Fiona Hughes explores how virtual co-working sessions could help people focus, reduce their overwhelm, and finally get things done.

Like most people, I have a perpetual to-do list and am on a mission to get things done. As such, I have tried and tested a whole host of productivity hacks – time blocking, colour coding, eating the frog, and the Pomodoro technique.

All have worked with varying degrees of success, though all are solitary endeavours for someone who works predominantly remotely.

What is body doubling?

One thing that I am being increasingly invited to take part in, is ‘virtual writing’ or ‘body doubling’ meetings – sessions where groups of people meet online to get things done; together but separately. It could be work, or it could be as simple as folding laundry or filing expenses.

The term was coined in 1996 by Linda Anderson, working with an ADHD client who discovered he was better able to complete tasks with his wife sitting in the room. Body doubling groups have grown in popularity in neurodiverse communities, but are increasingly being used by neurotypical people who want to improve productivity, too.

It doesn’t matter what you’re writing – it could be a dissertation, a funding bid, or a research proposal. Some groups are formed around a shared interest – creative writers report finding virtual writing groups useful for holding each other to account for getting novel drafts completed. Other groups are more general and open to anyone who simply wants to complete a task. There are online platforms that work like dating apps, pairing you up with someone for a body doubling session, and endless recordings on social media platforms like YouTube, offering body doubling whenever you need it.

The premise is the same, a modern take on what might have happened in physical office spaces, or in that room with a wife sitting in the corner. Sessions often open with the option for members to share what they are working on, and then there is a period of time for working – mics off, cameras on, heads down to get on with a task. This is the body doubling: glancing up every now and then to see a screen full of other people doing the same thing, in their own space. When time is up, some people report back on how it went. Others leave. Many keep coming back each session, word count growing.

Why does working together virtually work?

Given that members are still essentially alone and at the mercy of willpower – everyone is free to shut down their laptop – perhaps it’s strange that body doubling works. But it seems that there’s something in the presence of others that creates accountability and structure. People keep coming back for the period of shared focus, and work gets done. A piece of research exploring why body doubling works, suggests that the success lies in:

  • Reducing overwhelm and helping people to start
  • Increasing accountability and external structure
  • Providing emotional regulation and companionship
  • Supplying stimulation that helps focus
  • Shifting attention away from the task itself

Researchers also draw upon several psychological theories that may play a role in body doubling:

  • Social facilitation — people perform better around others
  • Hawthorne effect — behaviour changes when observed
  • Mirror neurons — people unconsciously mirror others
  • Parallel play — doing separate activities side-by-side
  • Diffuse sociality — people benefit from being around others, without direct interaction

Who is ‘body doubling’ for?

Body doubling is for everyone. While research into these remote doubling sessions has often focused on people with neurodiversity, especially those with ADHD, many neurotypical people also report success.

We’re interested in setting up a weekly, one-hour virtual writing group for the SSA community. Let us know if you’d be interested in joining by registering your interest.

by Fiona Hughes

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