Why neuroinclusion is for everyone
Executive function: The brain’s “control centre”
Executive function is the set of mental skills that make up the brain’s “control centre.” These skills help us manage everyday tasks and navigate the world around us.
To understand why neuroinclusion matters for everyone, we first have to look at the specific skills managed by this control centre:
| Skill | What it actually means |
|---|---|
| Cognitive flexibility | Adapting thinking or behaviour when situations change. |
| Impulse control | Pausing before acting, especially in high-stakes situations. |
| Awareness | Understanding what’s going on inside and around you. |
| Processing speed | How quickly we take in information, decide, and respond. |
| Attention | Staying focused despite boredom or distractions. |
| Emotional regulation | Managing emotions so they don’t take over. |
| Sequencing | Completing steps in the right order. |
| Planning | Mapping out what needs doing, when, and how. |
| Working memory | Holding information temporarily to complete tasks. |
| Organisation | Structuring tasks, systems, or environments effectively. |
| Initiation | Starting tasks, even when they feel boring or overwhelming. |
| Self-monitoring | Checking in and adjusting behaviour as needed. |
Executive function and neurodivergence
There’s a strong link between executive dysfunction and neurodivergence. Many neurodivergent individuals experience challenges with some of these skills, while also bringing strengths like creative thinking and problem solving.
To work effectively, they may need flexibility or reasonable adjustments to help them manage or compensate for these challenges. This is the essence of neuroinclusion: not special treatment, but creating conditions where everyone has a fair starting point.
Factors affecting executive function
Executive function challenges are more closely associated with neurodivergent people, but they are not exclusive to them. Many everyday factors can affect how well our brain’s “control centre” functions:
Conditions affecting executive function may be temporary, or they may be permanent. Almost everyone experiences executive dysfunction at some point in their life.
Executive dysfunction is more common than you think
If any of this sounds familiar, you’ve likely experienced it yourself:
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Being so tired, you forgot basic information, like your newborn baby’s name (true story). -
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Putting something back in the wrong place, like the TV remote in the fridge. -
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Walking into a room with full purpose… and immediately forgetting why you’re there. -
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Reading the same sentence five times because none of it is going in.
Executive dysfunction isn’t rare; it’s human.
Working with our brains, not against them
Our brains are incredible, but they aren’t designed to function perfectly all the time. When things start to slip, we instinctively try to restore balance through rest, routine, or self-care.
In many ways, things like a hot bath, meditation, or a walk are our own personal “reasonable adjustments” that we employ to get ourselves back to our best.
Imagine if workplaces operated with the same awareness. Nourishing the cerebral machines they profit from, and acting with understanding and compassion when something goes wrong. Because people aren’t machines, and recovery is always easier with support.
Making accommodations for executive function challenges
Without support, executive dysfunction can lead to repeated setbacks, frustration, and eventually burnout. Neuroinclusion creates environments where:
- Challenges are supported, not penalised.
- People can recover and adapt.
- Strengths are recognised and utilised.
The Outcome
Better wellbeing. Greater psychological safety. Stronger performance.
A culture where people are valued not for how they work, but for what they bring to the table.
About the Author
Ruth Bartlett is a Neuroinclusive Communications Specialist and founder of Wordsted. She combines her background in communication and community support with her neurodivergent lived experience to help organisations and teams bridge the gap between systems, processes, and their neurodivergent consumers and employees.
