So-called body doubling or parallel working, which is working in the presence of others, has gained a following among remote workers who want to feel a sense of community. Nicole Onyia creates that community for hundreds of thousands of viewers when the 24-year-old goes live on TikTok for about five hours daily where she performs her full-time data analyst job while at the same time body doubling.
For remote workers who struggle with ADHD, someone who is body doubling can act as an non-judgmental accountable “other” who helps them deal with staying focused, says Allie K. Campbell, who hosts live “ADHD co-working sessions” on Thursdays on TikTok for her 88,000 followers. Campbell says the practice has “completely changed the game” for her and others who struggle with ADHD when it comes to their productivity.
“It just made my heart happy in a weird way,” Onyia says. “I work from home; I go to school from home; I don’t really leave my apartment a lot. And being able to connect with people from around the world and we’re all working from home together, it’s a really fun feeling.”