ADHD body doubling is a practice where a person with ADHD does potentially frustrating or boring tasks in the presence of someone else. This other person is the “body double” for the person with ADHD.
The body double’s job is to help anchor the person with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to the present moment, reducing the risk of distraction. This practice emerged in self-help literature as a strategy for ADHD self-management.
There is no recent research testing the effectiveness of body doubling. However, anecdotal evidence from people with ADHD suggests that they find it helpful for maintaining focus or reducing restlessness.
Read on to learn more about what body doubling is, how it works, potential issues that may come from body doubling, and the benefits.
Body doubling involves doing a task in the presence of another person. This other person may work on the same task or simply be present in the same room. People can also body double remotely using video calls.
Some examples of body doubling include:
- working on homework with a parent or caregiver
- writing an essay over a video call with friends
- reading or watching TV while another person fills out paperwork
- sitting with someone while they make a phone call
- working in a quiet open plan office
The body double can be a classmate, friend, family member, co-worker, or another acquaintance.
A person might use multiple body doubles to accomplish different tasks or change body doubles for the same task if they cannot stay the whole time.
For example, a person might work with their spouse to complete housework, but partner with a variety of different colleagues to complete a work project.
No research has explored how body doubling works. The practice emerged from people who have ADHD who noticed that being around others helps them focus. As a result, the evidence supporting it is based on anecdotal accounts rather than scientific research.
That said, insights into ADHD might help explain how body doubling could work.
Motivation
A 2018 review notes that a reduction in motivation is a key part of the theories about ADHD. It may lessen the psychological rewards associated with completing tasks. Having someone else present may make boring tasks more pleasurable, helping to overcome this.
Calm
For people with hyperactivity, the calm presence of another person may also help reduce hyperactivity. It may be comforting to some people, or discourage hyperactivity and distraction by modeling focused behavior.
Accountability
A body double can also provide accountability. The presence of someone else may mean a person with ADHD feels some modest pressure to stay on-task.
For example, if a couple cleans together, a person may be less likely to wander away because they do not want to let their partner down.
Help with challenges
Another way body doubling may help is more direct. If another person is present during a task, the person with ADHD can ask them for help if they come up against a problem.
For example, if two people study together, the student without ADHD may help the person with ADHD understand a difficult concept or explain it to them in a more engaging way.
Researchers have not tested the effects of body doubling via any controlled experiments. It is unclear how many people with ADHD find body doubling helpful and to what extent it may improve concentration.
However, as body doubling is a low risk strategy for enhancing focus, it is something people with ADHD can try out for themselves to see if they find it beneficial.
All a person needs is a willing body double, a task they want to do, and some time to do it. It may help the person with ADHD to explain what body doubling is first so that their partner understands what it involves.
There are several potential benefits of body doubling. It may help a person focus in a fairly low effort way, potentially benefitting both parties.
The Center for ADHD Awareness, Canada, which is an advocacy group, also proposes other benefits. Body doubling may:
- reduce isolation
- reduce anxiety
- provide inspiration or encouragement
- offer an opportunity for constructive feedback
- reduce stigma around ADHD
If the strategy works, body doubling may also promote a sense of mastery and self-efficacy, increasing confidence.
Body doubling may not work for everyone with ADHD. Some potential limitations include:
- Distraction: The body double themselves may become a distraction during the task or a way for the person with ADHD to distract themselves. The organization Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) notes that if the double is a friend, they may socialize instead of working.
- Reliance: Using a body double very often could mean a person does not learn how to do things alone.
- Incompatibility: Some people may not be good companions for body doubling.
Friends, family, or coworkers who want to support a person with ADHD need to educate themselves about the condition and understand their role if they want to body double.
Body doubling is one of many strategies people with ADHD can adopt to help them do tasks that may be frustrating or boring. Other examples include:
- Using timers: Some people find it helpful to focus on doing a task for a set amount of time. For example, they may set a timer for 30 minutes in which they will work or do chores. This provides a set end point for the task, which may be motivating.
- Using apps: Many apps aid with productivity, some of which are specifically for those with ADHD. They may be able to estimate the duration of tasks, automatically organize tasks into a logical order, break them down into steps, or provide reminders.
- Limiting distraction: Turning off one’s phone, limiting social media, or setting a daily time limit for activities that are often distracting may help with staying on-task.
- Asking for accommodations: There are many ways schools or workplaces can adapt a person’s work to accommodate ADHD. Learn more about ADHD accommodations for workplaces and schools.
The standard treatments for ADHD
Body doubling is a technique that may help some people with ADHD complete difficult tasks, such as cleaning and studying. There is no research on how it works, or how well it works, at the moment. However, many people with ADHD report finding it helpful.
Body doubling may help a person feel calmer, remember to stay on-task, or provide accountability. Body doubles may also be a source of encouragement or help with challenging tasks.
This practice may not work for everyone, though. For some, it may even intensify the symptoms of ADHD by providing a distraction from tasks.
It is important to experiment with different ADHD interventions. Some people also get support from study skills classes, organizational training, therapists, or coaches who specialize in neurodivergence.
