Focus session · body doubling
Virtual body doubling: get things done together, free and online
Body doubling is working on your own task while someone else is there working on theirs: their quiet company makes it easier to start, keep going and finish, which is why it's popular with people with ADHD and anyone who struggles to get going alone.
Every Monday · 60 minutes · free
Next session: Mon, Nov 9 · 10:00am
Mics off, cameras optional, join any time during the hour.
Join free and save a spotWhat is body doubling?
The idea is simple: you do something you've been putting off, like emails, studying, paperwork or tidying, while another person works alongside you. They don't help with your task, and you don't have to talk. Just knowing someone is there, getting on with their own thing, can be enough to get you moving.
The term comes from ADHD coaching in the 1990s, and it has spread widely since, especially online. Virtual body doubling works the same way over video: everyone joins a call, says what they're working on, and then gets on with it together.
Why body doubling can help
Many people find that another person's presence takes the edge off the hardest part, starting. It adds a gentle sense of accountability, gives the time a clear shape, and makes it easier to come back to a task after drifting.
It isn't just for ADHD. People use it when anxiety, depression, burnout or chronic illness make tasks feel heavy, when they're autistic and find structure helpful, or simply when they work or study alone and miss having people around. There's still little formal research on body doubling, so it's best thought of as a practical tool many people find useful rather than a treatment.
How the Heal Kinder focus session works
Every Monday morning in the US (10am Eastern in winter, 11am in summer) there's an hour-long body doubling session on Heal Kinder, free for members. Times show in your own time zone once you've joined.
A shared timer takes everyone through the hour: 5 minutes settling in, 25 minutes of focus, a 5-minute break, 20 more minutes of focus, then 5 minutes checking out. Your mic starts off and your camera is your choice. Nobody has to talk.
Before you start, add up to three things you're working on. They show on your video for everyone to see, and you tick them off as you go, with a small golden pop. You can come in at any point during the hour.
What people work on
Anything you'd like company for: replying to emails, a job application, studying or coursework, a form you've been dreading, paying bills, tidying a room, laundry, creative projects, planning your week. Smaller, specific tasks tend to work best: "answer three emails" rather than "sort out my inbox".
Questions
Is the body doubling session free?
Yes. It's free for Heal Kinder members, and joining Heal Kinder is free too.
Do I need to have ADHD to join?
No. Body doubling is popular with people with ADHD, but anyone who finds it hard to get started on things is welcome.
Do I have to talk or turn my camera on?
No. Your mic starts off and your camera is your choice. Some people say hello in the chat at the start and how it went at the end, but nobody has to.
Can I join late?
Yes. The session stays open the whole hour, so you can come in whenever you're ready.
Is it a support group?
No. It's a quiet working session, not a place to share. Heal Kinder also runs free peer support groups on many topics if you'd like to talk.
Looking for support too?
Heal Kinder runs free peer support groups as well, including for ADHD, stress and burnout and anxiety. It's peer support, not therapy or crisis care.