A hack for completing unpleasant financial tasks

The term “body doubling” might make you think of someone completing a task for you, like a stand-in who does stunts for an actor, but it can also refer to using someone else’s presence to help you focus on your own task.

While the technique has been used for years among people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, financial experts said that people outside of the ADHD community can also find body doubling helpful to get money tasks done, especially if they are struggling to get started or remain focused.

You could dial into a video conference filled with strangers while you revamp your budget on your own, or you could sit with your partner or friend while you pay bills or organize receipts.

“The social presence of somebody doing a task with you makes you feel like you’re not alone and allows you to get it done,” said Dave DeWitt, a certified financial planner with offices in Wayne, Pennsylvania, who specializes in serving clients with ADHD.

He added, “It helps you feel supported,” especially when you’re working on something that can be overwhelming like financial to-dos.

“I use it all the time,” said Vanessa Dean, an online money coach who specializes in serving clients with ADHD and also has ADHD herself. “It gives me something else to focus on and holds me accountable.” She adds that she often body doubles with her clients by sitting on Zoom with them.

If you want to give body doubling a try, financial experts suggest keeping the following guideposts in mind:

PICK A SPECIFIC TASK

Christine Hargrove, a researcher and clinician who specializes in financial therapy and ADHD treatment in Athens, Georgia, said she’s had clients find body doubling helpful when they fill out financial aid forms like the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. “The emotional availability, the physical presence, a little background noise — it helps them get in the zone where they can do it,” she said, even if it’s just working in the presence of a roommate.

FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU

Body doubling can take different forms, Hargrove said. Some people might prefer a silent partner who’s doing an unrelated task, like folding laundry, while others might prefer a group setting of people focused on the same thing.

One easy way to try body doubling is to ask a friend to get on a video call with you where you both tackle tasks side by side without interaction. “Just make sure you’re both going to do it and not chitchat,” Hargrove said.

FINANCIAL PRIVACY

Body doubling doesn’t mean sacrificing privacy or security when it comes to your finances, the experts said. One suggests avoiding working on taxes in a public setting, logging in to financial accounts on public Wi-Fi or sharing your screen while body doubling if it would reveal personal financial information.