I Completed 2000 Focusmate Sessions of Virtual Coworking in Video Calls With Strangers From Around the World

That’s a thing? Yep. It’s called Focusmate, and it helps you focus and get work done.

Screenshot made in Focusmate test session; Coworking space photo by Rodeo Project Management Software on Unsplash; illustration by the author

In February 2021, I surpassed the 1K sessions on Focusmate. Of course, I wrote about it: what it is, how it works, and how it improved my life. With this piece, I’m reassessing my experiences on the platform.

What is Focusmate?

In essence, Focusmate is a calendar where you book coworking sessions with strangers for 25 or 50 minutes in video calls.

During one session, you each work on your own tasks, but together. Your task may be crunching bugs in the terminal, following a morning routine, cleaning the house, or doing taxes. It can be work or self-care-related, on- or off-desk, or something as banal as cooking up tonight’s dinner.

But why would you need someone there when cooking or when doing taxes? You do them by yourself, don’t you?

What is Focusmate *not*?

Focusmate is not a dating service. Making comments or remarks about peoples’ appearance inside sessions or in the community group is inappropriate and unwanted. Focusmate also isn’t a…