'Body Doubling' Could Be The Answer For Serial Procrastinators

What are you putting off right now? For me, it’s sorting out my clothes into a pile to keep and a pile to donate. It’s been months. OK, fine. It’s been a year.

I just can’t bring myself to do it. Now that I’ve admitted mine, you can admit yours (to yourself, don’t worry). 

There’s something about these tasks that – for some of us – feels so overwhelming, so impossible, when, in reality, they’d usually take no more than a couple of hours to sort and finally tick off our mental to-do list. 

This is why some people are trying the ‘body doubling’ method.

No, it’s not quite the Hollywood version where somebody who looks like you does the hard parts (though this would be ideal).

Instead, it’s when you tackle these somehow mountainous tasks with the help of somebody else. Not by having them do anything for you, but instead just being present while you’re getting through the task. 

Why does body doubling work?

Catherine, a civil servant from Scotland, who has ADHD, said that body doubling, even if it’s just done over FaceTime, keeps her accountable without the other person ever actually having to hold her to account.

“It’s almost as if having them there reminds me to do the thing – [they’re] a comforting reminder, and somebody that helps me stay motivated to complete the task,” she says. 

Some creators have tapped into this helpful hack by creating “study with me” videos that people have watched whilst getting through their own work.

Even the digital presence of somebody else can remind people to stay on track and keep them motivated.

How to find a body double for productivity support

According to ADDA, the world’s largest organisation dedicated to helping adults with ADHD ‘live better lives’, when looking for a body double you need to “find someone who can be quiet and independent”.

The idea is that they can sit, read, knit, or work quietly on a laptop. Their job is to not engage with you – they’re just there in the background. 

“It requires energy to instruct, supervise, or be interrupted by another person, and that expenditure of energy equates to distraction,” says ADDA.

They also add that you can hire outside help if need be, such as an assistant.

However, for some people, a ‘study with me’ video, a loved one on FaceTime or even working from a cafe with others around them is enough to keep them motivated and on-track.

It might actually be time to tackle that task.