Learn how to better control your impulses and make better decisions with these life skills advocate articles.
Keys in one hand, halfway out the door, you are standing at the kitchen counter tearing open a package that arrived yesterday. Whether that counts as impulsive or compulsive depends less on the action and more on what it was for. Impulsive vs compulsive behavior can look identical from the outside. The difference sits on … read more
Someone cuts you off in traffic, and before you’ve had a conscious thought, you’re white-knuckling the steering wheel and shouting at your windshield. Ten seconds later, you know it was a minor thing. But your heart rate is still through the roof, and your hands won’t stop shaking. That gap between knowing something is small … read more
Have you ever wondered why the right playlist can turn a bad day into a bearable one (or even make it downright awesome)? Or perhaps how your various emotional responses seem to be intrinsically tied to the type of music you’re listening to? How positive emotions can be invoked by upbeat, bouncy tunes, while sad … read more
The order confirmation lands in your inbox before the thought “do I need this?” has finished forming. Or the reply is already sent. Or you’ve said yes to a third plan on the same Saturday, and the calendar only noticed afterward. That is impulsivity in everyday life: acting first, with the thinking part arriving a … read more
If you are searching for how to stop impulsive spending and you have ADHD (or you relate to ADHD traits), you are not alone. Impulse purchases can feel like relief in the moment, then stressful when the charge hits or the box arrives and you are not even sure why you bought it. To stop … read more
This article is designed to be utilized with the utmost professional integrity and ethical consideration. It is imperative to acknowledge that directly copying and pasting example goals into student’s IEPs from any external source, including ours, undermines the individualized nature of IEP planning and does not serve the best interests of students. This resource aims … read more
For the past several weeks, we’ve reviewed the executive functioning skill of impulse control, one that is particularly important for diverse learners across the lifespan. Many of the challenges we commonly associate with diagnoses like autism and ADHD relate to a teen or young adult’s difficulty in managing behavior in specific environments. While we might … read more
Blurting out answers in the middle of class. Interrupting a meaningful conversation. Fighting with siblings. Fidgeting and talking during quiet work. What do all of these challenging behaviors have in common? They all relate back to impulse control. While we know that the teenage brain has a tendency to explore and examine the world in … read more
“But, I have to have it!” “I don’t care what you say. I’m going to do it anyway!” “You can’t stop me.” As parents and educators of individuals with unique learning needs, we know people of all ages can struggle to control emotions and impulsive behavior. Statements like these only highlights what research tells us … read more