Body Doubling

Written by Marijke Vroomen Durning, RN
Medically Reviewed by Zilpah Sheikh, MD on March 03, 2025
5 min read

People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, often have trouble focusing. They may procrastinate, or put off tasks, which can make it hard to get things done. 

Some have found that having someone nearby makes it easier to concentrate. This is called body doubling.

 

Imagine you’re on your laptop trying to finish an assignment, but your mind – and maybe your body, too – keeps wandering. You might be tempted to watch videos online, do things around the house, or call a friend to chat. Anything but what you’re supposed to be doing. 

If you’re alone, there’s nothing and no one to stop you. But if a friend, family member, or co-worker is with you, it’s harder to get away with procrastinating. It’s like having a workout buddy who keeps you accountable when it comes to getting to the gym. 

Body doubles can be used for serious tasks that must be finished by a certain time, like a school or work project. It’s also useful for everyday tasks like paying bills or finishing chores around the house. Regardless of why you might need a body double, the process is the same.

Body doubles who live with you, like a roommate or family member, can also:

  • Help calm you down if you’re getting frustrated.
  • Remind you to eat or get to an appointment on time.
  • Help you feel less isolated or alone.
  • Offer feedback if you need it.

Your body double doesn’t have to be doing the same thing

The term body double might be a bit misleading because body doubling doesn’t mean the other person is doing the same thing as you. Some people call body doubles accountability partners, but not everyone agrees with this. That’s because accountability partners are usually working on the same project or toward the same goal.

If you have a child with ADHD, you might already be doing this without realizing it. You may be nearby while they’re doing homework. Or you might hire a local high school student to sit with them after school. 

You or they likely: 

  • Give them verbal clues. 
  • Ask when certain assignments are due. 
  • Suggest how to prioritize assignments.  
  • Help keep them focused.

A body double typically sits quietly, doing something that won’t distract you, like reading, knitting, or working on their own tasks. Ideally, their presence helps keep you focused, so you don’t get up and start working on something else.

There are different types of body doubles, so you’ll need to find what works best for you. As your needs change, so might the type of body doubling.

In-person body doubling

The most obvious type of body doubling is having someone in the same room as you, keeping you on track. It could be a casual arrangement, like a friend or family member. Or you could hire someone to sit with you. 

Virtual body doubling

As helpful as in-person body doubles can be, it’s not always possible. Your living space may be too small, you might live in a remote area, or maybe you travel a lot. That’s where virtual body doubling comes in.

You can:

  • Use video conferencing while you work on a project.
  • Chat with a friend on the phone or by video while you do housework. 
  • Download apps to help keep you accountable.

Social media can also help. You can post on your preferred platform and tell your connections that you’re working on something, and you’ll check in again with your progress. You can be as specific or general as you want. This may help keep you accountable because you shared that information with them.

Body doubling has many benefits. It can:

Help you get started. Sometimes a task may seem overwhelming, but once you get going it’s smooth sailing.

Show you how to stay on task. Although this isn’t the goal of using a body double, if you spend a lot of time with someone who can stay on task, you might pick up some tips and tricks.

Keep you motivated. It can be hard to complete a task that’s boring or just not something you want to do at the time. Having someone with you can keep you motivated to continue.

Provide feedback. If you want, a body double can tell you what you did well and not-so-well. 

Lessen feelings of stress or isolation. If you’re anxious, having someone nearby might help calm you. Some people with ADHD feel alone because of their diagnosis, but having someone with you who understands may ease that.

You don’t have to have ADHD to benefit from a body double. You might find body doubling useful if you’re:

  • Stressed or anxious
  • Alone a lot
  • Depressed
  • Living with the effects of trauma
  • Living with other neurodivergent conditions, like autism spectrum disorder

How easy or hard it is to find a body double depends on many things, like where you live or work, how often you need one, and what you need them to do. In some cases, it might be easier to find body doubles who can help you virtually. Some ways to find a body double include:

Ask friends, family members, or colleagues. Friends and family members especially likely want to help you in any way they can.

Talk to someone in student services at your school. Ask if they offer this for students with documented ADHD or other issues that require reasonable accommodations.

Try body doubling platforms or apps. They can match you with someone.

There are some things to keep in mind before asking someone to be a body double. The body double must be:

Able to keep themselves busy. They shouldn’t be starting conversations with you or asking you to help them do something.

Reliable. They need to show up at the time agreed upon.

Nonjudgmental. You need someone who understands that you find it hard to stay on track.

 

Body doubling involves having someone with you in person or virtually who doesn’t help you with your work but helps you complete it just by being there. They’re like an accountability buddy who sits quietly in the background, helping you feel less alone or isolated, and more motivated.

What is an alternative to body doubling for ADHD?

An alternative to body doubling for ADHD could be finding an accountability partner or accountability buddy. These are friends, family members, or colleagues working on the same thing. You check in with each other to see how you’re progressing.

How much does body doubling cost?

Body doubling doesn’t have to cost anything if you get a friend or family member to help you. If you hire someone, the cost depends on if they have to be there in person, how long you need them, and so on. A body doubling platform may charge to match you with a body double.

What’s the difference between mirroring and body doubling?

Body doubling is when someone encourages you to stay on task. Mirroring is when you knowingly or unknowingly imitate how someone behaves or speaks.