What is Body Doubling?

Body doubling is a focus-boosting tactic where you work on a task while another person is present—either in the same space or virtually. You don't necessarily collaborate or interact; what matters is their presence. It's especially well known in ADHD support communities, but many people find it helpful for increasing productivity, reducing distraction, and overcoming "start-up inertia."

How Does Body Doubling Work?

• The presence of another person can help you stay on task. It introduces a gentle form of accountability and reduces the chance you'll veer off into distractions.
• Social facilitation plays a big part: when other people are doing work around you, it cues your brain to mirror that behaviour, helping you enter into a focused state.
• It helps tame attention drift. Instead of facing silence and distraction alone, having someone else there gives a structure to your session—whatever you two are doing.
• For many people with ADHD, body doubling helps with motivation and getting started. When tasks feel overwhelming or boring, simply having someone else nearby can make it easier to begin.

Who Can Be a Body Double?

Anyone who is willing to quietly "be there" while you work can be a body double. Options include:

• A friend, family member or colleague working in the same room
• Someone in a coworking space or café
• A virtual partner on video or a call
• A peer from a focus-group or a doubling session organised specifically for this purpose

What matters is that they are working (or at least present) and not overly distracting.

Virtual vs Physical Body Doubling

Both physical and virtual body doubling can work, with pros and cons:

Physical presence

Pros: Stronger sense of shared space, fewer technical interruptions, more natural cues and fewer excuses.

Cons: Harder to coordinate, depends on environment and commute.

Virtual presence

Pros: Flexible, easier to find someone to double with remotely, can be done from home.

Cons: Possible technical issues, distractions via phone/computer, and sometimes less anchoring effect.

How to Set Up a Body Doubling Session

Here are ways to make the most of it:

• Agree on a time block (for example, 25, 50 or 60 minutes)
• Define what tasks you both will work on (or at least what you want to get done)
• Keep interruptions to a minimum—agree to work silently and check in only at breaks
• If virtual: use video or audio so presence is clear
• Choose someone whose presence helps you stay focused, not someone who tends to distract you

Activities Suited to Body Doubling

Body doubling works well for many kinds of tasks:

• Work or study (writing, coding, reading, reporting)
• Chores or household tasks (cleaning, sorting, paying bills)
• Exercise (working out alongside someone)
• Creative work—brainstorming, planning, sketching

What the Research and Reports Say

• For people with ADHD, body doubling is often described as helpful in overcoming procrastination and difficulty starting difficult or boring tasks.
• Studies and expert commentary suggest it helps with executive functioning: attention, task initiation, and maintaining focus.
• It's not a magic fix—effectiveness varies depending on the person, their environment, the task, and the body double. What works for one person may not for another.
• Virtual body doubling is increasingly used, and anecdotal reports show people feel more accountable, less isolated, and more likely to complete tasks when using this method.

Tips to Make Body Doubling Effective

Here are practical tips to get the most out of body doubling:

1. Start with short sessions and grow: e.g. 25-minute blocks, then scale if it works.
2. Pick tasks that need action—not ones that already feel easy, because the payoff is bigger when the task is something you'd otherwise avoid.
3. Choose your double carefully: someone who is reasonably disciplined helps more than someone very distractible.
4. Set up the environment: minimal distractions, good lighting, comfortable seating.
5. Use virtual options when needed: video or audio presence, or structured doubling groups online.
6. After sessions, review what helped and what broke your focus; tweak accordingly.

Who Might Body Doubling Be Less Useful For?

• If you're very sensitive to others' presence or get distracted by someone else's work style.
• In noisy environments where external distractions outweigh the accountability benefit.
• If you require deep, uninterrupted time and find any presence—even quiet—distracting.
• If you try it but don't follow through with agreed structure (no goals, no tasks, no boundaries), it can fail.

Why It's Worth Trying

Because body doubling is low cost, easy to try, and adaptable, exploring it can reveal surprising productivity gains. Even occasional use can help on days when motivation is hard. Over time, you'll find what form of body doubling works best—who works alongside you best, what environment helps most, and what timing suits your rhythms.

Plan a session this week—just 30 minutes—with someone else, or virtually. Notice whether you finish more tasks, feel more focused, or procrastinate less. That first session might show you a simple change can make a big difference.