating overwhelm

Resources:

• Stop Doomscrolling & autopiloting to your phone with Brick -get 10% off when you purchase with this link!
• Get your Free ADHD Action Plan

Connect with Sarah Lovell:

• Website: Executive Functioning First
• Instagram: @executivefunctioningfirst
• Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Learn more & let's schedule a free 45-minute discovery call

Mentioned in this episode:

Start the Semester Strong

Five coaching spots are now open for college students ready to build organization, time management, and executive functioning skills before the fall semester begins. Apply today to schedule your free 45-minute discovery call at https://www.executivefunctioningfirst.com/college

College