ADHD Tip 3: Find Focus with Body Doubling

What is Body Doubling

Body doubling is a productivity strategy where an individual works on tasks, particularly those they find challenging, boring, or difficult to initiate, while another person is simply present. This presence can be physical – someone sitting quietly in the same room – or virtual, such as staying connected via a video call or even just an open phone line. Crucially, the "body double" doesn't typically assist with the task or engage in conversation; their role is one of quiet companionship and support. The effectiveness lies not in active help, but in the power of presence.

This strategy leverages principles of social facilitation and implied accountability, acting as an external scaffold to support internal self-regulation challenges, such as maintaining focus, initiating tasks, and persisting through difficulties, which are common for individuals with ADHD.

Why Body Doubling Works for ADHD

The seemingly simple act of having someone nearby can have a profound impact on focus and productivity for the ADHD brain:

• Enhanced Accountability: The presence of another person, even passively, creates a subtle sense of social pressure and responsibility. This external accountability can make individuals more likely to start tasks, stay on track, and resist the urge to procrastinate, feeling they "can't waste this gift of time". Deepwrk notes accountability check-ins significantly increase goal completion odds.

• Focus Anchor: The body double can serve as a physical or virtual anchor point, helping to ground a mind prone to wandering. Their quiet presence serves as a gentle, external reminder to refocus on the task at hand.

• Reduced Distractibility: The focused (or at least calm) presence of the double can help create a more settled work environment, potentially buffering against both external interruptions and internal restlessness. The double’s passivity is key here; interaction could become another distraction.

• Calm Modeling (Potential): Some suggest the body double might unconsciously model a state of calm focus, which the person with ADHD may subtly mirror.

• Novelty and Energy: Introducing another person into a typically solitary (and perhaps tedious) task can add an element of novelty, which is often engaging for the ADHD brain. It can shift the energy of the workspace.

• Easier Task Initiation: Just knowing a body doubling session is scheduled can help overcome the initial inertia and difficulty in getting started on tasks that are often avoided.

How to Implement Body Doubling

1. Identify Suitable Tasks: Recognize which tasks consistently trigger procrastination, boredom, or difficulty focusing when attempted alone (e.g., paying bills, organizing paperwork, writing reports, doing homework, tackling chores).

2. Find a Body Double: This could be a friend, family member, roommate, colleague, or peer. It can even be someone hired for temporary support or found through dedicated online services (see resources). The double doesn't necessarily need to have ADHD themselves.

3. Set Clear Expectations: Before starting, agree on the time, duration, and the specific task(s) to be worked on. Crucially, clarify the body double's role: to be a quiet, supportive presence with minimal interaction or interruption. The double might work on their own quiet task, read, or simply be present.

4. Choose the Format: Decide whether the session will be in person or virtual (e.g., Zoom, Google Meet, FaceTime, a simple phone call with the line kept open).

5. Experiment: Try different session lengths and incorporate breaks as needed (perhaps using the Pomodoro technique in conjunction), and see what works best for maintaining focus and completing tasks.

Finding Body Doubles

• Personal Network: Ask friends, family members, or colleagues if they'd be willing to sit with someone (physically or virtually) while they work. Frame the request clearly, explaining it's a productivity strategy: "I heard this can help with focus. Would you mind just being on Zoom with me while I tackle this report? Maybe you have something quiet you could work on too?".

• Online Platforms & Communities: Several services cater specifically to body doubling needs:

• Deepwrk: Provides structured, facilitated group body doubling sessions via video call, specifically for adults with ADHD, along with a 24/7 silent focus space and community features.

• Focusmate / Groove: Co-working platforms (mentioned in ADDitude ) where individuals connect virtually for focused work sessions, essentially providing body-doubling partners on demand.

The increasing availability of virtual body doubling options reflects the effectiveness of the strategy and the need for accessible, flexible support, especially as remote work becomes more prevalent.

Body Doubling Resources:

• Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) - Explanation and Why It Works: https://add.org/the-body-double/

• Deepwrk - Structured Virtual Body Doubling: https://www.deepwrk.io/

---

If ADHD is hindering your productivity, working with an executive coach can help you develop the habits, routines, and skills necessary to focus and follow through more consistently. If you are interested in learning more, schedule a discovery call. We can discuss how we can help you better manage your ADHD.

Schedule a call

Schedule a Free Discovery call

ADHD Tip 2: Master Time with the Pomodoro Technique

The Challenge of Time and Tasks

Individuals with ADHD often face significant hurdles when it comes to starting tasks (procrastination or feeling stuck, sometimes called ADHD paralysis), maintaining focus amidst distractions, accurately perceiving the passage of time (time blindness or time agnosia), and seeing tasks through to completion. Large projects can feel overwhelming, leading to avoidance, while even simple tasks can be hard to initiate without a clear structure or sense of urgency.

Introducing the Pomodoro Technique

Developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s, the Pomodoro Technique is a time management method designed to break work into focused intervals. The classic structure involves:

1. Working on a single task for a timed interval, typically 25 minutes (one "Pomodoro").

2. Taking a short break, usually 5 minutes, when the timer goes off.

3. Repeating this work/break cycle.

4. After completing four Pomodoros, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes.

This technique acts as an externalized executive function support system. It provides the structure, time awareness cues, task initiation prompts, and break regulation that the ADHD brain often struggles to generate internally.

Why Pomodoro Works for ADHD Brains

This simple structure offers numerous benefits tailored to common ADHD challenges:

1. Combats Overwhelm and Paralysis: The Pomodoro Technique makes large, daunting tasks feel less overwhelming and much easier to start by breaking them down into small, timed chunks. The focus is just on the next 25 minutes, not the entire project.

2. Addresses Time Blindness: The ticking timer provides a constant, external, and concrete awareness of time passing, directly counteracting time agnosia. Over time, tracking how many Pomodoros tasks take can also improve time estimation skills.

3. Boosts Focus through Monotasking: The technique encourages dedicating focus to one specific task during the work interval, discouraging counterproductive multitasking and reducing susceptibility to distractions. The relatively short duration aligns well with the ADHD brain's potential ability to hyperfocus intensely for limited periods.

4. Provides Structure and Urgency: The timed intervals impose a clear structure on the work period and create a gentle sense of urgency, prompting focused effort within the allotted time.

5. Manages Energy and Prevents Burnout: The mandatory short and long breaks are crucial. They provide necessary mental resets, prevent the buildup of mental fatigue, and combat boredom, helping to sustain effort over longer periods without leading to burnout, which can often follow periods of intense hyperfocus.

6. Creates Motivation and Reward: Successfully completing each Pomodoro interval provides an immediate sense of accomplishment. Tracking completed Pomodoros offers visible proof of progress, acting as an external motivator and potentially providing small dopamine boosts.

Implementation Steps and Tips

1. Choose Your Task: Select one specific task to work on. If it's large, break it down into smaller steps that might fit within one or more Pomodoros.

2. Set Your Timer: Use a kitchen timer, phone app, or dedicated Pomodoro website/app (see resources below). Visual timers can be particularly helpful.

3. Work with Focus: Work only on the chosen task until the timer rings. Actively minimize distractions: turn off phone notifications, close unnecessary browser tabs, consider website blockers, or use noise-canceling headphones. If you have unrelated thoughts or tasks, you can quickly jot them down on a separate list to address later, then immediately return focus to the Pomodoro task.

4. Take Your Short Break: When the timer rings, stop working immediately. Use the 5-minute break to completely step away from the task. Stretch, get a drink of water, and look out the window. Avoid activities that can easily suck one in, like checking email or scrolling social media, as the goal is to refresh, not drain, mental energy.

5. Repeat and Take Longer Breaks: After completing four Pomodoros, take a more substantial break (15-30 minutes) to rest and recharge more fully before starting the next cycle.

6. Track Your Progress: Consider keeping a simple tally of completed Pomodoros. This visual tracking can be motivating.

7. Adapt and Experiment: The 25/5 cycle is just a starting point. The technique's effectiveness often hinges on its adaptability. Experiment with different work/break intervals (e.g., 15/3, 30/5, 50/10) to find what best suits one's focus patterns, energy levels, and task type. Starting with just a few Pomodoros per day can prevent overwhelm.

Potential Challenges and Solutions

• Distractions: If focus consistently breaks before the timer ends, try further reducing environmental distractions or consider shorter work intervals.

• Forgetting the Timer: Use phone alarms or app notifications as reminders to start/stop timers.

• Waning Motivation: If the technique starts to feel stale, try adjusting interval times, changing the type of timer used, or incorporating a small reward after completing a set number of Pomodoros.

• Overlong Breaks: Set a timer for breaks. Getting up and moving during the break can help reset focus better than passive activities. When the alarm goes off, you can transition back into productive activities.

• Breaking Flow: Sometimes, the timer might interrupt a period of deep focus. While it is generally advised to respect the timer to prevent burnout, some find it helpful to occasionally finish a thought or small step before breaking. Experimentation and self-awareness are key. Be kind to oneself if a session doesn't go perfectly.

Pomodoro Resources:

• Choosing Therapy - Pomodoro for ADHD Guide: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/pomodoro-technique-adhd/

• Deepwrk - Pomodoro for ADHD Explanation: https://www.deepwrk.io/blog/pomodoro-technique-adhd

• Boardmix - Pomodoro Benefits & Implementation: https://boardmix.com/tips/pomodoro-technique-adhd/ (Boardmix also offers a tool with a built-in timer)

• ADDitude Magazine - Expert Using Pomodoro: https://www.additudemag.com/its-about-time-2/

• UTC CPE Blog - Detailed Steps, Pros/Cons, App List: https://blog.utc.edu/center-professional-education/2020/07/02/how-can-the-pomodoro-technique-help-me-finding-power-through-productivity/

• Timer Apps : TomatoTimer (https://tomato-timer.com/), Marinara Timer (https://www.marinaratimer.com/), FocusKeeper (iOS), Focus To-Do (iOS/Android).

---

If ADHD is hindering your productivity, working with an executive coach could help you build the habits, routines, and skills you need to focus and follow through more consistently. If you are interested in learning more, schedule a discovery call. We can discuss how we can help you better manage your ADHD.

Schedule a Free Discovery call

Navigating ADHD As An Adult

Living with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often involves navigating a world that doesn't always feel designed for how one's brain works. It can mean facing daily frustrations – feeling overwhelmed by tasks, misunderstood by others, or falling short despite putting in immense effort. Challenges with managing time (sometimes called time blindness), difficulties with executive functions like planning and organization, and intense emotional responses are common experiences. These struggles can lead to significant internal battles with self-doubt and exhaustion.

However, managing ADHD isn't about trying to "fix" a broken part of oneself. Instead, it's a journey towards understanding one's unique neurological wiring and discovering strategies that work with it, not against it. It's about building a personalized toolkit with practical approaches grounded in self-awareness and compassion.

This 8-week article series explores eight such strategies: letting go of shame, mastering time with the Pomodoro Technique, finding focus with body doubling, making calendars an ally, designing personalized trackers, conquering big projects with milestones, fueling motivation with rewards, and lightening the load through delegation and automation. These aren't overnight cures, but sustainable practices that can empower individuals with ADHD to navigate challenges more effectively.

Tip 1: Let Go of Shame, Embrace Self-Compassion

The Weight of Shame in ADHD

For many individuals with ADHD, feelings of shame, inadequacy, and low self-esteem can become persistent companions. This heavy burden often stems from the chronic frustration of grappling with ADHD symptoms daily. Perceived failures in areas like organization, time management, or emotional regulation can lead to harsh self-judgment. Furthermore, societal stigma and misunderstanding surrounding ADHD can exacerbate these feelings. When others misinterpret symptoms as laziness, lack of intelligence, or carelessness, or when individuals face constant criticism from teachers, parents, or even themselves, it's easy to internalize these negative messages.

This is particularly true when ADHD goes undiagnosed or is misunderstood, as is often the case for women, whose symptoms may present differently from the stereotypical hyperactive boy model. Women may internalize their struggles with societal expectations around organization or multitasking, leading to feelings of inadequacy rather than recognizing the neurological basis for their challenges. The feelings of shame often associated with ADHD aren't inherent to the condition itself. Rather, they frequently arise from the friction between the unique ways the ADHD brain works—like challenges with executive functions or emotional regulation—and an environment that may not understand or accommodate these differences. Persistent frustration, societal stigma, or criticism can lead to internalizing these struggles as personal failings.

The Antidote: Cultivating Self-Compassion

The most powerful antidote to this cycle of shame and self-criticism is self-compassion. This means treating oneself with the same kindness, understanding, and patience that would be offered to a dear friend facing similar struggles. It's not about making excuses for difficulties but about acknowledging the reality of ADHD challenges without resorting to harsh self-judgment. It involves recognizing that ADHD is a valid neurodevelopmental disorder and that the associated struggles are not a reflection of one's inherent worth.

Embracing self-compassion is an active process. It involves offering oneself kindness during difficult moments, consciously working to reframe negative self-talk, and seeking out supportive connections where experiences are validated.

Actionable Steps Towards Self-Compassion:

• Acknowledge and Validate Feelings: When frustration or overwhelm hits, pause and recognize the feeling without judgment. Speak kindly to that struggling part of oneself, validating the difficulty. For instance, one might think, "I see that starting this task feels overwhelming right now, and that must be stressful. Let's just try one small step".

• Challenge the Inner Critic: Become aware of negative self-talk patterns, such as thoughts like "I'm not good at this," "I always mess up," or "Why am I like this?" Understand that multiple positive affirmations can neutralize the impact of a single negative thought. Actively challenge these critical thoughts by reframing them in a more realistic, balanced, and positive light.

• Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection: Shift the focus away from achieving flawless outcomes, which can be an unrealistic and damaging standard given the variability often inherent in ADHD functioning. Instead, acknowledge and take pride in forward movement, no matter how small. Value the effort invested and the steps accomplished correctly, even if the end result isn't perfect. Focusing only on missteps can be incredibly demoralizing. This focus on progress aligns better with the nature of ADHD and helps break the cycle where inconsistent performance leads to feelings of failure and shame.

• Practice Mindfulness: Pay attention to thoughts and feelings as they arise, without harsh judgment or criticism. This practice can cultivate greater self-awareness and acceptance.

• Find Your Tribe: Connect with others who understand the ADHD experience. Joining support groups (like those offered by CHADD) or online communities (such as ADDitude's ADHD-related groups) can provide a safe space for acceptance and understanding. Sharing struggles openly with empathetic peers can be a powerful antidote to shame and isolation.

• Prioritize Needs: Recognize that basic physical, emotional, and cognitive needs – like adequate sleep, rest, nutrition, and time for self-care – are not luxuries or rewards to be earned only after achieving productivity goals. They are fundamental necessities for well-being and effective functioning. Denying these needs often hinders performance rather than helping to push through tasks. Everyone is worthy of having their basic needs met.

  
  

Resources for Self-Compassion:

• ADDitude Magazine - Shame Spiral & Self-Compassion Strategies: https://www.additudemag.com/shame-spiral-adhd-stigma-self-worth/

• ADDitude Magazine - Rules for Life (Progress, Praise, Inner Critic): https://www.additudemag.com/25-rules-life-how-to-be-successful-with-adhd/

• GoblinX ADHD - Understanding ADHD and Self-Esteem: https://www.goblinxadhd.com/blog/living-with-adhd-and-navigating-the-impact-on-self/

• Psychology Today - Understanding ADHD in Women and Feelings of Inadequacy: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/reports-from-the-front-lines/202401/the-unseen-spectrum-understanding-adhd-in-women , https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/empowered-with-adhd/202501/how-adhd-manifests-differently-in-women

This is the first of eight articles on this topic. Please follow this newsletter on LinkedIn and share comments and questions.