So, your student struggles with organization

Disorganization is one of the most common challenges we see in students

We know firsthand that organization can be learned, taught, and applied. Learn how Executive Function support can help your student build stronger organizational skills that can help them succeed in the classroom and far beyond.

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Disorganization is the disturbance of an orderly system causing a state of messiness or an inability to plan. It is a chronic difficulty incorporating order into our lives.

Organizational skills are one of the Executive Functions that are key to academic success. Our coaches are equipped with a deep knowledge of well-researched organizational tools & strategies at their fingertips.

What is disorganization?

Organization strategies

Learn tried and true organization strategies that will help your student take control of their week.

Organize papers

Have you heard of OHIO (Only Handle it Once)? When the mail comes in or when the papers from school arrive, make sure that they have a home and that you are not looking at them multiple times before you organize them. With so much information available electronically it may be more efficient to scan documents that are frequently used (such as health forms) into your smartphone or computer so that they are readily available.

Drop Zone

A “drop zone” is the place where particular items always go. Try an assigned coat hook and a bin for each family member and label them. This helps you know where to put their things when you get home and know where to find them the next day. When company comes, the baskets can be stored out of sight.

Categorize and Purge

Go through the different areas of your home (or backpack) and toss anything that is not useful or has expired. This may seem obvious, but it can be hard to throw out papers that may potentially be important. In those tricky cases, determine whether or not that particular item could be easily retrieved online, and consider whether or not a physical copy is even practical (instruction manuals or shopping receipts are good examples of this). Taking a picture of a sentimental item or donating it to someone else can also be helpful.

As you go through the items, group them by placing similar items together. As the categories begin to emerge, think about simple storage solutions. Before you make a new purchase, consider if something you already have would work.

How coaching helps with organization:

Focus

Coaches teach clients strategies that help them minimize or eliminate distractions and reduce multitasking while they work. We encourage frequent breaks, chunking assignments or tasks into manageable pieces, and finding the right combination of environmental factors to encourage optimal focus.

Prioritization

Prioritization is the process of deciding the relative importance or urgency needed when faced with multiple tasks. We teach prioritization by helping you set realistic goals and prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency.

Distractibility

Our coaches teach clients strategies to minimize distractions, such as creating a designated workspace and using noise-canceling headphones. Coaches also encourage clients to take regular breaks and engage in physical activity to maintain focus.

Productivity

Our coaches help promote productivity by helping clients develop strategies to maintain motivation, such as visualizing the result or creating a reward system, encouraging clients to track progress and celebrate small wins along the way, and teaching clients to develop resilience and learn from setbacks or challenges.

Organization

Coaches work to better understand their clients' organizational habits and get to the root of their barriers to implementing systems to get organized. They then utilize this understanding to create a game plan that may involve small organizational commitments week to week.

What to expect from Executive Function coaching:

In 1:1 sessions online, coaches help students identify, employ, and evaluate tools and strategies that address their specific needs. Our coaches customize their approach to each individual depending upon their attitude toward changing work habits. We use a research-based model to attain clients’ buy-in to improve their self-management skills and lead to lasting change.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Executive Function coaching cost?

Our Executive Function coaching programs for students start at $165 per week. We know that when it comes to effective 1:1 support, one size doesn’t fit all. For this reason, we have three unique coaching programs that offer their own set of session times, features, and core goals. You can visit our pricing page to learn more about each offering.

Does Beyond BookSmart coach adults as well as students?

Since 2006, we have coached hundreds of adults in addition to the thousands of students we have worked with. In 2020, we created a new division, WorkSmart Coaching, especially for adults who are seeking Executive Function support. Visit WorkSmart Coaching and learn more about how we help adults become more effective.

How long does the coaching process typically take?

The coaching process is transformative and takes time. Students in coaching are learning entirely different ways of viewing themselves and discovering their own motivation, often for the first time. Beyond skill-building, we’re helping individuals to take responsibility for their life’s direction. For work at this level, coaching can take many months, depending on one’s readiness for change and the scope of their needs. Progress is dependent on several variables such as how motivated the individual is, how self-aware they are, how narrow or broad the goals are, and how long the challenges have been present. A highly motivated but disorganized person may need just a short time to learn, practice, and internalize a new plan for managing their daily life. By contrast, a person who is easily frustrated struggles with attention, and doesn’t know how to get work done on time might need more time to learn the specific skills they will need and to apply them independently. Our goal is to help clients achieve confidence, competence, and independence as quickly as possible. Our reputation is built on that premise.

Why coach online?

Online coaching provides greater flexibility for scheduling and more options in finding the right coach for your student from our 350+ coaches on staff. Clients can also work with their coach in the safety and convenience of their own home or office. Lastly (and most importantly), we coach online because we've found through our research that it works in improving Executive Function skills.

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