The transition into adulthood can be overwhelming and stressful. Self-regulation challenges can impact motivations and the executive functioning skills needed to make the leap. Transitioning from college life to work life requires the integration of priorities, executive functions, professional skills and life skills. For many, this transition is seamless, but for others, direct support is highly beneficial.
EEC coaches take a holistic and strength-based approach to assist young adults overcome challenges related to life after high school. Working with a life coach can help young adults develop the executive function and self-regulation skills necessary to manage college or a new career, while transitioning into a meaningful, productive, and independent life. Most EEC clients are active and motivated young adults with a strong desire to make the most of their life. Some are diagnosed with ADHD or struggle with Executive Function Disorder (EFD). Others are considered Twice-Exceptional (2E) and want to learn and develop skills and strategies to manage their struggles and bring their gifts to the world.
Benefits of working with a ADHD life coach for young adults include:
- Skills to manage college: Academic skills for learning and EF skills for life
- Motivational enhancement: Are you stuck? Do you need help in understanding why it’s important to have a purpose, and then find that purpose?
- Developing life goals (SMART): Increase motivation through clear intentions of who you want to be
- Understanding the science of focus for ADHD: Improving attention through nutrition, sleep, exercise, and meditation
- Getting things done through consistent planning skills: Priorities in action through schedules and routines
- 'Adulting' ADL Skills: Effect planning skills to live a healthy life
- Integrating technology to improve productivity: reminders, time management, email
- Creating stress management strategies:start each day feeling ready and prepared
- Positive and supportive accountability: helping you be the best version of yourself
Planning: A Key Element
One of the essential executive function processes for young adults to develop is a consistent planning and time management system. A time management tool, like a planner, calendar or agenda anchors the distracted mind. For example, an ADHD life coach for young adults helps clients learn to answer future planning questions such as, "What does tomorrow look like?" or "When can I fit that into my day?" or "How much time do I have for that?". By learning to use a planner or calendar to organize the day's priorities, young adults learn to break destructive cycles of emotional decision-making. Too often, decisions are made based on what feels good in the moment rather than what's logically necessary, appropriate, or essential to achieving daily or weekly goals.
One method for teaching the planning process is using an old-school paper calendar. It takes more time to learn, but the results speak for themselves. Clients find they are getting more done, less distracted, and planning better than ever. The paper planning process engages more cognitive faculties but has it’s limitations in terms of integration. The Planner Pad is one of the best paper planners for young adults with ADHD or anyone with a lifelong challenge with planning. Most clients prefer to use an app rather than a paper planner to develop this skill. The most notable benefit is the technological integration with web-based reminders, appointments, and schedules. Regardless, the first step is to learn how to integrate, utilize and consistently interact with whatever planning tool is preferred. The consistent use of a time management tool is more important than the tool chosen. With direct skill development support from a EEC Certified Coach, clients learn how to plan for the week, track their progress for the day, and forecast potential problems in the future. Client grow in confidence and autonomy as they practice monitoring their progress, revising their plan, and achieving short and long term goals.
Time Management: Protecting a Valuable Resource
Too many young adults spend three or more hours a day trapped in procrastination and wasting time. EEC Life Coaches guide clients through the learning process of managing distractions; recognizing and fending off time suckers; and using delayed gratification techniques to balance productive time and free time. Planning and organization tools and strategies help budget time for work, pleasure, exercise, free time, social time and screen time. Many young adults with ADHD find this coaching process liberating. For the first time in their life, they feel as though their ADHD isn’t steering the ship - they are! They now have a plan - a daily roadmap - to guide attention, productivity and decision-making. They feel like they are working smarter, not harder. Use our time management skills and time management strategies to assess where you or your loved one may need our EEC Life Coach services.
Accountability: The Key in the Coach-Client relationship
Clients rely on both a strong, positive working relationship with their life coach, as well as the benefit of consistent accountability as they develop and practice using new tools, strategies, routines and processes. Over time, clients grow in self-confidence and trust in their ability to do it alone. The dynamic EEC coaching model allows for both direct and indirect coaching, feedback and accountability as clients develop momentum through the skill development process. The 4 Components of the EEC Coaching Model offers insight into the effective process we’ve developed to ensure our clients meet with success on a regular basis.
Other Life Coach for Young Adults Offerings at EEC:
Executive Function Case Management Coaching (EFCM)
Executive Function Case Management Coaching is a more in-depth exploration designed to help your struggling young adult to transition into life after high school. Executive Function Case Management (EFCM) provides a more comprehensive and increased level of coaching support for clients and/or parents looking for a higher level of support, monitoring, advocacy, collaboration and/or accountability. In addition to the direct 1:1 coaching, EFCM also provides the following elements of support:
- Coach initiated prompting and check-ins outside of the direct 1:1 sessions to allow for increased external accountability and in-the-moment motivation and support
- Coaching for parents/family members as needed to support client progress and client and family goals
- Facilitated family meetings to provide an opportunity to discuss goals and progress, and to allow for transparency among/between family members
Collaboration and communication with established members of the client's team and/or recommendations for other related services/additional professionals who could support the client (i.e. therapists, teachers/professors, tutors, advisors, advocates, neuropsychologists, special education services, disabilities services, etc.). Learn more about EEC’s Executive Function Case Management Coaching!
Academic Coaching
Academic coaching can be a powerful tool for students to supercharge their executive function. By providing support, guidance and insight into the study process, it helps them learn more effectively by teaching self-discipline and time management skills that equip them with essential strategies for success in school and beyond!
Executive Function College Coaching is another EEC offering, focusing on college readiness for students preparing to begin their post high-school journey. This coaching gives instruction specific to note taking; the homework process; organization of time and resources; and life skill enhancement. We also assist those students with ADHD to understand the superpowers of this disorder. Our executive functioning coaches teach time management, as well as many other strategies that lead to independence and self-confidence.
What Brian has to say about Life Coaching for Young Adults
"I can't recommend Effective Effort Consulting strongly enough! David has a real skill for building rapport, setting clear and attainable goals, and coming up with a customized plan to help his clients reach them. He taught me so much about the ins and outs of executive function, and I really appreciated that his method also took into account things like simple lifestyle and routine changes that have made a huge difference. I'd recommend him and his team to anyone!" - Brian, a young adult with ADHD struggling to return to college to finish a Degree.
Life Coach for Young Adults FAQs
What is a life coach?
Life coaching for young adults is a rapidly growing field, with professionals offering clients valuable wisdom and support in navigating life's transitions. Life coaches aren't therapists, nor are they replacement parents; rather, they are experienced guides who provide strength-based tools and strategies, as well as encouragement and direction in helping young adults to recognize and develop their own strengths, passions and interests. Life coaches often work with clients on setting goals; creating action plans for achieving those goals; developing a success plan towards daily benchmarks: managing stress and other obstacles to success; and finding clarity about one’s path in life. Life coaches don't dictate what direction to take or what to do — instead, they guide clients as they progress through self-discovery so that young adults can confidently make decisions on their own. Life coaching offers unique guidance for anyone seeking greater insight into themselves and the world around them.What are the benefits of working with a life coach?
Life coaches can be unbelievably beneficial to young adults as they reach key milestones in life. Life coaching offers the tools and resources to effectively assist their clients in reaching their goals and live a more balanced, successful life. The experience, knowledge and training life coaches hold enables them to effectively understand client issues and challenges. Through identifying current circumstances, tackling underlying issues, planning for future successes, and enabling long-term behavior change, life coaching gives young adults solid direction to move forward with purpose. With a life coach by their side, young adults gain a sense of reassurance, and strategies that allows them to focus on what matters most--making required changes in order to achieve their desired objectives and goals.How can a life coach help me achieve my goals?
Life coaches for young adults provide invaluable guidance in helping them achieve their goals. Life coaches can assist in developing successful strategies, and guide capable young individuals toward unlocking their full potential. An experienced life coach helps clients:
- Make it through challenges
- Discover new opportunities
- Set achievable standards
- Meet the expectation they set for themselves
- Stay motivated to achieve desired outcomes
Life coaches also create an open environment that encourages authentic conversations, empowering clients to express themselves without fear of judgment. This enables clients to grow emotionally while working to achieve their goals. Life coaches are essential resources for those trying to improve their lives, learning to manage priorities, and reach their optimal future objectives.
Start maximizing your potential today by finding the right life coach! Contact EEC to get started!
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