🔗 Body Doubling

🔗 Disability

Body doubling or parallel working is a strategy used to initiate and complete tasks, such as household chores or writing and other computer tasks. It involves the physical presence, virtual presence through a phone call, videotelephony or social media presence, of someone with whom one shares their goals, which makes it more likely to achieve them. For some people, it works best to both do similar tasks, while for others, just being in the same (virtual) room is enough.

It was partially popularized by those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to help manage symptoms. Its usefulness has also been noted by those with autism, but efficacy is not clearly known as long term studies have not been conducted on the topic. In 2023, J. Russel Ramsay, professor of clinical psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine and co-director of the ADHD treatment and research program of the University of Pennsylvania, noted that, while extensive research on the strategy's effect on productivity doesn't exist, "the idea of externalizing motivation is a longstanding evidence-based mechanism for managing ADHD."

ADHD body doubling comes into play allowing individuals with ADHD to perform and complete tasks more easily and with less distractions, where otherwise they might struggle more. "ADHD body doubling is a productivity strategy used by individuals with ADHD to finish possibly annoying jobs while having another person beside them."

Body doubling is said to aid individuals with focus and productivity while working. Another person, known as a 'body double' sits alongside the individual with ADHD to help them focus while completing a certain task. The role of this individual is to not partake in the task but, more importantly, serve as a support system and create a welcoming environment that allows the individual to focus by reducing any distractions. The idea of body doubling allows for specific reminders to the individual to stay on task which helps alleviate the symptoms of ADHD.