starting & focus · 2-minute read
Body doubling: how to try it at home or online
in 30 seconds
- Body doubling means working on a task while another person is present, in person or on a video call.
- There isn’t much research yet, but some people with ADHD find it really helps them start and keep going.
- The other person doesn’t need to help, or even do the same task.
Body doubling is working on a task while someone else is there with you. They don’t help with the task. Their presence alone makes it easier for many people with ADHD to start and to stay with it.
What we know
Understood describes body doubling as working with another person present, in person or virtually, who supports you without doing the task. It also says plainly that there isn’t much research yet on whether it works. So treat it as an experiment: easy to try, nothing to lose.
How to try it today
Pick one task and a time box
25 minutes is a common block. 15 is fine too.
Tiny version: One email, one drawer, one page.
Low-energy version: Ten minutes of the easiest part.
Find your double
A friend, a housemate, a colleague, a video call, a library or a café.
Tiny version: Ask the person nearest to you.
Low-energy version: Sit somewhere other people are working.
Say what you’ll do, out loud
One sentence: “I’m answering three emails.”
Tiny version: Type it in the chat.
Low-energy version: Just think it, clearly.
Start a timer and work
No chatting needed. Just work side by side.
Tiny version: Start the timer, open the task.
Low-energy version: Keep the call on, camera off.
Check in at the end
“Done” and “not done” are both fine answers.
Tiny version: One word each.
Low-energy version: A thumbs up.
asking a friend to body double
Could you hop on a video call for 25 minutes while we both do a boring task? No talking needed, I just work better with company.
When it doesn’t work
Some people find another person distracting. Understood notes that finding the right person can take some trial and error. Try a different person, a quieter setting, or cameras off.
Questions people ask
Does the other person have to work too?
No. They can read, work on something else, or just be there.
Can I body double with a video?
Many people use “study with me” or “clean with me” videos. It isn’t the same as a real person, but it’s worth a try.
Is it cheating?
No. Using what helps you start is a strategy, not a shortcut.
When to get support: This guide shares everyday strategies, not medical advice. If this is making daily life hard for weeks, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional. If you’re in crisis, you can find free, confidential support in your country at findahelpline.com.
Sources
free printable kit
Free: the Fresh Start Kit
Six calm pages for the moment you come back to a plan you dropped: a fresh start page, a one-first-step today page, a low-battery day page and a write-it-all-down page. A4 and US Letter.
Get the free kitNo catching up. Just one first step.
