Over the last year, NPR graphics reporter Daniel Wood — a busy dad of three — says he’s been able to maintain “a workout cadence I’ve never, ever had before.”

The secret to his good exercise regime? He has an accountability group.

Wood and a few dads in his neighborhood in Cheverly, Md., wake up before their childcare morning duties to drink coffee and lift weights in one of the dad’s garages.

“Through a combination of good encouragement and friendly rivalry, we hold each other accountable to be there,” says Wood.

Accountability buddies or groups can be powerful and effective in helping you complete tasks and reach your objectives, says Ayelet Fishbach, a professor of behavioral science and marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Why accountability buddies work

We’re social animals, says Fishbach. “We know that people work in groups. People have been working in groups from the beginning of time.”

Research has shown that people accomplish more when they buddy up. A 2015 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that couples were more likely to make healthy behavioral changes, such as working out more or cutting back on smoking, if their partner adopted healthy changes too.

So if you’ve struggled to check boxes off your to-do list or achieve your goals, you might benefit from an accountability buddy or group. Here’s what to know.

What kinds of goals should I set with my accountability partner? 

Before you set out to find a buddy, think about a project you need help getting done. Maybe you want to get a new job or start that business or learn how to paint, maybe you want to cook more or do those exercises your physical therapist gave you.

Your partner should have their own goals too. The relationship should be mutually beneficial. Here are a couple ways you can work together.

Work toward a common goal: Leah Shaffer, who lives outside of Houston, works with an accountability buddy to focus on her creative writing goals.

She and her buddy, who is also a writer with their own writing goals, have been meeting every Friday for over a year on Zoom.

Before she met her buddy, she had written maybe one draft of her vampire novel. But this year, she’s rewritten it three times and written two more books, she says. “ I don’t think I would have gotten the work done I hadn’t had my buddy.”

Enforce healthy habits: Francisco Ramirez, who lives in New York, joined forces with an accountability partner to tackle everyday tasks: going for walks, cooking healthy meals and getting out of bed on time.

Every Sunday at 10 a.m, he and his partner meet online. They tell each other what they accomplished, go over any challenges they faced and offer each other encouragement and support.

Where do I find an accountability partner? 

The person should have a shared desire to accomplish their own goals and be willing “to check on you and follow your progress,” says Fishbach.

They should also be able to meet on a consistent basis. “The most helpful buddies are the ones who are going to show up,” says Ramirez.

Not sure where to find a good partner? Here are a few places to look.

Your social network: Wood connected with his workout group when someone at a holiday party invited him. If you already have a friend who you think could be a good fit, ask them.

Your community: Your partner does not have to be someone you already know. Ask around about an existing group that aligns with your interests. “In a sense, a book club is an accountability group” because it helps you stay committed to reading, says Cynthia Pong, founder and CEO of the career coaching firm Embrace Change.

Apps and online platforms: Ramirez uses Focusmate to stay on task. The website matches you with a stranger to co-work over video for 25- 50- or 75-minute sessions. 

He’s attended more than 6,000 of these sessions to do “anything from knocking out contracts, blazing through invoices, writing my book, studying French, writing thank-you notes, whatever it may be,” he says.

The workout app Strava can help you stick to your exercise goals by allowing you to share your workout stats with your followers on the platform. Maybe seeing that your sister posted and completed a long bike ride will help motivate you to get out for your planned run.

How should I structure my accountability meetings?

“There’s really no one recipe that fits all,” says Fishbach. It’s up to you and your partner to decide how often to meet, where to meet and what to talk about.

Ramirez and his partner update a spreadsheet to keep track of their progress. It includes questions like, “How did I do? What worked? What didn’t work?”

Shaffer and her buddy create monthly, quarterly and yearly goals in addition to their weekly ones.

If you aren’t meeting all of your goals, cut yourself some slack. But if you’re not seeing any progress, or you and your partner keep canceling your accountability meet-ups, then Pong says it’s time to check in.

Maybe your buddy will say, “You know, I’m actually not as into this as I thought. Let’s try again in six months.” Or maybe your Zoom meeting time is not convenient for both of you.

Whatever the reason, see how you can adjust the partnership. Maybe you do your check-ins over text. Or maybe you move your meeting time, says Pong.

Keep sticking with your buddy or group, and you may find an unexpected motivator: friendship.

Wood says that ultimately, the social aspect is what gets him to show up and exercise at 5:45 a.m.

Not only does he have a more consistent workout routine, he says — he has a new group of best friends.

The digital story was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visual editor is Beck Harlan. We’d love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at LifeKit@npr.org.

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