Focusmate - The Online Coworking Tool for ADHD
What do you do when you have work you need to do and don’t want to do it? That’s a big question in the ADHD world and, unfortunately, there is no One Answer. However, if you’re the kind of person who likes body-doubling, or is totally reliable so long as someone else is counting on you, then Focusmate may be your answer to getting things done. Even if you don’t fit the description above, you should still give Focusmate a try.
“...if you’re the kind of person who likes body-doubling, or is totally reliable so long as someone else is counting on you, then Focusmate may be your answer to getting things done.”
“Where life gets done. Together.” is Focusmate’s tagline. Online Body Doubling may be the best ADHD definition for it. The concept is simple. You log on and you book a 25-, 50- or 75-minute work session. Focusmate matches you with someone you meet up with online at the time you booked. With cameras on, you say hi and share what you are going to be working on, they say hi and share their goal, then you get to work. When the time is over, you touch base and share your accomplishments. Sounds simple right? It is AND it is effective.
Focusmate gets into the science on their website, but the overarching idea is that you have made a commitment to another person to show up at a certain time and work. Most of us are more likely to keep our word if we know there is someone waiting for us. We’re also more likely to do the work we said we’d do if we know we will have to report back to someone at the end of the work session. Additionally, there’s a certain sense of camaraderie knowing you are working with someone else, helping to support their goals while they help you do the same.
I’ve recommended Focusmate to many of my clients. I’ve continued to recommend it because the clients who like it really like it! But since all my information was anecdotal, I recently decided to try it out myself. That’s easy to do because Focusmate is free for three sessions a week. (Note: terms of service are changing at the start of 2023, so these facts may also change). You can start an account without handing over any credit card information. There is a short instructional video that explains how to use it, but it’s not hard. Once you log on there is a very straightforward weekly calendar where you can pick the time you want to and for how long (25-, 50- or 75-minutes). After you make your booking you will be paired up with someone else. When it’s time for your appointment, you log on and start your session. The protocol is to say hi and share what you are going to work on. Then you get to work. I used my session to get my Christmas wrapping done. My partner was using it to do some Christmas shopping. We both turned off our microphones. I left the room to wrap on my big table. He stayed at his computer working. When the time was wrapping up there was a bell to let us know. I shared how many gifts I wrapped, he shared his progress on shopping. We both felt a little bit better.
So what do my clients use Focusmate for? You name it. Slogging through 1,000+ emails, catching up on reports, exercising, house cleaning, writing blogs, meal prep, or practicing guitar. One of the best ways I’ve seen a client utilize Focusmate is for that ADHD “starting hurdle” at the beginning of the day. A 9 am session is a great way to get you sitting at your desk and focused on being productive for the day. With a minimal fee of $10 a month for unlimited use, I have several clients who use it daily. If that "starting hurdle" is problematic for you, why not give it a try? And if you do, let me know how it goes!