Body doubling is doing a task in the presence of another person or people
Your body double doesn't actively help, engage or interfere with your tasks. They are silent, passive accountability partner that exists in your environment.
Body doubling can boost motivation and make even the most tedious tasks seem less overwhelming and more enjoyable.
Regular accountability check-ins increase odds of completing a goal by 3.8x (from 25% to 95%)
Presence of people, even not engaged in the same task, can boost your performance by 16-32%
By adding intention to take action at a given time you could 2x the odds of completing your goals
Turning your calendar into a series of mini-projects adds structure and a sense of urgency to your workflow
40% productivity loss when multitasking and 23 minutes to re-focus each time we switch tasks
Deep, focused work enables a flow state, which can boost productivity by 500% (McKinsey)
Deepwrk is a body doubling platform for people with ADHD to focus and get more done when working from home.
How it works? We host virtual ADHD coworking sessions, where you share goals, work on your own tasks, and get things done together. Your accountability partners don't actively engage or interfere with your tasks, but they provide extra focus, motivation, and a sense of community.
These virtual coworking sessions are rooted in behavioural science and are designed to improve concentration and task completion.
The platform offers a gamified body doubling experience that helps members start, stay on track and complete tasks.
Deepwrk combines online coworking with gamification and community to make even the most challenging and tedious tasks more enjoyable and easier to complete.
Our body doubling app empowers users to track progress and fuels consistency with milestone rewards, achievements, and badges.
Above else, Deepwrk is an ADHD community where adults with ADHD can feel supported, connected, and understood.
We facilitate group body doubling sessions, led by a host.
These deep focus sessions are rooted in behavioural science and are designed to improve concentration and task completion.
They follow a predetermined structure, have a timeboxed agenda, and exclude yucky small talk.
During the sessions, you join a small group, share goals, work on your individual tasks (in silence) and, in the end, check in to discuss progress.
You also get access to live weekly planning events where you can identify your most valuable tasks and make a plan to get them done.
You can also join our supportive ADHD community, where you can connect with people who understand ADHD. Celebrate wins and help each other to stay motivated and on track.
Body doubling is a productivity strategy that involves doing a task in the presence of another person (or people).
It’s a well-established and proven ADHD productivity technique that can be a game-changer for managing ADHD symptoms, promoting concentration, and boosting task completion.
Body doubling can motivate you to get started, stay focused, and ultimately accomplish your tasks and goals.
If you enjoy working from a café, coworking space or a library, chances are you’ve already experienced body doubling without realising it. People there don’t bother you, speak to you, or pressure you to complete your tasks. They silently work alongside you. Yet you feel more productive, efficient and energised. Well...that’s body doubling in action.
For the inattentive ADHD type, virtual body doubling provides a light dopamine stimulus to get you going.
For hyperactive ADHD, the presence of another person serves as an anchor that makes it much easier to stay focused on a task. The physical cue provides a subtle check against wandering thoughts and unnecessary detours and stops you from giving up on your goals.
Virtual body doubling ADHD sessions offer many advantages, including support, motivation, and structure- all crucial for managing ADHD.
They can boost motivation and make even the most tedious tasks seem less overwhelming and more enjoyable.
Virtual body doubling is similar to virtual coworking and having an ADHD accountability buddy.
Body doubling works on the principle of social facilitation. This is the idea that the presence of others can improve our performance on tasks.
Your body double(s) can be doing a completely different and unrelated activity. They don't actively help, engage or interfere with your tasks. Essentially, they are a passive accountability partner that exists in your environment. Their presence serves as a visual anchor to help you focus, making it easier to start and stay on task.
When working with someone else, we're more likely to stay focused and motivated and less likely to be distracted.
It might sound oddly simple, but this method has a profound impact for anyone with ADHD.
ADHD body doubling online is a simple yet powerful tool that can help you get more done.
The presence of others is a motivation boost, making even the most tedious tasks seem less overwhelming.
Your ADHD accountability buddy can serve as a physical anchor that fosters accountability, nudging you away from procrastination and getting distracted.
Virtual body doubling also provides a structure that can help reduce procrastination and increase task completion.
The community and shared energy also reduce the feelings of isolation, making tasks seem less overwhelming and even more enjoyable.
The main benefits of ADHD body doubling online include:
1. Improve focus🔎: Body doubling offers a platform for deep work and monotasking that boosts concentration and helps avoid distractions. The shared presence provides a subtle check against wandering thoughts and unnecessary detours.
2. Stop procrastination 😴: With other people present, procrastination takes a backseat. Precommitting to a body doubling session makes you less inclined to postpone (tedious) tasks.
3. Boost motivation 💪: ADHD body doubling can kick you into motion and help you get started (and complete) those all-important tasks. It can make the most mind-numbing of chores seem less boring.
4. Avoid overwhelm & get clarity 💡: Discussing tasks, goals, and progress can add clarity so you can focus on what matters most.
5. Improve time management ⏱️: The structured time-limited sessions help you set and meet deadlines.
6. Find community 👬: Virtual coworking creates a supportive environment and sense of community that can reduce remote work isolation.
Body doubling is a tried and tested productivity strategy that originated in the ADHD community about 30 years ago.
It boosts motivation, focus and task completion for people with ADHD by leveraging the power of shared focus, social facilitation, and gentle social accountability.
The presence of others serves as a subtle anchor and motivator, keeping you tethered to the task at hand, nudging you away from procrastination and getting distracted. This passive form of accountability enhances focus, wards off procrastination, and increases task completion.
Body doubling is like having a silent ally guiding us gently towards getting things done. It creates a sense of calm and focus, tempering the tumultuous tides of ADHD.
The shared energy reduces the feelings of isolation, making tasks seem less overwhelming and even more enjoyable. The reduced distractions and enhanced task completion add an element of stability to the often chaotic world of ADHD.
Here is some data that supports the effectiveness of body doubling:
1. The mere knowledge of an upcoming accountability check-in can improve positive behaviours by 50%
2. Regular check-ins can increase the likelihood of achieving goals from 25% to a staggering 95%
3. Adding a specific intention to take action at a precise time more than doubles the likelihood of completing a goal
4. Monotasking during a body doubling session promotes focus on a single activity and can improve productivity by up to 40%
Deepwrk’s virtual body doubling platform also integrates several proven productivity strategies, such as the Pomodoro technique, timeboxing, precommitment, and monotasking into a single tool.
It takes all these strategies to the next level by adding light social accountability of working with others, creating an additional layer of motivation and focus.
You can use ADHD body doubling online and Deepwrk to get anything done.
Important, challenging, and creative tasks that require focused work. Or lengthy, mundane and repetitive tasks, such as decluttering or cooking.
It's also beneficial for tasks that might induce stress, anxiety and that you tend to put off.
Deepwrk is often used to:
✍️ Write
🖌️ Design
🧹 Declutter
🎨 Create art
💬 Prepare for meetings
💼 Work on the business
🌞 Start and plan the day
🤮 Complete annoying tasks and chores
Join Deepwrk and book a free session.
To prepare for your first online body doubling session, you can:
✅ Take 1-2 mins to write down your tasks
🔨 Break them down into small and actionable items
☕ Grab your favourite beverage
🕒 Arrive a minute early to settle into your space
To make the most of each session:
📱Get rid of distractions: phone, notifications, open tabs
🗣️ Share your tasks with the group to 3x+ the odds of completing them
📷 Keep your camera on for the added productivity boost
💡Pro tip: Monotask. Focus on a single task at a time to avoid 40% productivity loss associated with multitasking.
Here is a typical agenda of a Deepwrk virtual body doubling session:
👋 Intro (3mins): intro from the host
👥 Share tasks (2mins): share what you will work on
🚀 Deep work (50mins): focus and get it done
🥳 Recap (3-5mins): debrief and celebrate your progress
Deepwrk is a platform tailored for the ADHD community.
However, you don’t need a formal ADHD diagnosis to join or use the platform.
In fact, we welcome anyone who wants to benefit from focused, uninterrupted work.
It’s completely OK to be off-camera, and you can always switch it off.
That being said, keeping the video on facilitates accountability and boosts focus.
The mere presence of people, even if not engaged in the same task, is proven by research to boost motivation.
The sessions are not recorded. We have a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate or bad behaviour.
Totally!
There is no yucky small talk as sessions follow a similar pattern and have a predefined agenda.
You and your partners share goals initially and debrief on progress at the end. That's about it. The rest of the time is focused, silent work where everyone is getting their stuff done.
Talking is brief (only 20-30 seconds) at the beginning and end of each session; plus you can always skip it.
Smiles and friendly faces are welcome and highly encouraged, but you are not expected to socialise.
Deepwrk offers a 7-day free trial and subsequently costs $19/month or $12/month if paid annually.
You do not need to enter credit card information to use the platform.
If you have ADHD and live in the UK, you can get a grant to pay for your Deepwrk subscription.
Access to Work is a UK government programme that grants up to £66,000 to support adults with ADHD in starting work and staying at work. Check out our in-depth Access to Work ADHD guide for more information.
