The executive function you need to be "organized"

Why simplifying may be the key to everything.

There’s an unspoken assumption behind most organizing advice, and I want to bring it to the forefront today.

Here it is: Most organizing advice assumes (and even requires) you have a high level of executive functioning.

If this is a new term for you, executive function is the set of mental processes that help people plan, focus, and exert self-control. I’ve heard it described as the “little boss” inside our heads that tells us what to do in a given moment, prioritizes, and helps us organize our thoughts. Or an air traffic controller that filters out the signal from the noise.¹ I’m not an expert on this, just very interested in it since lots of people in my life—and I’ve discovered, readers of this newsletter—struggle with executive function.

Here’s an example of organizing advice that relies on executive function:

Create an inbox for your household where bills, forms for the kids’ school, and other action items live. Be sure to sort your mail and empty the kids’ backpacks each day and put the relevant items into the inbox. Then once a week sit down and process everything.

It’s sound advice and makes intuitive sense. But without strong executive function, it will be really hard to remember to put all the relevant papers in the correct spot each day, and following through with processing once a week will be challenging.

Relying on your brain for reminders about what to do and when taxes executive function. I don’t explicitly struggle with executive function, but I do know I am more effective if I can offload administrative cognitive processes to leave my mind clear for deeper thinking. That’s why I love systems so much. I detail a bunch of strategies I use in my Declutter Your Brain Series to reduce reliance on executive function:

• Rely less on your working memory

• Create systems to organize your home without having to think

• Detox from social media and the news

• Turn your smart phone into a dumb(er) phone

The struggle to keep it all in your head is real! Photo by David Matos on Unsplash

But what if the little tips aren’t enough to keep your home and life organized?

This article and discussion is focused on those whose executive function struggles with maintaining their homes, despite trying every trick in the book. But really, this is advice can apply to everyone since reducing demands on executive function is helpful for all of us. The crux of my recommendation is this:

less stuff = less to think about = more brain resources available

What if you focus whatever mental resources are available on decluttering and simplifying, full stop? When you have fewer things to deal with, the mental load of daily life goes down, by a lot. You could even make simplifying the ONLY system you implement, and that might be all you need to do.

Let’s look at the home environment.