Body doubling explained
Many people find it easier to focus when someone else is quietly working too. It adds gentle accountability without anyone checking your work, and it is popular in ADHD communities and with remote workers who miss the shared focus of an office.
Online sessions usually follow the same pattern: each person says what they will work on, everyone works in silence for a set time, and you check in at the end on what got done. The other person does not need to be working on the same thing, or even be someone you know.
Most of the evidence that it helps comes from people's own experience rather than controlled studies, so treat it as something to test for yourself: try a few sessions on a task you keep putting off and see whether you start sooner.
Try it today
- Book a session with a friend or a coworking service.
- Say out loud what you will work on at the start.
- Check in briefly at the end on what you finished.
Where it comes from
The technique is commonly credited to ADHD coach Linda Anderson. Several sources date the term to an article she wrote in 1996, but that article is hard to trace, so the date is reported rather than confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
- What is body doubling?
- Body doubling is working alongside another person, in the room or on a video call, so their presence helps you start and stay on task.
- Where does body doubling come from?
- The technique is commonly credited to ADHD coach Linda Anderson. Several sources date the term to an article she wrote in 1996, but that article is hard to trace, so the date is reported rather than confirmed.
- How do I start with body doubling?
- Book a session with a friend or a coworking service. Say out loud what you will work on at the start. Check in briefly at the end on what you finished.
- Which tools help with body doubling?
- Tools in our directory that help include Focusmate, Flow Club. Each has its own page with pricing, pros and cons.