Blog Archive
We’ve paused the Teen Exec blog as we focus on new podcast episodes, workshops, and other activities.
Below is a curated summary of our past posts, highlighting the key ideas and strategies.
What is executive functioning, and why it matters for teens
This post introduces executive functioning as the set of mental skills that help teens manage time, stay organized, focus, and follow through. It explains that these skills are still developing during adolescence and can be strengthened over time through small, practical habits. The post also emphasizes that executive functioning matters not just for school, but for everyday life.
7 executive functioning skills many teens struggle with—plus what can help
This post highlights seven common executive functioning challenges for teens, including time management, organization, planning, task initiation, focus, working memory, and emotional regulation. For each one, it offers simple, realistic strategies that students can begin using right away. The overall message is that these struggles are common, and improvement comes through practice and small changes.
Back-to-school game plan: starting strong with executive functioning skills
This post offers a practical plan for beginning the school year with more structure and less stress. Drawing on ideas from Atomic Habits, it shows how environment, routines, and small rewards can help students follow through more consistently. The key takeaway is that strong school habits are built intentionally, one repeatable action at a time.
Leading from the start: back-to-school tips for student leaders
This post encourages student leaders to begin the school year with clarity, purpose, and intentional communication. It focuses on practical leadership habits such as defining team goals, making simple plans, inviting others to contribute, and building a strong relationship with an advisor or coach. The post reinforces the idea that leadership is less about having all the answers and more about setting the right tone from the beginning.
Your teenage brain is built for growth: here’s why that matters
This post explains how the teenage brain is still developing, especially in the areas connected to executive functioning skills like planning, focus, and emotional regulation. It uses neuroscience to show why adolescence is such an important time for building habits that can shape future behavior. The message is encouraging: teens are not just getting through these years, but actively building the foundations for how they will think and function later in life.
How PowerSchool helps me stay organized and strengthen my executive functioning skills
This post shows how a student information system like PowerSchool can be used for much more than checking grades. It explains how regularly using the platform can support planning, organization, goal-setting, and personal responsibility. The main idea is that when students use school tools intentionally, they can build stronger habits and greater independence.
How my first podcast episode challenged my executive functioning skills
This post reflects on the experience of launching the first Teen Exec podcast episode and the many executive functioning skills it required. It highlights how planning, time management, focus, emotional regulation, self-monitoring, and adaptability all played a role throughout the process. The post shows that taking on meaningful projects is one of the best ways to practice and strengthen these skills in real life.
When one grade feels like everything: trying the “Perspective Shift Puzzle”
This post introduces a cognitive flexibility exercise that helps teens respond more thoughtfully to setbacks, such as receiving a disappointing grade. By considering multiple explanations instead of locking into one negative interpretation, students can reduce stress and find more productive next steps. The post emphasizes that growth often begins when we learn to reframe difficult moments.
Teen time: why it feels endless (but isn’t)
This post explores the idea that teens often feel as though they have unlimited time, even though every choice comes with a trade-off. Using the concept of opportunity cost, it shows how decisions about activities, commitments, and priorities shape both daily life and long-term development. The main takeaway is that time should be used intentionally, because how teens spend it helps shape who they are becoming.
Circles of a successful value proposition: lessons for high school leaders
This post adapts a core marketing concept—the circles of a successful value proposition—for high school students and leaders. It explains how points of parity and points of difference can help teens think about what others expect from them and what makes them stand out. The post encourages students to build a strong personal brand by combining reliability in the basics with a clear sense of what makes them distinctive.
Carving a pumpkin like a pro with executive functioning skills
This post uses pumpkin carving as a fun, seasonal example of executive functioning in action. It walks through how planning, organization, focus, flexibility, and reflection can all help make the process smoother and more enjoyable. The larger point is that executive functioning skills can be practiced in everyday activities, not just academic ones.
Mastering priorities with the Eisenhower matrix
This post introduces the Eisenhower Matrix as a simple but powerful tool for sorting tasks by urgency and importance. It helps teens see the difference between what feels pressing and what truly matters for long-term growth. The main lesson is that spending more time on important but not urgent tasks can reduce stress and improve results over time
Your personal brand starts the day you walk in
This post explains how marketing ideas like brand associations, brand elements, and positioning can help teens think about the impressions they create. It shows that first impressions, consistency, and everyday habits all shape a student’s personal brand. The central message is that teens can be intentional about how they are perceived by aligning their actions with the reputation they want to build.
The hidden beliefs that hold teens back
This post explores several limiting beliefs that can quietly affect how teens approach school, performance, leadership, and growth. It challenges ideas such as needing to be perfect, waiting to feel confident before acting, or assuming that asking for help is a weakness. The post encourages teens to notice these beliefs, question them, and replace them with healthier ways of thinking.
How serving others strengthens your executive functioning (and your heart)
This post connects service and volunteering with the development of executive functioning and leadership skills. It explains how service experiences can strengthen planning, communication, adaptability, follow-through, and confidence, while also helping teens discover a sense of purpose. The key message is that helping others often becomes a powerful way to grow personally as well.