I’ve been encountering this term with increasing frequency: “executive function”, or “EF” for short. It refers to the ability to inhibit distracting thoughts and stay focused; it’s essentially a measure of your non-ADD-ness. Newsweek has an article titled Is EF the New IQ? that suggests that EF is a better predictor of academic success than IQ and that it can be strengthened through “exercise” such as dramatic play and cognitive games.