SWAN Spaces - Body Doubling

What is body doubling?

Body doubling is any activity where a group of people get together to work together in order to keep each other from getting distracted. The idea has become popular through neurodiverse communities because it can be very helpful for people who struggle with motivation, focus, executive function, etc.

What you might body double:

• Meal planning, cooking, or eating
• Decluttering a doom pile or area at home
• Starting or completing a project
• Administration tasks you've been avoiding
• Creative work, organizing—anything at all

How it will work:
Welcome: 6-6.05
We'll start with a brief introduction and check in, where you can share in the chat what you're planning to focus on in the session.

Focus time - 6.05-6.30During this time you can continue to use the chat function freely. You can choose whether to turn your camera off or have it on.

Break 6.30-6.35
This is an opportunity to get a drink, have a stretch or update the chat on how your tasks are going so far.
We'll open an optional "mics on" breakout room for those who would like to have a chat or socialise for 5 minutes.
You are welcome to stay in the main room and continue working through the break.

Focus time 6.35-6.55
Once we're 5 minutes from the end of the session, we'll let people know we only have a few minutes left, and then say goodbye at 7pm. Feel free to share in the chat how you got on today.

Things to consider:
• Late arrivals welcomed without explanation
• Participants can step away as needed without announcing why
• Different work styles accepted—some may need to move, others to be completely still
• Please respect everybody's differences in goals and task choice, productivity or energy levels, and participation styles

Rules and values

Please read our Guidelines & Rules before you come along to any of our SWAN Places groups, to help ensure they are safe, supportive and friendly spaces.

Core values

• No demand space: Each person joins for their own needs, no pressure to chat or have camera on

• Unmasking welcomed: Permission to be authentically themselves

• All tasks valid: Body doubling can be for ANYTHING—executive dysfunction support for daily tasks, admin, creative projects, self-care.

Who is this group for?

SWAN groups are for safe spaces for autistic women and non-binary people to come together

- SWAN is inclusive of all women, cis or trans. We also welcome non-binary, intersex and gender non-conforming people who share or have shared lived experiences of women’s issues and are comfortable in a space that centres women.

- SWAN is inclusive of all autistic women including those who are exploring if they are autistic, who self identify as autistic or are clinically diagnosed (private or NHS)

If these descriptions do not match you we would ask that you do not attend our webinars unless they are specifically stated to be for non-autistic individuals.

SWAN Spaces are safe and confidential spaces, facilitated by autistic volunteers.

There is no presentation, no set agenda and no obligation to participate.

Accessibility -

We aim to make our groups as accessible as possible. You are free to participate as little or as much as you feel comfortable - join in the text chat, stim, bring your pets along, or just watch and listen with your camera on or off.

If there is anything we can do to make the experience more accessible for you please do get in touch with us ahead of the meet up: body.doubling@swanscotland.org