The Executive Function Podcast

Hey Team, 

Eating consistently and healthy-ish, cooking meals, remembering to bring lunch and snacks…it all takes executive function. Nearly every one of the amazing humans I work with struggles in some way with eating. My friend and Dietitian-Nutritionist Dana Monsees shares perspectives and strategies for making eating easier and more consistent. You’re not alone if feeding yourself is harder than you want it to be. Let’s team up and explore ideas!

All my love,

Sarah

Connect with Dana:

Instagram @danamonsees_cns 

Podcast: Whole-Hearted Eating 

Website: www.realfoodwithdana.com 

Work with Dana: https://www.realfoodwithdana.com/nutrition-counseling/ 

Book a Free Discovery Session: https://p.bttr.to/36VNOay

Hey Team,

Whether you love or hate math, this episode with author and educator Ben Orlin is for you! We talk about problem solving, the purpose and process for getting stuck, and how to support yourself when faced with challenges. You will love Ben's humor and outlook!

All my love to you, team,

Sarah

Get Ben's Book

Additional article links: What It Feels Like to Be Bad at Math, The Math Ceiling: Where’s Your Cognitive Breaking Point?, The State of Being Stuck

More about our guest: Ben Orlin is a math teacher who can't draw. His books include Math with Bad Drawings (2018), Change is the Only Constant (2019), Math Games with Bad Drawings (2022), and most recently, Math for English Majors (Sept 2024). His work has appeared in The Atlantic, Popular Science, Slate, Vox, and The Los Angeles Times; he himself has appeared in the lines to ice cream stores everywhere. BBC star and leading mathematician Hannah Fry once described him as "terribly bad at drawing" before kindly adding “he’s also fantastically clever and charming.”

Join us at Brain Tools School

Hey team!

You know how sometimes it takes about 1000 steps before you actually start on the intended task? That's work to do work! On this week's show, learn how to recognize and reduce work to do work. It will be a game changer!

Pep talk at 15:52

All my love,

Sarah

Read my Psychology Today articles!

Join us in Brain Tools School

Team,

You know that excited feeling you get when you get new tools or make a new plan that you hope will make things all easy? Yeah, I do, too. And then, sometimes that excitement goes away and we kind of lose steam for doing the plan?

Join me today to learn how to plan for and overcome the challenges that stop us from using strategies. You're sure to find something that really helps!

All my love,

Sarah

Hey Human Pep Talk at 14:06 <3

Want to join Brain Tools School? We'd love to have you!

Team,

1 in 4 college students has a disability! This episode teachers you how to maximize success as a student with a physical or learning challenge. Guest Elizabeth C Hamblet has done the leg work and knows how to empower young adults to thrive on campus!

All my love,

Sarah

Learn more about Elizabeth!

Buy her book here. Use code RLEGEN20 for 20% off!

Learn more about Brain Tools School's Life After High School coaching community!

Hi, Team!

Join us to explore the process of planning and paying for college--there are some surprises and lots of hope in this episode! As with any process, getting ready to manage college tuition involves a lot of executive function, and my guest, college funding specialist Brad Baldridge and I share concrete ways to lower stress--and possibly even lower the cost!

All my love,

Sarah

Join us at Brain Tools School!

Visit Brad's website, Taming the High Cost of College, and find him on Facebook

More about Brad:

Brad Baldridge is a College Funding Specialist who has helped thousands of families plan and save for college with smart and proven strategies to save time, money and stress.

As a financial expert, blogger and host of the Taming the High Cost of College podcast, Brad has been sharing his college planning insights with clients, subscribers and listeners for nearly 20 years.

He teaches parents the best ways to save and pay for college, including how to find the right school, maximize financial aid and scholarships, avoid student loan debt, and make your children’s college dreams come true without wiping out your finances or retirement.

Since 1998, Brad has become one of the nation’s leading college planning and college financial experts. He offers life-changing advice through his private practice, his online platforms, and at numerous workshops, seminars and events each year.

Hi team!

Executive function is tricky enough, and some of us accidentally make it harder by doing (or not doing) things that challenge our brains in unnecessary ways. This week, let's uncover some easy wins so you're not accidentally making life more challenging!

Brain Tools School: Life After High School program opens summer 2024! Here's the link to secure your invitation!

There are many things that make EF extra tricky. Things to consider this week:

Hydration. One study showed that dehydrated participants made 12% more mistakes on a test of cognitive flexibility (which is an EF) and re-hydrating brought EF skills back to their baseline levels.

Location. Try to find a match of energy levels, the right amount and type of noise, activity and visual stimuli, closeness or distance from others, and the specialness of a space. 

Attend to your bodies: think about movement, fuel, breaks, comfort...and remember that sitting and staring is an indication that you're stuck.

Social Conflict or needs: Emotional pain=physical pain as far as our brains are concerned. Make peace with the person OR about the conflict (write a letter, schedule time to think about it again, ask for help)

Keeping distractions around: consider removing the things that steal your brain, when you really need to focus.

Not asking for help: remember to know your personal signs of “stuck,” keep a list of where/who can help you, and plan for help for the harder things.

You got this! Let me know how these help!

All my love,

Sarah 

Brain Tools School: Life After High School program opens in just a few weeks! Here's the ⁠link ⁠to secure your invitation!

Join my friends Kim and Amy, of Talk Yoga, in learning and laughing together. We'll explore how tools for self-regulation, play, and language can boost anyone's executive function and performance.

For more on Talk Yoga: https://www.talkyogaslp.com/

And on Instagram

Brain Tools School: Life After High School program opens in just a few weeks! Here's the ⁠link ⁠to secure your invitation!

Time management might be one of the most requested executive function areas I support, and yet it still is misunderstood! Join me today to hear strategies for adults and kids who are working on better using--and planning--their time. No 5 am club required! We're celebrating brain-friendly ways to feel more efficient with your efforts!

New: Hey Human pep talk (for all ages) is at 16:30.

Updates: I'm scheduling my school and workplace trainings for the year, and I would love to support you! Reach out to [email protected] or go to Sarahkesty.com to learn more!

Brain Tools School: Life After High School program opens summer 2024! Here's the ⁠link ⁠to secure your invitation!

How many of us have told ourselves (or heard from others), "You need to get organized?" Yet the HOW piece is still confusing! What "organized" means to different people varies widely, and there's the big challenge of maintaining any system you create! (Because, hello? It's FUN to get going with all of the new tools and gadgets, but continuing after the newness fades? Ehh...) Our guest, Debra Levy, offers easy and brain-friendly ways to get and stay organized, including how to think about managing time as part of your system. This episode is great for grownups and kids alike!

The Rocks, Pebbles, Sand Video

About Debra: Debra Levy, is a Certified Life, ADHD, and Productivity Coach, and is the owner of A Life

That Fits, LLC. She is dedicated to helping her clients make time and space for what matters most in

their lives. Debra begins by working with her clients to clarify what is important to them, what will

make them feel happy and fulfilled, and determining what guidance and support is

required to create the life they want. She focuses on areas that are a struggle for many

of her clients (whether ADHD or neuro-typical) including time management, hyper-

focusing, distractions, the setting of goals and priorities, and establishing healthy

boundaries.

Together, she and her clients work on gaining insight into what is holding them back.

She helps them to become more aware of their own natural abilities, modalities, and

tendencies, make room for their big-picture goals, and implement step-by-step

solutions to help them get from where they are, to where they want to be.

Debra is here to partner with her clients on a thought-provoking and productive journey

to envision “A Life That Fits” their values and dreams and provide the motivation and

accountability to maximize their potential.

www.alifethatfits.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/debraslevy/ 

https://twitter.com/alifethatfits 

https://www.instagram.com/alifethatfitscoaching/ 

https://www.facebook.com/alifethatfitscoaching/