It’s Not Laziness, It’s Executive Functioning (part 2)
As I said in the last blog post, I often hear from parents that they feel that their teen is lazy.
Some common reasons why include:
They forget assignments.
They start homework late.
They rush through work.
They say they’ll do something and then… don’t.
From the outside, it can look like a motivation problem.
But very often, it’s not laziness at all.
It’s executive functioning.
And understanding the difference can completely change how parents support their teens.
Smart Kids Can Struggle with Executive Functioning
One of the reasons executive functioning challenges are so confusing is that they often affect bright, capable students.
These students may:
understand the content easily
participate in discussions
score well on tests
demonstrate strong reasoning skills
But they still struggle with:
turning in assignments
organizing materials
planning long-term projects
managing time independently
That’s because executive functioning isn’t about intelligence.
It’s about managing the work.
A student can fully understand the material and still struggle to manage the systems required to succeed.
The Role of the Teenage Brain
Another important piece of the puzzle is brain development.
The part of the brain responsible for executive functioning is still developing throughout adolescence and into the mid-twenties.
That means teens are still learning how to:
plan ahead
manage competing priorities
regulate emotions
pause before reacting
make thoughtful decisions
In other words, many of the skills we expect teens to use consistently have not yet developed.
This doesn’t mean expectations should disappear.
But it does mean teens benefit from support, modeling, and practice, not just pressure.
When Biology Gets in the Way
Executive functioning is also heavily influenced by basic biological factors.
When teens are:
sleep-deprived
stressed
under-fueled
dehydrated
glued to screens late at night
their executive functioning skills naturally take a hit.
This is one reason a student may appear capable one day and completely overwhelmed the next. Sleep deprived from the phone dinging all night? Waking up late and skipping breakfast, only to grab an energy drink and some Takis on the way to school?
These behaviors impact every brain in a negative way. However, developing teen brains are that much more delicate when it comes to keeping things in balance.
The Good News: Executive Functioning Skills Can Improve
Executive functioning isn’t fixed.
These skills can absolutely improve over time.
The key is shifting the focus from punishment to skill-building.
There are lots of strategies that benefit teens. The biggest one is having an adult around who consistently models these systems and provides guidance along the way.
breaking large tasks into smaller steps
using calendars and planning tools
creating simple organization systems
estimating time realistically
practicing ways to start tasks when motivation is low
Intelligence is not a predictor of executive functioning ability and kids of all backgrounds can benefit from activities and strategies that help teens to strengthen them.
Colleen Yanez is an executive functioning coaching and works with teens of all backgrounds. If you have questions about your teen and what might help, give her a call or send an email! 720-334-8125, colleen@thekeycoach.org
