Building Routines at the Start of the School Year to Support Executive Function Skills
The start of a new school year brings excitement, fresh opportunities, and a chance to build habits that help students thrive. One of the most effective ways to set students up for success—whether in 4th grade, high school, or college—is by developing consistent routines that strengthen executive function skills.
It’s Not Too Late to Start New Routines
Four weeks into the school year, many families and students feel like the school year has already locked into place. But here’s the good news: it’s never too late to start new routines. In fact, the first four to six weeks of school often reveal where students are struggling—missed homework, late bedtimes, or mornings that feel rushed. Sometimes these struggles are the very signals that make us aware of what needs to change. Think of it as taking one step backward in order to build momentum for two steps forward. Establishing (or re-establishing) routines isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a sign of growth. Students who recognize challenges and adjust their systems are actually strengthening the executive function skills of self-reflection, problem-solving, and flexibility—skills that will serve them long after this school year.
What Are Executive Function Skills?
Executive function skills are the brain’s “air traffic control system.” They allow students to plan, organize, start tasks, stay focused, and manage time effectively. According to Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child, executive function includes three core skills: working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control (Harvard University, 2016). These abilities are critical for academic success, independence, and resilience. Building on these three foundations are broader skills we use every day: planning and organizing to keep life on track, starting tasks even when motivation is low, managing emotions so they don’t derail your goals, staying focused despite distractions, and monitoring your own progress to know when it’s time to adjust. They also support time management, which helps you estimate how long something will take and stick to a schedule, and goal-setting, which allows you to picture where you want to end up and map out the steps to get there. Together, these skills shape how we handle challenges, make decisions, and ultimately move toward our goals in both big and small ways.
Students who strengthen executive function skills can:
- Manage schoolwork more independently.
- Balance extracurriculars, responsibilities, and downtime.
- Build confidence in their ability to learn and adapt.
Why Routines Matter
Routines provide predictability. They take away some of the stress of decision-making, which frees up mental energy for learning. In fact, a study in Frontiers in Psychology found that daily routines help children regulate emotions and increase persistence with tasks (Marin et al., 2018). For middle schoolers and high schoolers juggling heavier workloads, routines act like scaffolding—they create structure until skills become habits.
In addition, routines support academic performance by scaffolding executive function skills such as planning, organization, and task persistence. Research shows that consistent daily practices help students focus, complete assignments, and persevere through challenges, ultimately boosting learning outcomes (Evans & Schamberg, 2009; Center on the Developing Child, 2016).
Beyond academics, routines influence physical and mental health. Routines also offer reassurance. Knowing what comes next reduces anxiety and helps students stay calm when school demands pile up. Regular bedtimes and morning schedules improve sleep quality, which is directly linked to attention, memory, and overall cognitive functioning (Lo et al., 2016). Finally, following routines fosters self-efficacy and independence, helping students gain confidence in managing responsibilities and making decisions on their own (Meltzer & Mindell, 2006).
Taken together, these research-backed benefits demonstrate that routines are not merely about organization—they are a foundational tool for building emotional resilience, academic success, and lifelong executive function skills.
Morning Routines: Starting the Day with Confidence
Mornings set the tone for the entire school day. A consistent, well-planned routine helps students transition from sleep to learning mode, reducing stress and supporting executive function skills such as task initiation, working memory, and self-regulation (Blair & Raver, 2015). Key personal care tasks—getting dressed, brushing teeth, and fixing hair—may seem simple, but when done in a predictable order, they promote independence and reduce the mental load of decision-making.
For example, a middle school student might start the day by waking up at 7:00 a.m., heading to a designated “launch pad” where their backpack, lunch, and clothes are organized, getting dressed, brushing teeth, fixing hair, eating breakfast, and then reviewing their checklist before leaving for school by 7:45 a.m. Preparing as much as possible the night before—packing the backpack, laying out clothes, and checking the calendar—makes mornings smoother and frees cognitive energy for focus and problem-solving.
Strategies for a Successful Morning Routine:
- The Launch Pad: Create a designated space near the door for backpacks, lunchboxes, shoes, and other essentials to streamline the morning.
- Night-Before Prep: Lay out clothes, pack lunch, and organize school materials the evening prior to reduce morning stress and prevent forgotten items.
- Step-by-Step Checklist: Include personal care tasks such as dressing, brushing teeth, and fixing hair on a visual or digital checklist to support working memory and task initiation.
- Consistent Wake-Up Time: Keeping a regular wake-up schedule helps regulate circadian rhythms and improves alertness (Lo et al., 2016).
- Time Blocking: Allocate specific times for each morning activity to avoid rushing and build predictability, enhancing self-regulation and focus (Marin et al., 2018).
By establishing a structured, predictable morning routine, students start the day with confidence, calm, and focus—key ingredients for academic success and strengthened executive function skills.
After-School Routines: Balancing Work, Movement, and Focus
After a full day of classes, students often arrive home tired and mentally cluttered. A predictable after-school routine helps them transition from school mode to home mode, recharge, and tackle homework effectively. Structuring this time supports executive function skills like sustained attention, planning, and prioritization (Blair & Raver, 2015).
For example, a high school student might come home at 3:30 p.m., spend 15–20 minutes having a snack and stretching or taking a short walk, review their homework checklist, complete the most urgent assignment first, take a 5-minute movement break, then continue with the next task until all assignments are completed. Incorporating movement—whether a brief walk, stretching, or a few jumping jacks—is supported by research showing that physical activity improves attention, working memory, and mood (Donnelly et al., 2016).
Strategies for a Successful After-School Routine:
- Transition Time: Build in a 15–20 minute break after school for a snack, light exercise, or mindfulness to reset focus.
- Homework Checklist or Planner: Record assignments and deadlines immediately to support working memory and organization.
- Prioritize Tasks: Identify which assignments are urgent or require more focus first, then tackle smaller or easier tasks.
- Pomodoro Technique: Work in focused intervals (e.g., 25 minutes on, 5 minutes off) to maintain attention and prevent burnout.
- Designated Study Space: Use a quiet, organized area free from distractions—the “study zone”—to reinforce focus and separate work from leisure.
This structure helps students approach homework with focus and efficiency, while also providing built-in opportunities for movement and mental breaks, key for maintaining attention and executive function throughout the evening.
Evening Routines: Preparing for Tomorrow
Evenings are the bridge between one school day and the next, offering a chance to reflect, reset, and prepare. Predictable routines at this time support executive function skills such as planning, working memory, and self-monitoring (Center on the Developing Child, 2016).
A typical evening routine might include finishing homework by 7:00 p.m., preparing school materials for the next day, laying out clothes, and completing personal hygiene tasks such as brushing teeth and washing up. Students can then spend 15–20 minutes on a relaxing activity—reading, journaling, or light stretching—before heading to bed at a consistent time.
Strategies for a Successful Evening Routine:
- Night-Before Prep: Pack backpacks, lay out clothes, and organize school materials to reduce morning stress and free cognitive energy.
- Homework and Review: Complete assignments and spend 5–10 minutes reviewing key concepts, which enhances long-term retention (Cepeda et al., 2006).
- Consistent Bedtime: Going to bed at the same time each night supports circadian rhythm regulation and cognitive functioning (Lo et al., 2016).
- Wind-Down Routine: Incorporate quiet, low-stimulation activities like reading or journaling to signal the brain it’s time to sleep.
- Device-Free Time: Limit screen exposure 30–60 minutes before bed to improve sleep quality and executive function (Lo et al., 2016).
By following a structured evening routine, students finish their day with organization, reflection, and relaxation, setting them up for a calmer, more productive morning.
In Conclusion
In short, routines are powerful tools that shape the brain and support learning, memory, and emotional regulation. By engaging the prefrontal cortex, routines strengthen executive function skills like planning, organizing, and task-tracking, while repeated behaviors reinforce neural pathways, making important actions more automatic and efficient (Center on the Developing Child, 2016). They also support working memory by providing predictable cues, reduce stress through lower cortisol levels, and activate reward pathways with dopamine when tasks are completed, creating a sense of accomplishment and calm (McEwen, 2012; Blair & Raver, 2015). Beyond these benefits, routines foster independence by giving students structured opportunities to manage tasks on their own and build confidence in their abilities. They also enhance problem-solving skills, as predictable frameworks allow students to approach challenges strategically and adapt when unexpected situations arise. In this way, routines do more than structure a student’s day—they help the brain manage information, maintain focus, regulate emotions, and develop the independence and problem-solving skills essential for long-term academic and personal growth.
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References
- Harvard University, Center on the Developing Child. (2016). Executive Function & Self-Regulation.
- Marin, K., et al. (2018). Daily routines and emotional regulation in children. Frontiers in Psychology.
- Donnelly, J. E., et al. (2016). Physical activity, fitness, cognitive function, and academic achievement in children: A systematic review. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(6).
- Cepeda, N. J., et al. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3).
- Lo, J. C., et al. (2016). Cognitive performance, sleepiness, and mood in partially sleep-deprived adolescents: The need for sleep study. Sleep, 39(3).
