Can ‘body doubling’ help you be healthier?
One thing I like to ask my clients in our wellness coaching sessions is: What internal strengths and external resources do you have access to when making a health and wellness change? Identifying these key ingredients can be hugely helpful. Recognizing what we bring to the table and who we have around us to support us makes change easier.
Enter “body doubling” as a way to find mutual support in pursuit of a health and wellness goal. According to the ADHD organization CHADD, a body double is:
“a friend or partner who works simultaneously, either in the same room or virtually through videochat platforms. Having another person in the same physical or virtual room can help you with productivity because you have someone present to check in with and keep you accountable. Body doubling is a support activity for ADHD that can be easy to do and cost-free.”
Pursuing creativity is a big part of my wellness vision, so I recently tried body doubling with a writer friend. We spent two hours writing while connected through video chat. It took me a while to get in the zone, but I was excitedly writing away on a new scene by the end.
One of my friends uses body doubling for meal prep. She and a relative gather weekly in her kitchen and cook together. It’s much more fun than chopping vegetables alone, and they both end up with healthy meals for the week ahead.
Another friend recalls an evening when she had a few loads of laundry to fold, and she invited a neighbor over to have margaritas while they each folded their family’s clothes. They both accomplished a mundane household chore and simultaneously got the benefits of social support as they relaxed and laughed together.
These kinds of interactions happen more organically in some cultures than others. Modern American culture can feel lonely at times, and body doubling seems like a way to tap into that deep human need for social connection, even if it happens during normal, everyday activities. In my book club last night, we were discussing “Hanging Out.” I haven’t read it yet, but from what I understand, it discusses the myriad ways one might find that social connection amid our days full of digital distractions. Perhaps body doubling is a way we can weave a thicker social network and feel supported while accomplishing our health and wellness goals.
Want extra support? I’m here to walk alongside you and explore what that change might look like, whether it be increasing your energy level and mental clarity, reducing stress, sleeping better and feeling more rested, rediscovering your career passion, or reconnecting with loved ones. Schedule a free 15-minute wellness coaching consultation here.