Question 1

What is body doubling?

Accepted Answer

Working while somebody else works nearby. That is the whole idea. It is not accountability and nobody is checking on you — the other person just being there makes starting easier, and makes drifting off feel more obvious than it does alone.

Question 2

Why does it work with someone you have never met?

Accepted Answer

Partly because there is no small talk to get through, and partly because a stranger has no opinion about what you are working on. There is nothing to explain and nothing to live up to. Plenty of people find it easier than sitting with a friend for exactly that reason.

Question 3

How long should a session be?

Accepted Answer

Long enough to get past the first ten minutes, which are the hard ones. Twenty-five is a good default if you are not sure. You each run your own timer and you are matched with whoever is waiting, so the two of you do not have to want the same thing — when one timer runs out, we look for someone else for whoever is still going.

Question 4

Is it free? Do I need an account?

Accepted Answer

Free, and no account. It runs in your browser. Signing up means your focus time is saved and your pet grows with it, but nothing here is behind that.

Question 5

What happens if the other person leaves?

Accepted Answer

Your timer keeps running — their leaving is not your problem to solve. We look for somebody else in the background, and you can turn that off if you would rather finish on your own.

Question 6

Can we talk to each other?

Accepted Answer

No. There is no chat, no video and no way to send anything. Two pets on a screen and two timers. That is deliberate: it keeps the room safe without needing anyone to moderate it, and it means you can leave without it being awkward.

Question 7

Is there an app?

Accepted Answer

Yappie has a desktop app for Windows and Mac, with the same focus timer and your pet growing across every session.

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