As an undiagnosed ADHDer who loved school, I figured something out very early on that lead to my success. In each grade or class, I would quickly identify one person who seemed to know what was going on then quickly attach myself to them. It’s not as awkward as it sounds, I promise. It was usually a friend or an acquaintance that I had some level of comfort with. I would then ask them to hang out to do homework, projects or study for tests.
I was body doubling in the 90s before we even had the word to describe it.
Yes, I am ahead of my time, thank you very much.
Body Doubling was my Executive Function Support Tool
When I was with my friend (who usually had perfect executive function skills), it reduced my stress load. It was easier to start a task, force myself to read something boring or write a paper. Just their presence lessened the amount of stress and energy it took to do all the things I needed to do to succeed in school.
It’s a technique that still works but is much harder to use as an adult with a busy life. It feels strange to ask a friend to come over so that I can do the dishes or hang out while I write my case notes. I still attach myself to people in different areas of my life who are better at keeping track of my kids’ school events and signups or making sure that I am up on the latest change related to my social work license. I am eternally grateful to anyone who takes the time to remind me or inform me of something important.
How Does Body Doubling Work?
Executive dysfunction impacts people with ADHD and Autism by affecting their Dopamine production. Tasks that are challenging and/or boring require us to have some level of reward to push ourselves to complete them. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that drives behavior that leads to rewards (among other purposes). When your brain has lower levels of Dopamine, it takes more energy to push yourself to do activities that have delayed gratification.
When someone hangs out with you while you fold your laundry, their presence acts as an external cue that stimulates Dopamine. The task isn’t as boring when they are talking to you or bringing you comfort.
When you you sit with someone who is focused and working, it cues your brain to do the same through mirror neurons. These neurons perceive the actions of others and influence you to mirror the behavior., creating social accountability with needing direct interaction.
Body doubling reduces the psychological threshold needed to start, shifting tasks from feeling like a solo effort to a shared environment.
Body Doubling Ideas for Neurodivergent Adults
Because asking a high school friend to come over after school isn’t a thing once you are a grown up, we have to find grown up work arounds.
If you want to find ways to incoporate body doubling, here are some ideas:
Quiet / Text-Only Discord Servers: Joining neurodivergent-friendly Discord channels with dedicated silent co-working voice rooms or text-based check-in channels. You can post things like "Doing 20 minutes of kitchen cleanup" or “Finishing my psychotherapy case notes” and check back in when they are complete.
Silent Co-Working & Study With Me Streams: Utilizing YouTube or Twitch streams featuring lofi background music or ambient noise. Zero social interaction is required, making it ideal for low-energy or high-masking days.
Asynchronous Micro-Pacts: Voice note threads or photo-sharing with a friend. Think sending a picture of your messy desk, setting a timer, and sending a photo of the cleared space once you are done.
Parallel Play in Public Spaces: Setting up at a library or coffee shop, or sitting in the same room as a partner/roommate with noise-canceling headphones on.
What strategy would work best for you?
If you are interested in learning more ways to improve your executive functioning, you can find ideas here.