How often have you found yourself staring at your computer screen, paralyzed by your inability to start that project you've been putting off for weeks? The frustration builds, the to-do list grows, and yet you remain motionless. For David, a former vice president of a large company and now an entrepreneur with three home-based businesses, this was the daily norm. Despite impeccable organizational systems, something continued to block his productivity. diagnosis late ADHD had finally given a name to his invisible enemy, but not a solution.
Until, almost by accident, he discovered the transformative power of the ADHD body double: a surprisingly simple strategy that is changing the lives of those who struggle with attention.
The secret is in the presence
When I met David, I was struck by how organized his workspace was. No mountains of paper, working systems, everything in its right place. Yet he felt terribly disorganized and distracted. His diagnosis of ADHD as an adult had illuminated a lifetime of struggling with tasks that others seemed to handle with ease.
In the corporate world, David he had always had an assistant who “connected the dots” and closed the circles. Now, with all the time and willpower to do so, he simply couldn’t maintain focus.
It was during one particularly frustrating session that he confessed, with obvious embarrassment, “You know, sometimes if my wife just sits in a chair next to me, I can get a lot more done than I could by myself.” He had reluctantly identified a strategy that actually worked.
What is body double ADHD?
The body double is exactly that: a person who simply occupies the space next to you while you work. They don't have to give advice, they don't have to supervise, they don't even have to talk. Their presence alone creates a sort of anchor that keeps the mental dispersion typical of ADHD at bay.
The body double becomes a model of control and a mirror, confidently reflecting the message: I can concentrate, I'm working, I'm focused.
It's as if the ADHD mind, always looking for new and different stimuli, found in the presence of another person enough novelty to not have to look for other distractions.
Why does it work?
There are several theories as to why this strategy is so effective. The simplest is that the body double acts as a physical anchor for the distracted person, who feels more focused thanks to the presence of another person in their space.
The person with ADHD feels responsible for and towards the body double. This perception translates into “I cannot waste this gift of time”.
Another explanation could be linked to the “mirror neurons“, discovered in the 80s by the neuroscientist Giacomo Rizzolatti. These neurons fire both when we perform an action and when we see someone else perform it. Watching someone concentrate may stimulate the same circuits in our brains.
ADHD, how to find a body double
Who to look for as a body double? Ideally, someone who can be quiet and independent. He can sit, read, work on the computer. His job is not to interact with you.
It takes energy to instruct, supervise, or be interrupted by another person, and this expenditure of energy equates to a distraction. The wife of David he may not have been the ideal person for the role, but he worked in an emergency.
Sometimes, the best solution is to hire someone on a short-term basis, sometimes as a body double and sometimes as an assistant. Knowing when to hire someone to help with work or just to pay the bills is a valuable skill.
An unexpected gift
In the absence of a definitive scientific explanation, the body double remains a seat holder, a space occupier, a karmic anchor, or a wedge between you and the door. Hopefully, it can be a useful tool in your magic bag of tricks, to be used at the right time to get the job done and stay on track.
