Body doubling for ADHD: what it is, what we know, and how to try it
You can't make yourself do the paperwork alone, but the moment a friend sits nearby, you just… do it. It feels like a cheat code, and slightly embarrassing.
- Body doubling means doing a task while someone else is there, in person or online.
- Lots of people with ADHD say it helps, but there's very little direct research on it yet.
- It's low-risk and free to try. Treat it as an experiment.
What it is
Body doubling means working on a task with another person present, in the room, on a video call, or in a “study with me” stream. They don't help with the task. They're just there.
What the research does and doesn't show
Here's the honest picture: body doubling is widely recommended in ADHD communities, but there is very little direct research on it so far. Researchers have only recently started studying it formally, for example in an exploratory 2025 study presented at an accessibility research conference.[1] We can't yet say how well it works or for whom.
There's older, related science. Research on social facilitation found that having other people present changes how we perform: it tends to help with simple or well-practised tasks and can hurt with complex, new ones.[2] That's a useful clue. Body doubling may help most for boring, familiar tasks (admin, tidying, email) and less for hard thinking work.
Try this: 5 steps
- Pick a boring, familiar task. Admin, tidying, replying to emails, filling in forms. That's where having someone there is most likely to help.
- Choose your double. A friend, partner, housemate, or a silent video call. Online co-working rooms and “study with me” videos also count.
- Say your goal out loud. “For the next 25 minutes I'm doing my tax return.” Saying it to someone adds gentle accountability.
- Work in a set block. 25 to 50 minutes, then a short break. Check in at the end: “I got X done.”
- Keep track of whether it helps. Note what you got done with and without a double for a week. Keep it if it works for you.
Free printable
Body double session
Date / time: __________ With: __________
I'm going to work on:
Block length: ☐ 25 min ☐ 50 min
What I got done:
Did it help? ☐ Yes ☐ A bit ☐ Not really
From clarity-method.co.uk · Educational, not medical advice.
When to get more help
Body doubling is a self-help idea, not a treatment. If focus problems are affecting your life, talk to your GP about an ADHD assessment and support options.[3]
Sources
- Schuenke, R., Dickenson, S. R., & Moore, M. (2025). Reading between the lines: Exploring body doubling in ADHD using EEG. Proceedings of the 27th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS ’25). https://doi.org/10.1145/3663547.3759743
- Zajonc, R. B. (1965). Social facilitation. Science, 149(3681), 269–274. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.149.3681.269
- NICE (2018, updated 2019). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline NG87. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87
Links checked 10 November 2026. Some journal articles are behind a paywall; the link goes to the official record.
This guide is for general education and isn't a substitute for advice from a qualified health professional. ADHD affects people differently. If you think you may have ADHD, or your treatment isn't working, talk to your GP or clinician.