Focusmate Review: “Body Doubling” Tips to Increase Productivity

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Have you heard of the new trend of “body doubling” to increase focus or productivity? Would you try it out? Here's what to know about it, and our best body doubling tips…

When I learned about the productivity strategy of “body doubling” on TikTok, I was intrigued. It made me think back to college when going to the library could make it easier to work and study — because I knew everyone else there was working and studying, too. That kind of situation lacks accountability, however. For all I knew, the other students could have been zoning out and doodling in their notebooks. (This was back when everybody didn't have a phone — an understatement — so I knew they weren't playing on their phones, at least!)

With actual body doubling, accountability is built in. For example, you might ask a friend to come to your home while you do something you've been putting off, like pack for a move. That's a low-tech method of body doubling, but a more tech-y option is using a tool called Focusmate, which I also discovered while scrolling through TikTok (ironic, no?).

{related: what productivity hacks really work for you?}

General Body Doubling Tips

• Find a friend who's interested in body doubling (or use a service like Focusmate).
• Select the tasks you want to accomplish.
• Expect to spend a minute on chitchat about what your goals are.
• Set a time limit.
• Let your partner know if you'll be on mute (or if you have to step away for a second).
• Thank your partner for working with you.
• Repeat as necessary!

My Focusmate Review

What Is Focusmate, and How Do You Use It?

First of all: I realize that to some readers, Focusmate may sound bizarre, but for those who sometimes struggle with staying accountable to themselves, and for those have ADHD or are otherwise neurodivergent, it (or body doubling in general) can be a lifesaver.

Focusmate matches you with a random activity partner whom you'll connect with to work “together.” The website has an integrated video function — no Zoom required. You create a profile, select your time zone, and when you're ready, choose a day and time you'd like to work with someone (for either 25 or 50 minutes). If you want to work with a particular person, you can share your profile link or they can share theirs.

Once you're matched with a partner (from anywhere in the world — kinda cool), you go to Focusmate.com at the designated time and click on your session, then introduce yourself and chat for a minute or two about what each of you wants to accomplish. Then you get right to work.

You and your partner can see each other in the Focusmate tab in your browser, and both users are supposed to stay on camera. You can remain unmuted or mute yourself — for example, if you want to listen to music. (Let your partner know either way.) There's a built-in a chat feature that you can use to excuse yourself for a minute (“brb, just have to go get some water” or whatever) and to silently enter an additional task if needed during your session.

At the end of the time period, you briefly speak with your partner about how things went. (An alarm will sound, in case you're too engrossed in work to notice.) Socializing isn't encouraged in general, but if you're both interested in chatting at the end of a session, that's permitted. At the end, people typically say something like, “Thanks for working with me.”

If you're late or don't show up, the “timeliness” score on your profile will be reduced.

The Focusmate Facebook group is great (people look for partners to coordinate with particular activities, share tips, and so on) but it isn't mandatory.

I tried Focusmate a few weeks ago to see what it's like and was matched with a woman who worked on writing a paper that I assume was for college or grad school. (I felt old.) Focusmate helped me in a few ways: It kept me focused because I had designated tasks rather than just a goal of “getting work done,” it kept me accountable because I knew I'd have to report how much I did, and it was easy to “stay in the zone” after the session and keep working.

{related: how to make the most of your productive times}

What Does Focusmate Cost?

Focusmate is free for up to three sessions a week. For $6.99 per month, the Plus plan gives you unlimited sessions.

Should I Be Worried About Safety?

Here are the community guidelines, along with miscellaneous tips. Selling, flirting, sexual harassment, and discriminatory comments are a few of the things prohibited. You can easily block users and report “bad behavior,” after which the person will be warned, suspended, or banned.

When you create your profile, Focusmate lets you choose who you want to be matched with, with the choices of (1) everyone, (2) everyone except men, and (3) everyone except cisgender men. (I chose #3 to prevent myself from having to worry about any potential creepiness.) In your user profile, you can choose one or more of the following for your own gender identity: man, woman, non-binary, transgender, or “prefer not to say” — or add your own gender.

Readers, do tell: Would you ever use something like Focusmate? Have you ever used body doubling to accomplish things?

{related: five ways to improve your focus}

Psst: some of our favorite books on productivity!

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Stock photo via Stencil.