What is Body Doubling?
author/ amanda/ august 13, 2023
Body doubling is a strategy used by girls and women with ADHD/AuDHD that is used to improve focus and productivity. Basically, it involves having another person, a “body double,” physically present with you while you engage in various tasks that require your concentration and attention. Body doubling can be particularly helpful for academics, work environments, or during other types of challenging tasks that require your sustained attention. It can be used during daily activities like studying, organizing, or cleaning. For the girlies in their work era, a body double can encourage you to send those emails you’ve been putting off, complete documents, and even support you as you make those phone calls you’ve been dreading for far too long. If you need to clean your room, a body double just sitting there talking with you throughout the process can be a real motivator.
A body double can provide you with a better sense of accountability and structure. Knowing that someone is with you can quickly motivate you to stay on track and avoid distractions. They can even model appropriate work habits and strategies for you to observe and even emulate. This can be especially beneficial if you struggle with executive functioning skills. If you find it challenging to initiate tasks and fully complete them independently, body doubling might be a great strategy for you. A body double can help you with time management and maintaining your attention on the task at hand.
Generally, it’s just nice to know that someone is there, working alongside you. It can provide comfort in a way. If you are a girlie with ADHD/AuDHD who experiences anxiety or sensory overload in certain settings or in relation to certain tasks, having a supportive person near you can provide emotional comfort and reduce your stress surrounding the environment or task. If you find that you have been putting off a task for far longer than is healthy and it is causing you grief and anxiety, getting a friend to sit with you while you work on said task might help you complete it with less looming stress.
A body double can be a friend or a family member. It helps significantly if they also have something to work on or do while you are studying/working. They can keep you company while you organize your closet, update your resume, or begin that essay you’ve been putting off that is now due tomorrow. They don’t even have to help you with your task(s.) Oftentimes, their presence alone is enough to instill motivation within you to finish your task(s.) However, it is always nice to have someone you trust available to bounce ideas off of when you’re in a rut. A body double helps you feel supported, more engaged, and can even boost your confidence in finishing the task at hand. It can even help if the other person also needs a body double! You can be there for each other.
Give body-doubling a chance next time you are faced with a difficult task that seems tough to tackle on your own!
Asking for support can be scary, but...
when everything is overwhelming and you’re having trouble getting things started/finished, asking someone to body double for you is very “low-stakes.” You deserve to have supportive people in your life who value your company.
