I've recently been experimenting with Focusmate, a virtual co-working platform designed to boost productivity through 25 or 75-minute sessions with a randomly chosen work partner. Here are three sessions I experienced on the platform, along with some insights.
Note: Names have been randomly replaced to ensure anonymity of my mates.
Tackling my First Session with John and Breaking Out of My Comfort Zone!
My first session was with John, and I was a bit nervous. I’m not the most social person, so using Focusmate felt like stepping out of my comfort zone. John and I both had our tasks lined up and where ready to go: I intended on improving some metrics for one of our systems, while Jon was busy finishing his journal and generating invoices.
While we worked on our tasks, we stayed quiet, each focused on our goals for the session. As the session came to an end, signaled by a chime, I was curious about what made Focusmate work for John. At that point, I hadn't yet felt a productivity boost—instead, my nervousness had made it easy for me to get distracted.
🗨: " It helps to schedule appointments and set specific goals! Plus, meeting new people and not wanting to disappoint them keeps me coming back!"
John shared his insights about Focusmate, saying, "It helps to schedule appointments and set specific goals. Plus, meeting new people and not wanting to disappoint them keeps me coming back!"
I totally got that — knowing someone else is counting on you, showing up and being there, really ups the motivation. We both wrapped up our tasks and celebrated small wins together. It was a great start!
Quick Burst of Productivity with Mel
Mel and I paired up for a short 25-minute session. I worked on improving a capacity management dashboard while Mel updated a course schedule.
The session went smoothly, and as this was my forth, or so, session, My nervousness was not as prevalent anymore. I stayed focused and on track the whole session.
🗨: "Working in small sessions helps break stuff down!"
Afterwards I had a quick chat with Mel, discussing Focusmate, "Working in small sessions helps break stuff down." Mel mentioned, and I agree on that.
By the end, we were both pleased with our progress. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish in a focused burst!
Unexpected Moments with an Empty Chair
Then came a session with no one — well, almost. I was paired with someone who seemed to have pressing household chores. For two third of the session, I was working alongside an empty chair. It was kind of funny but also a bit weird.
Despite that, I still managed to achieve my goals. When my partner eventually returned, they shared that they had made progress on their household tasks. A brief conversation revealed that they use Focusmate for various types of work and even for leisure activities. It seems that, Focusmate can be used for just about anything, and not just for office/desk Work.
Cancelled Plans and Understanding Mates
I had a session scheduled with Chris, but life got in the way. I had to cancel unexpectedly mid Session. I felt bad about it. But Chris was super understanding. Sometimes, things just come up.
Conclusion
Using Focusmate for a while, has been a surprisingly fun and productive experience. Apart from my initial nervousness or having to deal with technical difficulties. Every session has had its unique charm. It’s been great to be connect with people from different walks of life, each working on their own projects but all united by the desire to be more productive.
🗨:I playfully told a colleague that Focusmate is like "a multiplayer version of the Pomodoro technique, with extra steps 🍅." This might be why it works for me—the structured sessions combined with the chance to make random connections.
My main takeaway is that working "together" is more enjoyable than working alone. Combining this with organizational strategies like scheduling work sessions and setting clear, achievable goals in advance can significantly improve focus and productivity.
I’m looking forward to more sessions, more random connections, and more productivity wins. I’ll probably keep experimenting with Focusmate and might even update this article in the future.
What are your experiences with Focusmate or, in more general Terms, Body doubling?
I would love to get your perspective on this :D
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