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Body Doubling

bodydoubling.com

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Re: Body Doubling

#41
post #25

I’ve noticed this quite a few times before when working with my systems administrator: He calls me in for a debugging session of a problem he‘s been stuck on for some time and within a few minutes (or less than a minute) he finds the solution. I’ve always seen it as him having to reorganize his thoughts to give me a somewhat structured introduction into the problem. And somewhere along the path he finds the missing p…

This happens to me too but I also find taking a walk is all that I need and often try not to drag other people into it

Re: Body Doubling

#42
post #4

Is this common? Maybe that's one of the reasons that people push for RTO, they can't work alone?

I feel like I'm opposite of this camp or have some excessive attention disorder but not on the spectrum or anything either. I just can't focus at all in this situation, can't work in coffeeshops, could never study in libraries, can't multitask/read/study/create/etc if the TV or radio is on. My brain is kind of single threaded.

I don't even like using productivity tools or todo apps beyond just listing things at a high level on a post it / white board so I don't forget about something and can prioritize/sort them. Creating daily goals and breaking things down into bite sized actions just seems like a waste of time doing what is obvious to accomplish the larger objective IMO.

That said, I do like working in the an out-of-home office. My home does pull me off my screen and I end up tinkering in the yard, cleaning the pool, etc. throughout the day at the expense of GSD

Re: Body Doubling

#43
post #25

I’ve noticed this quite a few times before when working with my systems administrator: He calls me in for a debugging session of a problem he‘s been stuck on for some time and within a few minutes (or less than a minute) he finds the solution. I’ve always seen it as him having to reorganize his thoughts to give me a somewhat structured introduction into the problem. And somewhere along the path he finds the missing p…

Rubber ducking works better with a live duck.

Re: Body Doubling

#44
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are mundane tasks not the most difficult for people with ADHD?

Not sure where your question is headed. Mine was a reply to the parent which focused on difficult tasks.

People with ADHD experience find it more difficult to choose doing mundane tasks when a more stimulating option is present. Additionally, they are more likely to employ unhealthy coping strategies like avoidance when faced with a chore that is associated with negative emotions. This can cascade into a cycle of feeling like a failure for lack of motivation causing further demotivation. So the difficulty isn't in the task, but in choosing to sit with the task and the associated emotional.

Re: Body Doubling

#45
post #4

Is this common? Maybe that's one of the reasons that people push for RTO, they can't work alone?

Anecdotally, I was incredibly productive for a few weeks after switching to forced WFH in 2020. I didn't want to look lazy/bored around my wife, so I did every accumulated task on my list.

Now I use my biweekly office day to clear my backlogged tasks for the same reason: if you want to look busy, might as well work.

Re: Body Doubling

#46
post #4

Is this common? Maybe that's one of the reasons that people push for RTO, they can't work alone?

The reasons that managers/execs push for RTO are complex, and sometimes disingenuous and nefarious. As someone who’s worked remote (and async) and also in big offices, sometimes I see individual workers celebrating RTO for misguided reasons: 1. They use work as a social space 2. They enjoy the break of getting out of their house/from family/partner 3. The ritual of going to and from work as a separate space is helpfu…

I like the walk around the block with a change in lighting. I always preferred an office within a 20 minute walk or bike ride but considered a similar walk around the block approach even writing from home but never got the routine set.

Re: Body Doubling

#47
A friend of mine used to call me with technical/programming issues. He would explain the problem on the phone and suddenly come up with the solution, then thank me profusely even though I didn't really do anything. I don't know whether he was an ADHD case or not, but I thought he was, and he used to speak with a pronounced stutter especially when excited. Spending any time with him would make clear why: thoughts and ideas came at him so fast they were difficult to serialize through speech.

Anyways, I'm not sure whether this is "body doubling" or "rubber ducking", or even if there isn't significant overlap between the two concepts.

Re: Body Doubling

#48
post #32
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We sometimes decry the lack of "third places", neither home nor work (or school). People go there to be social in more flexible ways. I have imagined opening a coffee shop/art gallery by that name. Maybe not such a great name now, since the second places are getting murkier. But the need is still there.

There's a (very good) brewery with an (excellent) tap room in Milwaukee named Third Space Brewing, not such a terrible idea. https://thirdspacebrewing.com . I've setup and worked there many afternoons when I've been in Wisconsin. The drinking culture is different in the upper Midwest though, it's not party thing (always) as much as a social activity. You're not expected to get drunk, think France and wine.

My mom grew up in Wisconsin, in a farm town that was little more than a crossroads with a church, a school (K-8, high schoolers went to the nearest big-town high school), a post office... and a bar. The bar was for the farmers to meet and socialize over a beer. As you said, not really to party, just have human contact and find out what else is going on in the area.

Re: Body Doubling

#49
I happened to do this at work with a coworker, and it was fantastic. I immediately went from being able to get nothing done to being able to be productive.

Re: Body Doubling

#50

This is a concept primarily for people with ADHD by the way, if you're not in this target group you might not understand why it's needed, as we already see in this thread.

If this concept resonates, https://www.flow.club/ is where you'll find people who practice this technique regularly. We use it to do everything from the work we care about and want to be even better at, to work we don't care for like taxes, bills and laundry but have some mental block or emotional resistance to. I think people with ADHD are hyper attuned to the effort that goes into everything from the moment we wake…

I'm just so tired of this VC urge to monetize every possible aspect of human interaction. You're selling yourself as a "community", but instead of actually doing that you lure people in with a free trial, to then use the friendships people make to lock them into a ridiculous 40€/month subscription.

Sorry, but I'm not paying 3x a netflix subscription for what amounts to little more than a glorified discord bot.

Actually, now that I look for it, I found this exact product as a discord server. And would point people there instead: https://discord.com/invite/study

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