We've all been there. We start the week feeling motivated, full of good intentions and ready to tackle our goals. We've made our to-do lists, organised our calendars and promised ourselves that this time we'll actually follow through. But then life gets in the way. Our energy dips, distractions creep in and suddenly those plans don't seem quite so important.
Staying motivated isn't always easy, especially when we're working towards long-term goals or trying to build better habits. Sometimes, we know exactly what we need to do but just can't seem to find the motivation to do it.
So, what if the secret to staying motivated wasn't about finding more willpower? What if it was simply about having someone alongside us?
That's where body doubling comes in. This increasingly popular productivity technique involves working alongside another person to help us stay focused, accountable and motivated. And the best part? We don't even need to be in the same room.
In this guide, we'll explore how body doubling can help us stay motivated, why working alongside other people makes such a difference and how we can use it to build more consistent habits. We'll also look at how the 95 app makes it easier to find accountability and turn our good intentions into meaningful progress.
What Is Body Doubling?
Before we look at how body doubling can improve motivation, let's start with the basics.
Body doubling is a productivity technique where we work alongside another person while each focusing on our own individual tasks. The other person doesn't need to help us, supervise us or even talk to us. Their presence alone can provide a sense of structure and accountability that makes it easier to get things done.
For example, imagine we've been putting off an important project all week. Every time we sit down to work, we find something else to do. But when a friend joins us for a focused working session, we suddenly find it easier to get started and stick with the task.
That's body doubling. We're still responsible for our own goals, but we're no longer trying to make progress entirely on our own.
Body doubling is often associated with ADHD, as some people with ADHD find it particularly helpful for managing challenges with task initiation, focus and executive functioning. However, it's not exclusively for people with ADHD. Anyone who struggles with procrastination, motivation or consistency can give it a try.
Can Body Doubling Help You Stay Motivated?
The short answer is yes. Body doubling can be a useful way to maintain motivation, particularly when we're finding it difficult to get started or stay consistent.
Motivation is often treated as something we either have or don't have. We imagine that productive people wake up every morning feeling inspired and ready to tackle their goals. In reality, motivation naturally fluctuates. We all have days when we'd rather do anything other than the task sitting in front of us.
Body doubling offers another way to approach this problem. Instead of waiting until we feel motivated, we can create an environment that encourages us to take action.
Here are six ways working alongside others can help us stay motivated.
1. It Makes Getting Started Easier
One of the biggest obstacles to motivation is getting started. We might have a clear idea of what we want to achieve, but the gap between thinking about doing something and actually doing it can feel enormous.
This is particularly true when we're facing a large or complicated task. Whether we're writing an assignment, launching a business or tackling a pile of household admin, it's easy to feel overwhelmed before we've even begun.
Body doubling can help us overcome that initial resistance.
When we arrange to work alongside someone else, we're making a small commitment to show up. We don't necessarily need to feel motivated, and we don't need to have everything figured out. We just need to turn up and get started.
Once we're working, we often find that taking the first step creates momentum for the next one. What initially felt like an impossible task can suddenly seem much more manageable.
2. It Creates a Sense of Accountability
Let's be honest: it's much easier to let ourselves down than it is to let someone else down.
When we're working alone, there's nobody to notice if we abandon our plans halfway through the day. We can put things off, change our priorities or decide that we'll try again tomorrow without having to explain ourselves.
Body doubling introduces a gentle form of accountability. Knowing that someone else is working alongside us can encourage us to stick to our intentions and make better use of our time.
It's not about pressure or judgement. We don't need someone checking up on us every five minutes. Instead, we're creating a shared commitment to making progress.
This can be particularly helpful when we're trying to build new habits. Showing up regularly, even when we don't feel particularly motivated, helps us develop a more consistent approach to our goals.
3. It Helps Us Overcome Procrastination
Procrastination isn't always about being lazy or not caring about our goals. Sometimes, we're simply struggling with the emotional or mental effort involved in getting something done.
We might feel overwhelmed, uncertain about where to start or worried that we won't do a good enough job. As a result, we put the task off and look for something easier or more enjoyable to do instead.
Working alongside another person can help break this cycle. Rather than sitting alone and trying to convince ourselves to begin, we become part of a shared working environment.
Seeing other people concentrating on their own tasks can provide a helpful nudge to do the same. We can stop overthinking, focus on one small action and start making progress.
Over time, body doubling can become a useful tool for interrupting procrastination before it takes over our day.
4. It Creates Positive Social Motivation
Humans are social creatures. Even when we're working towards individual goals, the people around us can have a significant influence on our behaviour.
Think about the difference between exercising alone and attending a group fitness class. We might be doing exactly the same workout, but having other people there can make the experience feel more enjoyable and encourage us to keep going.
The same principle applies to productivity.
When we're surrounded by people who are making an effort, it can create a positive atmosphere that encourages us to do the same. We don't need to compete with anyone or measure our progress against theirs. Simply knowing that other people are showing up and putting in the work can be motivating.
Body doubling allows us to benefit from this shared energy while still working towards our own individual goals.
5. It Makes Big Goals Feel More Manageable
Long-term goals can be difficult to stay motivated about because the results aren't always immediate.
We might want to write a book, grow a business, learn a new skill or improve our fitness. These ambitions are exciting, but they also require time, effort and consistency.
When progress feels slow, it's easy to lose enthusiasm. We can start questioning whether our efforts are making any difference, especially when we're not seeing immediate results.
Body doubling encourages us to focus on the actions we can take today rather than worrying about how far we have to go.
Instead of thinking about writing an entire book, we can commit to a 25-minute writing session. Rather than trying to transform our business overnight, we can spend one focused session working on an important project.
Breaking our ambitions into smaller actions makes them feel more achievable. And when we have someone alongside us, we're more likely to show up and complete those smaller steps.
6. It Helps Us Build Consistency
Motivation gets us started, but consistency is what helps us make lasting progress.
We don't need to feel inspired every day to work towards our goals. In fact, waiting for motivation to arrive can be one of the biggest reasons we struggle to maintain momentum.
By incorporating body doubling into our routines, we can create regular opportunities to focus and make progress. We might schedule a few sessions each week, join an online coworking group or arrange to work alongside a friend at the same time each morning.
Having this structure makes it easier to develop a routine. Rather than deciding whether we feel like working each day, we have an established time to show up.
And the more regularly we do it, the more natural the habit can become.
How to Use Body Doubling to Stay Motivated
We don't need to completely change our routines to benefit from body doubling. Getting started can be surprisingly simple.
Here are a few practical ways we can introduce it into our everyday lives.
Choose a clear goal for each session
Before we begin, let's decide what we'd like to achieve. It doesn't need to be anything complicated. We might want to finish a report, revise a particular topic, organise our workspace or spend some time planning an upcoming project.
Having a specific goal gives our session direction and makes it easier to recognise our progress afterwards.
Find someone to work alongside
Our body double could be a friend, colleague, family member or another person from an online accountability community. We don't need to be working on the same thing, and we don't even need to know each other particularly well.
The important thing is that we're both committed to spending some focused time getting things done.
Use a timer to create structure
We can make our sessions more manageable by using a Pomodoro-style timer. This involves working for a set period, usually 25 minutes, before taking a short break.
Knowing that we only need to concentrate for a specific amount of time can make difficult tasks feel less intimidating. We can always extend the session if we're in the flow.
Remove unnecessary distractions
Let's make it easier to stay focused by putting our phones away, closing unnecessary tabs and preparing everything we'll need before starting.
We won't eliminate every distraction, and that's fine. The aim is to create an environment that makes concentrating a little easier.
Celebrate small wins
It's important to recognise our progress, even when it feels relatively small. Completing a task we've been avoiding, showing up for a session or sticking to a new routine are all worth acknowledging.
When we start recognising these small achievements, we can build a more positive relationship with productivity and stay encouraged for the next session.
Can Virtual Body Doubling Work?
Absolutely. We don't need to share a physical space with someone to experience the benefits of body doubling.
Virtual body doubling works on the same principle as traditional body doubling, but it allows us to connect with other people online. We can join a virtual coworking session, arrange a video call with a friend or use an app designed to bring people together for focused working sessions.
This is particularly useful for remote workers, freelancers, students and anyone who spends a lot of time working independently.
Virtual body doubling also gives us more flexibility. We don't need to organise travel, find a suitable workspace or coordinate complicated schedules. We can simply join an online session when we're ready to get things done.
And we don't necessarily need to switch on our cameras or have conversations. Sometimes, the knowledge that other people are working alongside us is all the encouragement we need.
How 95 Helps Us Stay Motivated Through Body Doubling
At 95, we believe that achieving our goals is easier when we have the right people around us.
We know how frustrating it can be to start something with enthusiasm, only to find that our motivation disappears a few days later. We also know that endless to-do lists and productivity hacks aren't always enough to help us follow through.
That's why we've created an accountability network designed to help people make progress together.
One of the ways we do this is through Focus Together, our virtual body doubling feature.
With Focus Together, we can join other people in a shared online space and work towards our individual goals. It's a simple way to bring a little more structure, connection and accountability into our working day.
Work alongside other people
We can join a room with people who are also looking to make progress. Everyone has their own tasks and priorities, but we're sharing the same intention: to focus and get things done.
That shared experience can make it easier to show up, particularly on days when our motivation is running low.
Use focused Pomodoro sessions
We can choose what we want to work on and use a Pomodoro timer to create a dedicated block of focused time. Instead of worrying about everything on our to-do list, we can concentrate on one manageable session at a time.
Enjoy accountability without the awkwardness
Focus Together doesn't require webcams, microphones or small talk. We can enjoy the benefits of virtual body doubling without feeling like we're attending another online meeting.
It's a relaxed way to work alongside others while staying focused on our own priorities.
Make our progress visible
We can use photos at the beginning and end of a session to mark what we're working on and recognise the progress we've made. These small moments of accountability help us turn good intentions into action.
And Focus Together is just one part of what we can do with 95.
We can also find accountability partners, connect with like-minded people, join groups and track our habits. Whether we're working towards personal, professional or lifestyle goals, we can build a support network that helps us keep moving forward.
Because at 95, we don't believe we need to do everything alone.
What If We Still Struggle to Stay Motivated?
It's important to remember that body doubling isn't a magic fix. There will still be days when we're tired, distracted or simply not in the mood to work.
And that's completely normal.
The aim isn't to become productive every minute of every day. It's to find ways of making progress that feel realistic and sustainable.
If we're struggling to stay motivated, we can try a few simple adjustments:
Make the task smaller: If something feels overwhelming, let's break it into smaller steps. Starting with just five minutes can be enough to build momentum.
Change our environment: Sometimes, a different setting can help us reset. We might try working somewhere quieter, joining a virtual coworking session or changing our usual routine.
Adjust our expectations: We don't need every session to be perfect. Some days we'll achieve more than others, and that's fine. Showing up consistently is often more important than having one incredibly productive day.
Reconnect with our reasons: When motivation starts to fade, it can help to remind ourselves why we started in the first place. What are we working towards, and why does it matter to us?
Find the right people: Surrounding ourselves with supportive people can make a real difference. We want accountability that encourages us, celebrates our progress and helps us get back on track when things don't go to plan.
Final Thoughts: Motivation Is Easier When We Do It Together
So, can body doubling help us stay motivated? Absolutely. By working alongside other people, we can create a sense of accountability, overcome procrastination and build the momentum needed to keep making progress.
It reminds us that we don't have to rely on motivation alone. We can create supportive environments, establish routines and surround ourselves with people who encourage us to show up, even when we'd rather put things off.
Whether we're studying, working remotely, building a business or trying to develop healthier habits, body doubling offers a simple way to make the journey feel less overwhelming.
At 95, we're bringing people together to make accountability a natural part of everyday life. Through Focus Together, accountability partners and supportive communities, we can find the encouragement we need to turn our ambitions into action.
We don't need to wait until we feel motivated. We just need to take the first step, find our people and keep showing up.
Ready to make progress together? Join 95 and discover how Focus Together can help us stay focused, motivated and accountable. Get started with seven days of Focus Together free, with no card required. Find your people and take that first step by registering free here.