Apps for Executive Functioning/Organization

[Wishes]

Cross-Posting to the Special Needs board and the Chat Board. Does anyone know an app that works well for students to organize. It might include calendar reminders, time reminders...other stuff?

[PeterPan]

Not to be trite, but first figure out what tech you're giving the person. Apps are very personal because some people like color, some don't. Some people like check boxes and others like to draw lines through things. So first you need to determine what tech you're using then you'll google for lists of apps. Really though, you want to unleash the person to find their own ways. My ds does things in totally different ways from what I would do them, because tech is just so intuitive to him and natural, growing up with it. I think of it very distinctly but he has his own ways just from using it so much. So there's a sense in which you need to sort of help them find their way. AI has totally changed things honestly, making a lot of approaches seem outdated. He will even do math with the AI instead of a calculator. Depending on which tech they get they're going to talk to their device.

My ds is on an iphone and has all apple devices for computer, ipad, etc. He uses the google calendar which has a great interface but does NOT play nicely with the apple ecosystem. He uses the basic alarms, etc. built into the phones. Everything you need with reminders, etc. is already in the phone. I personally prefer Calendars 5, which allows me to color code. For students, the google calendar is pretty snazzy. You want them able to talk with their phone so they can use it constantly and without hesitation. My ds has his tech on him at all times. If someone gives him a list of tasks, he's going to pull out the phone and tell it to create a list, so he knows all the steps. He would have issues where he was told something, would go to do the task, and would come back completing only 2 of 3 the three steps (or less). But I didn't tell him what app to use, kwim? We just said you need to find a way to make a list with your phone and he figured it out. I would encourage this kind of collaborative problem solving.

Sometimes tech is not so great. I tend to use a mixture of tech and paper. Writing helps me process and I really like post it notes for quick things. I keep a drawer full of post it note pads at my deck. They're about the same width as my phone, so if I'm just making a quick list I might put it there and stick it on my phone. I also use the Things app, which I passionately adore. However it's very adult and not something I've encouraged my ds into. He might like it later, who knows. The trick is to learn how to use voice commands to do things using the app you choose. It really unleashes the power of the tech. It's even handier if you have Alexa/amazon or some other ecosystem of products around your house and can talk to them. So my ds can ask Alexa anywhere around the house what his upcoming appointments are and Alexa can read his google calendar and tell him. We can also modify appointments that way on the fly. Sometimes I set ds' appointments to give reminders/alarms using Alexa as well. 

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by PeterPan

[Wishes]

Thanks, I understand what you mean. I had a parent ask for one of my high school tutoring students. I haven’t found anything that works better than daily sit-downs with someone who helps them organize things. I do think the alarms, note app, and calendar apps on phones are helpful. I will look at the things app since he older, it might work.

[73349]

TickTick is handy for recurring tasks, event reminders, etc. It's free.