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“Psychologists Peg Dawson and Richard Guare…apply their well-honed approach to assist adults with executive skill challenges….The book offers simple and effective strategies for maintaining focus, dealing with clutter, and getting through busy days of family life.”

—ADDitude


“Dawson and Guare, masters of executive skills, have provided a user-friendly, practical, and immensely valuable guide. This book is an instant classic.”

—Edward M. Hallowell, MD, coauthor of Driven to Distraction


“This isn’t just a good book, it's a great book! Chock full of highly useful recommendations and guided by science and practice, this book is rich with methods to help any adult overcome problems with time management, organization, self-control, and related skills.”

—Russell A. Barkley, PhD, ABPP, ABCN, author of Taking Charge of Adult ADHD


“This book addresses the exact issues I struggle with when I'm feeling scattered and not accomplishing my goals. It helped me evaluate my areas of weakness and gave me clear, simple suggestions to help me get past some of the frustrating challenges I've experienced my whole life. The authors' personal, accessible, supportive writing style kept me engaged and focused.”

—Sue V., Rochester, New York


“As someone who consistently struggles with time management and organization, I was so glad to come across this book. Between the step-by-step breakdown of issues and the real-life stories, I found it both helpful and entertaining. The interactive worksheets were really enlightening.”

—Cheryl T., Parsippany, New Jersey


“Wow, am I glad to have this in my toolbox! The authors deftly unfold a plan to lead with your strengths, manage your weaknesses, and improve the areas that matter most. It will help me work with clients to break down their major career moves into smaller, attainable goals. The Action Plan alone is a life changer.”

—DeAnne Pearson, MEd, ACC, owner and career coach, Deliberate Careers, LLC


“Drs. Dawson and Guare provide adults of all ages with practical, well-grounded advice for staying on top of today's busy lives. Each chapter combines just-right background material with ready-to-use tips and tools to put into practice immediately.”

—Joel T. Nigg, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University


“This is a terrific self-help book—one of the best I’ve seen—for helping individuals develop their executive skills. Chapters offer sound solutions and strategies, with lots of everyday examples. The authors have an impressive grasp of current brain science, and have translated it into language that is meaningful and easy to understand.”

—Mary V. Solanto, PhD, Department of Pediatrics and Department of Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

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Table of Contents

I. Understanding the Executive in Your Brain

1. Are You Smart, Scattered, and Stressed?

2. Your Executive Skills Profile

3. Managing Executive Skills by Modifying the Environment

4. Improving Your Executive Skills

II. Understanding the Impact of Executive Skills in Your Daily Life

5. Executive Skills in the Workplace

6. Executive Skills in the Home

7. Executive Skills in Relationships

III. Strategies for Individual Executive Skills

8. Controlling Impulses: Response Inhibition

9. Keeping Track of It All: Working Memory

10. Being Cool: Emotional Control

11. Avoiding Procrastination: Task Initiation

12. Staying Focused: Sustained Attention

13. Defining a Path: Planning/Prioritizing

14. Clearing Clutter: Organization

15. Sticking to the Schedule: Time Management

16. Shifting Gears: Flexibility

17. Learning from Experience: Metacognition

18. Reaching the Finish Line: Goal-Directed Persistence

19. Rolling with the Punches: Stress Tolerance

IV. Looking Ahead

20. Aging without Losing Your Edge: A Prescription for Preserving Executive Skills

Resources

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About the Authors

Peg Dawson, EdD, is a psychologist who provides professional development training on executive skills for schools and organizations nationally and internationally. She was previously on the staff of the Center for Learning and Attention Disorders at Seacoast Mental Health Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Dr. Dawson is a past president of the New Hampshire Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), and the International School Psychology Association, and a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from NASP. She is coauthor of bestselling books for general readers, including Smart but Scattered, Smart but Scattered Teens, Smart but Scattered—and Stalled (with a focus on emerging adults), and The Smart but Scattered Guide to Success (with a focus on adults). Dr. Dawson is also coauthor of The Work-Smart Academic Planner, Revised Edition, and books for professionals including Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents, Third Edition.

• Author's website
• All titles by Peg Dawson
• Sign up for emails on upcoming titles by Peg Dawson (with special discounts)!

Richard Guare, PhD, BCBA-D, is a neuropsychologist and board-certified behavior analyst who frequently consults to schools and agencies on attention and executive skills difficulties. He is former Director of the Center for Learning and Attention Disorders at Seacoast Mental Health Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Dr. Guare is coauthor of bestselling books for general readers, including Smart but Scattered, Smart but Scattered Teens, Smart but Scattered—and Stalled (with a focus on emerging adults), and The Smart but Scattered Guide to Success (with a focus on adults). He is also coauthor of The Work-Smart Academic Planner, Revised Edition, and books for professionals including Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents, Third Edition.

• Author's website
• All titles by Richard Guare
• Sign up for emails on upcoming titles by Richard Guare (with special discounts)!

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Audience

Anyone who has difficulties with time management, attention, organization, and other executive skills—or who just wants to be more efficient at juggling the multiple demands of 21st-century life. Also of interest to mental health professionals and coaches.