An online application of this principle is Focusmate, where you schedule calls with essentially random strangers and just work together. There's very little chit chat and it's not some weird front for a hookup scheme. I've been amazed at how well it works for me. I can't really explain why, after all the other person can't see my screen so I could just be doom scrolling YouTube the whole time, but for some reason I don't. I don't use it all the time, but when I need to get something unappealing done I still use it. I've also used it for exercise, and I've had partners use it for all sorts of weird things that they had been procrastinating. I highly recommend it, I thought it would be far weirder than it turned out to be, and it's really useful.
I 2nd focusmate. I feel like it creates an unwritten contract with my partner when I state my goals for the session. If I get distracted I'm disappointing more than myself.
The more I work with a partner the easier it is to work with focus too. Though I feel it can be double edged sword in some instances where I feel like I owe people progress. Though I feel that's probably a me problem.
Once you've got a few regular partners Focusmate blossoms.
I used https://www.flow.club/ which i found very helpful, they do small groups rather than one on one, and you can sign up ahead of time or join spontaneously
I could have written this. I have ADHD and I've done 500+ FocusMate sessions in the last year. I've found it sticky and helpful like nothing else I've ever tried, and I can't even explain why. It just feels like some kind of brain hack.
There was a recent discussion about body doubling on HN. One of the theories is that prior to modernity, people mostly worked together and that’s how we are wired. Doubly so for us ADHD people, who would tend to partake in hunting, war or such activities.
I've used it for writing sessions and just knocking out random life admin stuff I've been avoiding forever. Definitely not something I use every day, but when I'm stuck, it helps way more than I expected
Hey, you can share your screen in Focusmate. I also started doing body doubling with Focusmate & Focus101 since a month or so, I read about it on HN. Agreed its extremely effective (I have ADHD too). I alternate between the two services so I can stay on the free tiers ;)
This is a completely free discord server that has pomodoro channels, screen share, cam share etc and also tracks your progress. Hope it helps people like it has helped me.
