TikTokers Are Using This Extremely Useful ADHD Hack to Get Work Done

Popular video-sharing app TikTok has been home to countless helpful (and harmful) tips and tricks. The app currently clocks in more than one billion monthly users with numerous thriving subcommunities. One of these subsections is ADHD TikTok, comprising creators and users sharing and trying various coping mechanisms and tips for easier living. The ADHD hashtag has more than six billion views alone on the app.

While communities like this have positives and negatives to them, leading to the potential for dangerous self-diagnosis, they've also offered a wealth of help for the app users.

One of the biggest ADHD hacks shared on TikTok is body doubling. It has spread beyond the ADHD community, becoming a larger self-help resource for users. But what is body doubling and why does it help?

For those with ADHD, body doubling is a known productivity hack to help someone stay on task. Many find that having someone in close proximity makes it easier to complete tasks like homework or household chores, which are typically difficult to focus on when alone.

"Many people with ADHD find it easier to stay focused on housework, homework, bill paying, and other tasks when someone else is around to keep them company," ADDitude Mag writes of the coping mechanism. "The body double may just sit quietly. He may read, listen to music on headphones, or work on the task that the person with ADHD is working on. Hard work is simply more fun when someone else is nearby."

TikTok has proved to be a world of help for many people, especially those who are seeking new methods to cope with their ADHD (or might just now be discovering they could have it). There are plenty of accounts that offer support to neurodivergent people, providing new tips and tricks for those who might not have access to medication to better manage their symptoms.

But instead of just talking about body doubling on TikTok, people are using TikTok to find new body doubles.

Thanks to the live video feature in the app, users are going live while they do their work to hold themselves accountable, inviting anyone who could be watching the live to join them.

These live videos are especially popular around midterms and finals when students' stress levels are particularly high.

Of course, not every user who does this has ADHD — you don't have to have it to use this hack to help you complete your work. Many neurotypical people also find it more enjoyable to work with others as well, and it's really about creating a more productive space for yourself to do the work on your to-do list.

While you shouldn't use social media as a criterion for a diagnosis, there's nothing wrong with using these hacks if they help you in your everyday life.