Executive Function Brain Trainer Podcast

In this episode of the Executive Function Brain Trainer Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Dr. Erica Warren explore the gap between knowing what needs to be done and actually doing it. They explain how task initiation can be blocked by hidden barriers such as unclear instructions, working memory challenges, time blindness, perfectionism, anxiety, low energy, and tasks that feel too large or difficult to begin. The hosts share practical ways to bridge this gap, including making the next step extremely easy, breaking projects into manageable chunks, externalizing information, creating starting rituals, using body doubling, and defining what is good enough. Darius introduces the Three Ts: technique, tool, or team, as a simple framework for making difficult tasks more approachable. They also discuss the value of curiosity over self-blame and explain how understanding personal learning patterns can help people find strategies that genuinely work for them. Ultimately, the episode shows that difficulty taking action is not simply a lack of motivation, but often an executive functioning challenge that can be understood and supported.
Links:
The Student Processing Inventory (SPI): https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?q=Student+processing+Inventory+and+YPPI
Your Professional Processing Inventory (YPPI): https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?q=Student+processing+Inventory+and+YPPI
Executive Functioning Coaching and Study Skills Certification Course: https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies
EF Student Coaching with Erica: https://learningtolearn.biz/
EF Adult Coaching with Erica: https://dropintoyourbestself.com/coaching
Executive Function Products and Tools: https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training
ivvi Notes: https://ivvi.app
Executive Functioning Resources: https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training
Executive Functioning Assessments: https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?type=product&q=EFCA
Resources mentioned in this episode:
David Allen’s Two-Minute Rule from Getting Things Done: https://gettingthingsdone.com/2020/05/the-two-minute-rule-2/
FranklinCovey Time Matrix: https://www.franklincovey.com/blog/manage-your-time-and-energy-effectively/
Google Docs Voice Typing: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/4492226
ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com
Claude: https://claude.ai
Grok: https://grok.com
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https://goodsensorylearning.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learningspecialistcourses.com⁠⁠
https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/executive-functioning-coaching-assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of the Executive Function Braintrainer Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Dr. Erica Warren explore how scrolling and doom scrolling can hijack working memory, attention, cognitive flexibility, and emotional regulation. They explain how rapid streams of content can overwhelm the brain, limit meaningful processing, and place algorithms in control of what users notice and consume. The hosts also consider the benefits of social media, including repeated exposure to ideas, access to useful information, and connection with supportive communities. They share practical ways to scroll more intentionally, such as saving valuable content, setting timers, shaping algorithms through deliberate choices, and pausing to process what has been learned. They also discuss how parents can help children develop healthier digital habits through clear boundaries, open conversations, and age-appropriate oversight. Ultimately, the episode encourages listeners to use their executive functioning skills to take control of their scrolling instead of letting scrolling control them.
Links:
The Student Processing Inventory (SPI) https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?q=Student+processing+Inventory+and+YPPI 
Your Professional Processing Inventory (YPPI) https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?q=Student+processing+Inventory+and+YPPI 
Executive Functioning Coaching and Study Skills Certification Course: https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies 
EF Student Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠https://learningtolearn.biz/⁠⁠⁠⁠
EF Adult Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dropintoyourbestself.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠
Executive Function Products and Tools: https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training
ivvi notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ivvi.app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Executive Functioning Resources: ⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training⁠⁠⁠
Executive Functioning Assessments:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?type=product&q=EFCA⁠⁠⁠⁠
Brought to you by:
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https://goodsensorylearning.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learningspecialistcourses.com⁠⁠
https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/executive-functioning-coaching-assessment

In this episode of the Executive Function Braintrainer Podcast, hosts Darius Namdaran and Dr. Erica Warren challenge the assumption that people fail to act because they are lazy or unmotivated. They explain how hidden barriers such as overwhelm, perfectionism, ambiguity, boredom, fear, low energy, and too many choices can make it difficult to begin or complete tasks. The hosts explore how executive functioning skills, metacognition, and an understanding of individual processing styles can help people recognize and overcome these obstacles. They also share practical strategies, including breaking tasks into smaller steps, providing clear instructions, externalizing information, and using mind maps and AI tools to make learning more accessible. Ultimately, they encourage parents, teachers, and individuals to look beyond motivation and identify the processing or executive functioning challenges that may be getting in the way.
Links:
The Student Processing Inventory (SPI) https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?q=Student+processing+Inventory+and+YPPI 
Your Professional Processing Inventory (YPPI) https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?q=Student+processing+Inventory+and+YPPI 
Executive Functioning Coaching and Study Skills Certification Course: https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies 
EF Student Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠https://learningtolearn.biz/⁠⁠⁠⁠
EF Adult Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dropintoyourbestself.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠
Executive Function Products and Tools: https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training
ivvi notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ivvi.app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Executive Functioning Resources: ⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training⁠⁠⁠
Executive Functioning Assessments:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?type=product&q=EFCA⁠⁠⁠⁠
Inner Voice:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/inner-voice-app⁠⁠
Brought to you by:
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https://goodsensorylearning.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learningspecialistcourses.com⁠⁠
⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/executive-functioning-coaching-assessment

In this episode of the Executive Function Braintrainer Podcast, host Darius Namdaran and Dr. Erica Warren explore how AI is beginning to transform executive functioning by reducing cognitive overload and helping people manage everyday tasks more effectively. They discuss the difference between AI chatbots and AI agents, and share practical examples of how these tools can support students, professionals, and anyone struggling with distraction, procrastination, or digital clutter. The episode highlights the growing potential of AI to act as a trusted digital co-worker, offering greater focus, organization, and peace of mind.
Links:
Obsidian: https://obsidian.md/ 
Claude cowork: https://claude.com/product/cowork 
Chat GPT: https://chatgpt.com/ 
Open Claw: https://openclaw.ai/ 
EF Student Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠https://learningtolearn.biz/⁠⁠⁠⁠
EF Adult Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dropintoyourbestself.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠
Executive Function Products and Tools: https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training
ivvi notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ivvi.app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Executive Functioning Coaching Course: ⁠https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies⁠
Executive Functioning Resources: ⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training⁠⁠⁠
Executive Functioning Assessments:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?type=product&q=EFCA⁠⁠⁠⁠
Inner Voice:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/inner-voice-app⁠⁠
Brought to you by:
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https://goodsensorylearning.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learningspecialistcourses.com⁠⁠
⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/executive-functioning-coaching-assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode of the Executive Function Brain Trainer Podcast, Dr. Erica Warren welcomes her business partner, executive functioning coach, and educational therapist, Nancy Platt Dawud, for a discussion geared toward parents on building executive functioning skills over the summer. They contrast the risks of too little structure with the benefits of involving kids in planning, time management, and organization, while also emphasizing the value of unstructured time, boredom, creativity, and frustration tolerance. They suggest practical, playful strategies including outdoor activities (obstacle courses, scavenger hunts, sports), family games (card and board games that support working memory, inhibition, flexibility, logic, and spatial skills), reading supports (graphic novels, audiobooks paired with text, finger tracking, apps), and real-life skill builders like cooking, travel prep and packing lists, map reading, memorizing key information, visual schedules, and small “chunked” routines like the three-thing rule, while cautioning against overscheduling and overhelping.
Links:
EF Student Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠https://learningtolearn.biz/⁠⁠⁠⁠
EF Adult Coaching with Erica:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dropintoyourbestself.com/coaching⁠⁠⁠⁠
Executive Function Products and Tools: https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training
ivvi notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ivvi.app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Executive Functioning Coaching Course: ⁠https://www.learningspecialistcourses.com/courses/teaching-EF-and-study-strategies⁠
Executive Functioning Resources: ⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/collections/executive-functioning-skills-training⁠⁠⁠
Executive Functioning Assessments:⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://goodsensorylearning.com/search?type=product&q=EFCA⁠⁠⁠⁠
Inner Voice:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/blogs/news/inner-voice-app⁠⁠
Erica and Nancy’s Private Practice: https://learningtolearn.biz/ 
Drinking from a hose short: https://www.instagram.com/reels/CsXhIgQsTUw/ 
Quitch: Look for a used one on eBay
Rat-A-Tat Cat
Blink
Deducto
Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza
Dog Crimes
Cat Crimes
Scattergories
Pictionary
Mastermind
Guess the Color (online version of Mastermind) 
Genius Square
Blockus
QBits
Logic Links
Rush Hour
Clue
Skylight
Dry Erase Calendars
Picture Schedules

Brought to you by:
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https://goodsensorylearning.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://learningspecialistcourses.com⁠⁠
⁠⁠https://goodsensorylearning.com/products/executive-functioning-coaching-assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠