Tl;dr: Shimmer is an ADHD coaching platform designed to help neurodivergent adults reach their full potential. We’re excited to introduce the Body Doubling experience, tailored specifically for ADHD brains. The sessions are hosted by Shimmer ADHD Coaches, combining motivation levers like interest, urgency, and community to keep you focused and productive. Join a session to get stuff done the ADHD way!
Background: Shimmer’s ADHD Coaching System
Shimmer is the leading ADHD Coaching Platform, built by and for people with ADHD. We created Shimmer two years ago, after I was diagnosed with ADHD and struggled to find an affordable, quality ADHD coach.
Since then, Shimmer has grown tremendously alongside my own understanding of my ADHD and journey through ADHD coaching. We’ve had the privilege of facilitating over 31,000+ ADHD coaching sessions and reaching millions of ADHD community members around the globe with our advocacy efforts.
If you’re new here, a bit on how Shimmer works:
- Shimmer’s ADHD Coaching Program was designed by top experts in ADHD and coaching psychology and is rooted in Health & Wellness Coaching, Positive Psychology, and Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT).
- You’re matched with an expert Shimmer ADHD coach who partners with you to improve your quality of life. Your Shimmer ADHD coach will support you in identifying goals and reaching them through increased self-awareness and targeted skill, routine, and habit building.
- Practically, you’ll meet with your Shimmer ADHD coach weekly over video, complete your “actions” (coaching homework) throughout the week, and engage in our various community and accountability features in the app—including body doubling!
Body Doubling
Body doubling is a productivity technique where someone works alongside you, either in person or virtually, to help maintain focus and reduce distractions. This strategy has gained popularity, especially in neurodivergent communities, for its ability to boost productivity by leveraging shared energy and accountability.
Where Generic Body Doubling Options Fall Short
Most body doubling services focus solely on providing a co-working environment. While this can be helpful, we’ve found that in order to create a sustained body doubling habit, those of us with ADHD need a little bit more. Generic body doubling doesn’t account for the unique motivation levers that are essential for people with ADHD to maintain focus and productivity. Without addressing these specific needs, body doubling can feel incomplete and unsatisfying, leaving those with ADHD struggling to stay engaged or abandoning the habit completely.
The Solution: Shimmer Body Doubling for Neurodivergent Adults
At Shimmer, we recognized that body doubling needed to be more tailored to the neurodivergent experience. That’s why we’ve infused our body doubling sessions with the motivational elements that matter most to those with ADHD, creating a dynamic and supportive environment that goes beyond traditional methods.
Infusing Body Doubling with Neurodivergent Motivation Levers
Our approach to body doubling is grounded in six key motivation levers that help individuals with ADHD stay engaged:
- Interest: Connecting personal interests to a task stimulates dopamine production in ADHD brains, boosting focus and engagement.
- Urgency: A sense of urgency also boosts dopamine, which helps ADHD individuals clarify and prioritize their most important tasks.
- Newness: Since ADHD brains have underactive reward centers, which decreases motivation, introducing novelty captures attention and keeps ADHD brains engaged.
- Accountability: ADHD brains are often more externally than internally motivated, making external accountability key for goal-directed persistence.
- Challenge: Appropriate challenges stimulate focus and persistence by incorporating elements of fun, novelty, and urgency, boosting dopamine production and providing a sense of accomplishment.
- Community: Loneliness saps the levels of crucial neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for motivation, so involvement in a supportive community fosters motivation through connection.
An Iterative Community Effort: How We Designed This with Our Members
The first version of Shimmer’s body doubling experience started as a simple concept—virtual sessions over Zoom. In each session, we tested various questions and hypotheses, such as “What intro prompt gets the most engagement and connection, and why?” and “Which Pomodoro clocks do members like the most, and why?” We consistently asked our members for their feedback.
Our members played a crucial role in shaping the service, helping us identify what worked and what needed improvement. From day one, each aspect of Shimmer has been designed with the community, and we’re really proud of the team effort.
After months of research, collaboration with our Coaching & Clinical team, and iteration with our members, we’ve finally refined the experience to a level we’re excited to launch.
Shimmer Body Doubling Unveiled
Our final product, Shimmer Body Doubling, is more than just a co-working space—it’s a tailored experience designed to meet the unique needs of neurodivergent adults. Here’s how it works:
- Check-in & Connect with Other ADHD-ers: Start each session by connecting with fellow members, creating a sense of community and shared purpose.
- Commit to Discrete Tasks to Stay Accountable: Set specific goals for the session and check them off as you go—dopamine rush, check!
- Check Out Other People’s Tasks for Inspiration: See what others are working on, for accountability and motivation.
- Visualize Time Using the Pomodoro Method: Our sessions use the Pomodoro technique to break work into manageable intervals, helping members stay focused.
- Keep Things Novel with Unique 5-Minute Rest Points: Between work sessions, we incorporate fun and novel activities during breaks to reset attention.
- Get Support from ADHD Peers & the Expert ADHD Coach Host: Questions are answered & roadblocks are unblocked when you have an entire community of people with ADHD at your fingertips.
Curious to learn more? Take a look into our Body Doubling launch on Product Hunt (we’d appreciate the support!) or by signing up for a coach at app.shimmer.care.
We’re Building A More Neuro-Inclusive World: Neurodivergent People Can Do Great Things, Together
At Shimmer, we believe that neurodivergent individuals have immense potential, and our body doubling sessions are designed to help unlock it. By combining the power of community with evidence-based strategies, we’re proving that ADHD is not a barrier to success but a different path to greatness. Together, we can achieve incredible things. Join us and see how far you can go.
