The Importance of Executive Function

Matthew Eriksen became a professional educator in 2002, when he joined the faculty of Liberty School District 70 in IL as a middle school English teacher. He transferred to North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park in 2007 and assumed the post of associate principal at Edgewood Middle School. Promoted to principal in 2009, he also led the district’s Indian Trail Elementary School. IL resident Matthew Eriksen currently serves as CEO and president of 4XF, a company dedicated to manufacturing products and offering services to improve students’ mastery of their executive functions.

Executive functions are those cognitive skills that we all call upon to accomplish the countless tasks that make up our days. They’re learned early, and mastering them can have a tremendous impact on success in school and life. Executive function includes three main components:
- Working memory, which is the ability to store information and recall it when necessary.
- Cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to approach a problem or concept in different ways.
- Inhibitory control, including the ability to stay on task and avoid distractions.

Executive function skills include the ability to pay attention, start and stick with a task, organize materials, plan and prioritize, and monitor oneself. Emotional self-control is another important executive function skill, as is reflection, the ability to consider a situation and review available options in context before responding to it. As children grow and practice these skills, their ability to solve problems quickly improves.

Educators and parents work to instill good executive function skills in their students, sometimes by providing professionally designed organizers and school bags. More information on executive function and supporting products is available at the 4XF website at 4xfbags.com.

Changing the Trajectory of Your Golf Ball

Adults Playing Golf
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Matthew Eriksen has been involved in the academic sector in IL for more than 15 years. The president and CEO of 4XF, Inc., Matthew Eriksen enjoys playing golf in IL.

An essential part of playing a successful game of golf is controlling the ball’s trajectory. With each shot you make, the trajectory of the ball is controlled by several things, including the angle of the hit, the club face, and the strike location.

One of the easiest ways to change the ball’s trajectory is to alter the position of the ball. When you place the ball more forward in your stance, you will swing the club higher, hitting the ball higher. 

The opposite is true when you place the ball closer in your stance. Although moving the ball around your stance is a simple change, doing so may negatively impact the quality of your shot.

Another way of changing the ball’s trajectory is to adopt a wider stance than normal. This provides a stable base so you can add loft to your clubface. 

Finally, consider your club grip and follow-through. For a lower shot, hold the grip higher than usual. Additionally, do not continue your follow-through past your ribcage. Higher shots, conversely, require following through fully and finishing high.

Six Sigma Black Belt Certification

President and CEO of 4XF in Northbrook, IL, Matthew Eriksen holds a master of arts in educational leadership from Northeastern Illinois University and a doctorate in education from National Louis University in Chicago, IL. In addition to Matthew Eriksen’s academic diplomas, he holds official certification as a Lean Six Sigma black belt.

Issued by professional associations and institutions of higher learning, the Lean Six Sigma black belt designation is geared toward project improvement leaders with a strong grasp of the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) process and a proficiency in maximizing quality while minimizing waste. Black belt recipients must demonstrate a thorough understanding of all Lean Six Sigma tools and methodologies. In order to reach this level of understanding, individuals must typically complete a significant period of learning and study in preparation for the comprehensive proctored Lean Six Sigma black belt written exam. Six Sigma black belts are in high demand among organizations that want to improve business productivity.

The Three Main Areas of Executive Functioning

Educator Matthew Eriksen possesses more than 15 years of experience in the field. He leverages this experience to lead Northbrook, IL, company 4XF, Inc., as president, CEO, and consultant. With Matthew Eriksen’s guidance, the IL-based company manufacturers and designs products that promote executive function skills in the academic realm.

Executive function skills depend on three brain functions: working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. These three areas are briefly discussed below:

- Working memory. Responsible for retaining and manipulating information in the short term, the working memory retains information that is usually very distinct and may be used later. For instance, students use their working memory when they study for a test. The information will be retained and used to answer questions later.

- Cognitive flexibility. Also known as flexible thinking, this area of executive functioning allows people to think about the same thing in multiple ways. Cognitive flexibility is essential for helping people shift their responses to suit different demands.

- Inhibitory control. The ability to control impulses is what helps people resist temptation, ignore distractions, and set priorities. Inhibitory control also pertains to emotional responses and prevents people from acting impulsively.