The rise of executive function coaches
White-collar work is breaking people's brains. Some are turning to unorthodox coaches for a fix.
Executive Function Coaching: A New Tool for Navigating Workplace Challenges
In 2022, Sage Quiamno, then in her early 30s, was struggling in a high-pressure DEI leadership role at Amazon. Her grueling 12-hour-plus workdays, marked by cycles of overwhelm, procrastination, and frantic catch-up, were pushing her toward burnout. Desperate for change, she turned to a life coach who took an unconventional approach, focusing not on broad career goals but on sharpening her executive function—the cognitive skills that govern organization, focus, time management, and emotional regulation. This “executive function coach” helped Quiamno tackle specific pain points like task prioritization and procrastination, enabling her to regain control. Now 34 and living in Seattle, Quiamno continues biweekly one-on-one coaching sessions and monthly group meetings with women honing similar skills. “It’s a long-term investment in myself,” she says.
What Is Executive Function?
Executive function refers to cognitive abilities that act as the brain’s “air traffic control system,” according to Harvard researchers. These skills—planning, focus, memory, and self-regulation—enable you to manage complex projects, meet deadlines, or resolve conflicts. Historically linked to neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD and autism, executive function challenges are now recognized as widespread, affecting anyone overwhelmed by modern life’s demands.
The Rise of Executive Function Coaching
Once primarily associated with ADHD support, executive function coaching has gone mainstream, driven by the pressures of the digital age and workplace uncertainty. The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point, dismantling the structured “scaffolding” of office routines that helped workers manage time and tasks. J. Russell Ramsay, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of the University of Pennsylvania’s Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program, notes that lockdowns exposed vulnerabilities in people with undiagnosed ADHD or subclinical symptoms, making it harder to cope without external structure.
This shift coincided with a surge in ADHD diagnoses. A 2024 JAMA study reported an 81% increase in nonstimulant ADHD prescriptions and a 30% rise in stimulant use among 20- to 39-year-olds from 2020 to 2022. Medical claims for ADHD grew by 101% among 18- to 44-year-olds between 2019 and 2023, with significant increases in older age groups as well.
Universities have responded to similar trends. The University of Denver hired its first executive function coach in 2020 to support students struggling during lockdowns. By 2023-24, demand had skyrocketed, with coach Jesse Ruderman meeting 727 students, up from 391 the previous year. Institutions like the University of Minnesota and Oberlin College have since launched similar programs. Ruderman attributes part of this surge to social media platforms like TikTok, where discussions of neurodiversity and executive function have raised awareness and encouraged self-identification.
Why Professionals Are Turning to Coaching
The modern workplace, with its constant digital distractions and economic uncertainty, is stretching executive function to its limits. Endless notifications and social media’s “cheap dopamine hits” warp time perception, making task management harder. Meanwhile, job security has eroded: tech layoffs have persisted since 2022, generative AI threatens white-collar roles, and even highly educated graduates struggle to find work. This uncertainty exacerbates executive function challenges, particularly for those prone to self-doubt or difficulty focusing under pressure.
For employers, poor executive function is costly. Chronic stress and overwhelm fuel burnout, which costs companies $4,000 to $21,000 per employee annually, totaling $5 million for a 1,000-employee firm, according to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. A 2024 AbsenceSoft survey found 57% of HR managers reported increased leave requests, with nearly half citing mental health challenges. A May 2025 Glassdoor analysis noted a 32% rise in employee mentions of burnout since 2024, the highest since 2016.
Executive Function Coaching in the Workplace
Corporate America is taking notice. Companies like Workday, Chevron, and WarnerMedia now offer executive function coaching as a benefit, while coaching firms like BetterUp and WorkSmart incorporate it into their services. Seattle-based coach Kate Broeking, who helped build Amazon’s wellness coaching program in 2018 and later supported Microsoft and Google, reports a surge in demand for executive function-focused coaching. These programs, often modeled on vocational rehabilitation, aim to boost engagement and reduce burnout by teaching skills like task prioritization and impulse control.
A 2009 study in Learning Disabilities Research and Practice showed that 10 weeks of executive function coaching improved college students’ autonomy, goal achievement, and self-regulation, even for those with ADHD or learning challenges. Today’s coaching applies similar principles to professionals, helping them navigate distractions and uncertainty.
Limits of Coaching and the Need for Systemic Change
While coaching helps, it’s not a cure-all. A 2024 Harvard Business Review article noted that 85% of major U.S. employers offer wellness programs, yet burnout continues to rise. Programs often focus on individual fixes rather than systemic issues like unclear goals, rigid schedules, or lack of flexibility—factors research shows drive stress. J. Russell Ramsay, who is writing a book on the topic, argues that employers should offer executive function support to all staff, not just those with diagnoses, to enhance resilience across the board.
A Personal Success Story
For Sage Quiamno, coaching was transformative. When Amazon scaled back its DEI programs in 2025, she faced career uncertainty. Her coach helped her build the confidence to launch her own consulting business for women-led startups. “Working with someone who understands my strengths and blind spots keeps me accountable and fuels my growth,” she says.
Executive function coaching is emerging as a vital tool for professionals navigating a chaotic work landscape. By addressing specific cognitive challenges, it empowers workers to manage time, focus, and stress more effectively. However, individual solutions can only go so far. Employers must also address structural issues—offering flexibility, clear metrics, and support—to reduce burnout and foster sustainable productivity. In an era of distraction and uncertainty, executive function coaching offers a path to reclaim control, but lasting change requires a broader rethinking of how we work.