Have you ever noticed how your productivity skyrockets in the presence of someone else? There’s a growing trend on social media and neurodivergent-themed blogs recommending “body doubling”, a productivity technique involving using a second person (sometimes hired for pay) to be present while you work.
For many neurodivergent individuals, including those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), having another person nearby can transform the daunting into the doable. Individuals with adult ADHD often face unique challenges in terms of productivity due to the wiring of the ADHD brain, making task management more complicated. For others, it’s become an expensive codependency with little evidence to support it actually helps you get more done.
Today we’re going to take a dive into how body doubling works, when and how it can help you get more done, and some cautionary words for neurodivergent individuals who struggle with executive functioning skills.
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What is Body Doubling?
The term and technique “body double” first appeared in executive functioning and ADHD literature in the late 1990’s and has recently experienced renewed interest, particularly due to the rise in remote work during the pandemic.
Body doubling is a productivity strategy that involves having another person present, either physically or virtually, while completing tasks. This supportive presence significantly boosts one’s ability to focus and complete tasks by fostering accountability, motivation, and reducing distractions. It is especially beneficial for individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neurodivergent conditions, as it addresses common executive functioning challenges such as planning, organization, and time management.
Importantly, body doubling doesn’t require the other person to actively participate or assist with tasks—the mere presence of someone else creates a supportive environment conducive to productivity. Whether it’s working alongside a friend or colleague in person, or having a virtual partner on a video call, body doubling leverages social dynamics and subtle peer influences to make overwhelming tasks feel more manageable and even enjoyable.
The Science Behind Body Doubling
Researchers are just now beginning to look at the science of who can benefit the most from body doubling, how it works, and why it might be an effective technique. Brain changes occur during social interactions, which can activate the dopamine pathway and enhance motivation. There’s not a solid enough body of research yet to draw many conclusions, but here are some of the findings we know so far:
- Body doubling can increase in sustained attention and increase motivation to complete academic tasks for some individuals with ADHD.
- Body doubling can be used for a variety of different tasks, including remote work, homework, and physical activity.
What we don’t yet know about body doubling is who can benefit the most from doubling, what conditions or body doubling environments work the best, and if there are any long-term risks of needing a second person available to complete regular routine tasks. Engaging in social interactions can activate brain reward circuits and boost dopamine levels, which may further explain the effectiveness of body doubling.
A Note of Caution – Are Body Doubles Environmental Modifications or Prompt Dependency?
Because of these unknowns, it’s important to recognize that caution should be taken before jumping headlong into a full day of body doubling.
We don’t yet know fully if individuals with ADHD benefit from body doubling because it serves as an environmental modification (similar to using headphones to reduce distraction or listening to music) or because the body double actually serves as a prompt. External factors, such as feedback from others and a sense of reward, can influence the effectiveness of body doubling and the potential for prompt dependency.
If it serves more as a prompt to get started and to stay engaged, it’s possible that over time, you or your learner might begin to experience prompt dependency or when a learner is reliant on someone else for instructions or reliant on prompts in order to complete a task.
Despite these unknowns, it still may be worth investigating if you personally might benefit from body doubling for certain tasks or parts of your daily routines. If so, we recommend establishing body doubling as part of other temporary strategies toward independent executive functioning skills.
Understanding Executive Functioning Skills
Executive functioning skills refer to cognitive processes that help us plan, organize, and complete tasks.
These skills include:
- Proactive cognitive control
- Working memory
- Attentional control
- And several more
Individuals with ADHD often find executive functioning challenging. This can lead to struggles with:
- Starting tasks (task initiation)
- Managing time effectively
- Self-regulation (controlling thoughts, feelings, and actions)
Body doubling supports executive functioning by creating a structured, supportive environment. The presence of a body double helps individuals stay focused and organized, resulting in better productivity and task completion.
For those who struggle with daily tasks and responsibilities, this structured support can make a significant difference.
Benefits of Body Doubling
The benefits of body doubling are numerous and well-documented.
By working with a body double, individuals can experience:
- Increased motivation and improved focus.
- Enhanced productivity and task completion.
Additionally, body doubling reduces stress and anxiety by providing a calming and supportive presence.
Over time, consistently using a body double can also support:
- Greater self-awareness.
- Improved self-regulation skills.
- Enhanced emotional regulation and overall well-being.
Whether in person or virtually, having someone present can make daunting tasks feel more manageable and offers the encouragement needed to stay engaged.
7 Steps To Start Body Doubling
Whether you’re totally sold on the effectiveness of body doubling or not, there’s no harm in giving it a try for yourself. Body doubling can be particularly effective for tackling boring tasks that are challenging to initiate. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started:
1. Begin with a Pre-Assessment (Optional)
Before beginning any executive functioning or productivity tool, we recommend first completing a self-assessment of your current strengths and challenges.
There are significant differences in what you might need or want a body double to support you with, depending on whether you need help with planning, time management, or attentional control. Assessing your internal motivation can also help tailor the body doubling approach to your individual needs.
For more information or to start a pre-assessment, check out our free .pdf downloadable Executive Functioning Assessment.
2. Set a SMART Goal
Write a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-Bound) goal around what you hope to accomplish with using a body double.
For example, by the end of the one-hour body doubling session, I will respond to 10 emails.
Just like any intervention to help boost productivity and focus, putting some parameters and measurement in place will ensure that what you’re doing is making a difference in helping you achieve your goals. For example, you might set a goal to complete five tasks within a two-hour session with your body double.
Ideas for goals can include completing a certain number of tasks in a period of time, focusing on a project for a specific amount of time, or tackling something you’ve been avoiding.
3. Identify Suitable Tasks
Not all tasks are created equal when it comes to body doubling.
Use your assessment data to align tasks that are typically challenging to initiate. Individuals often have trouble initiating tasks, particularly when dealing with procrastination. Aim to identify before your doubling session what about a task makes it most difficult–whether it be the monotony, complexity, or the level of focus they require. Understanding this trouble can help you be specific with the body double about what your needs are.
4. Find the Right Body Double
The ideal body double is someone who understands your goals and is genuinely interested in supporting you to maintain a productive environment, whether they’re actively working alongside you or simply sharing the space. Finding a supportive body double is essential for effective body doubling sessions for individuals with ADHD, as their encouragement and understanding can significantly enhance the experience.
While you could technically gain some advantages of body doubling by simply utilizing a public coworking space or coffee shop where you’re simply in the presence of others, the best results of body doubling are seen when you have an accountability partner who knows exactly what you’re hoping to get out of the set-up.
Communication is key: set clear expectations and boundaries from the start.
Remember, that a friend or family member might not always make the candidates for body doubling, especially those who may be likely to distract you from the task at hand. Body doubling can become a distraction if the body double is overly talkative or unengaged, so it’s important to choose someone who can maintain focus and support your productivity.
Choose someone that can be motivating and hold you accountable (but not pull you further from your goal). You should also look for someone who has some background in mental health and the ability to check in with you regularly. An executive functioning or ADHD coach is a great person to help with this. Critical or judgmental body doubles can create a negative work environment and reduce productivity, so it’s essential to select someone who fosters a positive and encouraging atmosphere.
5. Create a Productive Environment
Whether in-person or virtual, we always recommend the environment used for focused tasks should make individuals feel safe, minimize distractions, and promote attentional control.
This might mean agreeing to meet over Zoom or video chat in a quiet space, using noise-canceling headphones, or setting up a dedicated video call for virtual body doubling.
6. Try It Out
Once you’ve got the planning in place, try it out! Body doubling work can enhance focus and productivity, particularly for individuals with ADHD, by creating accountability and reducing procrastination. Like most interventions, we recommend trying it out at least 2-3 times before making any evaluations on whether it was or was not helpful.
7. Measure Your Success and Make Adjustments
Keep track of your progress. What tasks are you completing more efficiently? Where do you see the most improvement in your executive functioning?
Adjust your approach based on these observations, and don’t hesitate to experiment with different body-doubling setups. Body doubling can provide perspective by offering new insights and helping you maintain engagement during frustrating tasks.
Time Management and Productivity
Effective time management and productivity are essential for success in both personal and professional life.
Body doubling is a helpful strategy for individuals who struggle with these skills. It creates a structured and supportive environment, helping you:
- Prioritize tasks
- Minimize distractions
- Stay focused on your goals
The Pomodoro technique, where you work in focused 25-minute increments followed by short breaks, pairs especially well with body doubling.
Combining these techniques can significantly improve your productivity and time management, making it easier to complete tasks efficiently while maintaining a balanced and sustainable routine.
Additional Tips for Success with Body Doubling
If you find body doubling helpful, there are a few additional tips for how you can make the most out of these productivity sessions. Social encounters can positively influence neurodivergent individuals by motivating and rewarding them. Here are some additional ideas to enhance your experience and success:
- Use Timers and Breaks Wisely: Employ techniques like visual timers and schedules where you work for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break (also known as the Pomodoro technique). This can help maintain high levels of focus and prevent burnout. During breaks, avoid engaging in activities that might derail your productivity, like checking social media.
- Communicate Openly: Communication with your body double after each session is key, especially if adjustments need to be made. Whether it’s needing a bit more quiet, taking a break, or switching tasks, being open and honest ensures that you’re maximizing the benefit of the session.
- Rotate Body Doubles If Possible: If you have the option, work with different people as your body double. Different dynamics can bring varying levels of motivation and productivity, and you might find that certain tasks are better suited to specific body doubling partnerships.
- Celebrate Achievements: After a successful body doubling session, take a moment to acknowledge what you’ve accomplished. This can be as simple as sharing what you each completed or even celebrating with a small reward. Celebrating successes can reinforce the positive aspects of body doubling and encourage future sessions.
4 Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them When Using Body Doubling
Just like there are some advantages and tips to boost the success of body doubling, there are also some common pitfalls to be aware of. Here are additional things to avoid to ensure your body doubling sessions are as productive as possible:
1. Choosing the Wrong Tasks
Not every task is suitable for body doubling. Avoid choosing tasks that require intense concentration or creativity that might be hindered by the presence of another person.
Focus on tasks that benefit from the added motivation and accountability of having someone else present. Body doubling can be particularly effective for tackling boring tasks, especially for individuals with ADHD who struggle with motivation, focus, and energy.
2. Lack of Structure
Entering a body doubling session without a plan or structure can lead to wasted time and decreased productivity.
Avoid this by setting clear goals, timelines, and an outline of what you plan to accomplish beforehand. External factors, such as feedback from others and a sense of reward, can significantly influence the effectiveness of body doubling. This structure helps both participants stay focused and on track.
3. Overreliance on the Body Double
Relying too much on your body double for motivation or accountability can be a pitfall.
As outlined above, the goal of body doubling is to enhance your own ability to work through tasks, not to become dependent on someone else’s presence for productivity. Using a body double may spark shame in individuals with ADHD if they feel dependent on others to complete tasks, so it’s important to frame the practice as a tool for growth rather than a crutch.
4. Ignoring the Importance of Feedback
After each body doubling session, take the time to discuss what worked and what didn’t. Avoiding this step can lead to repeating the same mistakes in future sessions.
Constructive feedback is crucial for adjusting and improving the body doubling experience for both parties.
Body Doubling vs. Coaching
Here at LSA, we believe that executive functioning coaching can significantly improve skills like planning, organization, and time management.
If you’re unsure whether body doubling is suitable for your neurodivergent needs—or if you prefer structured support without needing someone physically present—then executive functioning coaching might be the right fit for you. Coaching offers tailored support that meets you exactly where you are, whether you’re a student managing coursework, a young adult navigating independence, or an adult juggling personal and professional responsibilities.
Neurodivergent people often face unique challenges in completing everyday tasks. Coaching can help address these by providing a structured, supportive, and individualized approach to boosting your executive functioning skills.
Clearly, body doubling is more than just a productivity hack; it’s a testament to our social nature as humans. By understanding its science, implementing it thoughtfully, and learning from both successes and setbacks, neurodivergent individuals can achieve new levels of productivity, focus, and attentional skills.
TL;DR Summary
- Body doubling means having another person physically or virtually present while you work, helping neurodivergent folks stay focused and productive.
- It’s especially useful for those with ADHD or executive functioning challenges, providing motivation, reducing anxiety, and improving task management.
- Science suggests body doubling boosts productivity partly due to social factors and dopamine activation, but exact reasons and long-term effects are still being studied.
- To avoid prompt dependency, consider using body doubling temporarily or alongside other strategies.
- Executive function coaching offers structured, personalized support if you prefer an alternative to body doubling.
- To get started, follow the 7 practical steps outlined above, including setting clear goals, selecting suitable tasks, and measuring progress regularly.
Further Reading
- ADD.org – The ADHD Body Double: A Unique Tool for Getting Things Done
- Burke et., al (2005) – Group versus Individual Approach? A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Interventions to promote physical activity
- Eagle, Baltaxe-Admony, & Ringland (2023) – Proposing Body Doubling as a Continuum of Space/Time and Mutuality: An Investigation with Neurodivergent Participants
- Life Skills Advocate – Can Different Color Noise Help With Executive Functioning Skills? What The Research Says
- Life Skills Advocate – The Science Behind Using Music To Regulate Emotions: A Soundtrack To Success
- Life Skills Advocate – How To Use SMART Goal Setting To Teach Daily Living Skills
- Life Skills Advocate – 8 Self-Monitoring IEP Goals For Real Life
- Life Skills Advocate – The Executive Functioning IEP Goal Resource Hub
- Life Skills Advocate – The Power of Visual Timers
- MIT Sloan Management Review (2023) – How to Help Employees with ADHD Address the Challenges of Remote Work
- Focusmate.com – a freemium body doubling service