Body Doubling - What's it all about?
Do you find that you’re more able to get on with a task, or stay focussed on a task when there’s somebody there with you?
They could be in the room with you or on the phone or video call. They aren’t actively doing anything to help you, you might be chatting or in silence and they may be getting on with their own task.
This is a phenomenon called Body Doubling, and is something which can be hugely effective for many people, especially those who struggle with focus and attention or are neurodivergent.
It works in several different ways:
Having someone present anchors us to the task and gives us external accountability.
It’s making a commitment and creating structure by putting a fence around the time you’ve set aside for the task.
We can be motivated by the idea of sharing what we’ve achieved with the other person.
Moments of interaction and connection can make the task more enjoyable and help us to feel stronger and more capable.
Body doubling as part of a group can also create a sense of community and a way to reduce feelings of shame and isolation. Seeing others in the group making progress can inspire us, and regularly setting aside time for our own tasks can build our confidence in our abilities.
Body doubling is a great gentle way to create accountability. You are ultimately responsible for your own tasks, nobody is going to intervene or judge you.
As a declutter coach, I often act as a body double during my in-person sessions. Aside from the more in-depth emotional decision making involved in decluttering and organising, for simpler tasks, once we’ve decided what needs to be done, we may work side-by-side to complete the task, or carry out two totally separate tasks in the room together.
Clients often told me that they found it difficult to continue with the tasks we had begun between our sessions, and so I decided to create an online body doubling group where clients and non-clients can come along to get some of those tasks done with the support of the group.
If you find it challenging to set aside time for tasks, struggle with procrastination, or get distracted and side-tracked, you are very welcome to join my group, and get those tasks done in the company of others.
To join my free body doubling Zoom group which runs every Monday at 5pm and Thursday at 8am Sign up here
The group is inclusive of those with ADHD, autism, other neurodivergences, hoarding behaviours, and anyone else.
