Here’s something you can do on your own for stress and procrastination. I call it “Aspirin Tapping” because it doesn’t get to the deep causes (which require “Surgery Tapping”) but it can help you feel better quickly.
How To Do Aspirin Tapping
While tapping on the Side of Hand Point, say 3 times, “Even though I have [this feeling], I deeply and completely accept myself,” changing “[this feeling]” to the feeling you are focusing on for that round. Then tap on each point, starting with the Eyebrow Point and ending on the Top of Head Point, at each point saying the feeling you are focusing on.
Ways You Can Use Aspirin Tapping When You Procrastinate
Here are some ways you can use Aspirin Tapping when you find yourself avoiding something or procrastinating in general.
Think about what you want to be doing. Really imagine yourself taking the specific actions you would be taking to do that thing.
Now notice what is going on inside you. Do you have a physical sensation? Is there a message that comes up in your head?
For a physical sensation:
Do Aspirin Tapping on the sensation itself. For example, if you felt butterflies in your stomach when you thought about signing up for that networking event, you would say “Even though I have these butterflies in my stomach, I deeply and completely accept myself” three times while tapping on the Side of Hand Point, then say “these butterflies” while tapping on each of the remaining points. Keep tapping until the sensation subsides enough that you can take the actions you have been avoiding or procrastinating on.
If you want to go further, ask yourself when you’ve felt this same sensation in the past. If an event from your past comes up, just tap while thinking through the memory of that event. Take it slowly, tapping while you think through every detail of the event that comes up. Go through that memory while tapping as many times as it takes to get to the point where it doesn’t have an emotional impact on you any more.
Hint: If you have more than one event related to the sensation, tap on one memory at a time. If you try to tap on more than one memory at a time, you likely won’t make any headway.
Caution: if the memory is traumatic, please don’t try to work on it by yourself. Tapping Practitioners are trained in ways to work on a trauma that won’t re-traumatize you, so please find someone who knows what they’re doing to help you through that kind of memory safely.
For a message:
Tap on the message itself. For example, if you heard yourself thinking “I’ll never amount to anything,” say “Even though I’ll never amount to anything, I deeply and completely accept myself” three times while tapping on the Side of Hand Point, then say “I’ll never amount to anything” while tapping on each of the remaining points. Keep tapping until your reaction to that message has changed from accepting it as true to . . . something else. Something that allows you—or even has you wanting—to take the actions you have been avoiding or procrastinating on.
To go further, ask yourself “Who else does that message sound like?” Or, “When did I tell myself that in the past?” If either of those questions brings up a memory or series of memories, tap on one memory at a time as described in the section on tapping on Physical Sensations. (Again, don’t try to go it alone on a traumatic memory.)
If neither a sensation nor a message come to mind:
Tap while imagining doing each step you would take to accomplish what you are avoiding or procrastinating. If you feel an emotion thinking about that step, plug that into the Aspirin Tapping script (“Even though I feel angry about working on that report, I deeply and completely accept myself” three times on the Side of Hand Point, then “this anger” through the rest of the points.
If you don’t feel any emotion, just tap around the points while saying what you are thinking (“Even though I just don’t want to work on that report . . .” etc.). There are two ways you can accomplish this. You could tap through all the steps in one sitting until you feel ready to take action. Or you can tap on the first step, then go do that step. Next tap on the second step, then go do that second step, and so on. Choose whichever approach fits the situation as well as how you work best.
The key is to just tap when you are procrastinating. That’s the way to get results!
For More Help
If it seems like this is more than you want to do on your own, or if you think you might need Surgery Tapping to get at what is really causing the procrastination, email me. We’ll set up a call to talk about what’s going on and see if I can help.