I recently received this heartfelt message that I wanted to share with you:
“I would really like to feel and see real results when it comes to sitting and focusing on work that I am desperate to do but I am just dragging out. I am pretty weak in the discipline area and I would like to know if tapping can help me to stop procrastinating at every unknown point and just plough through. I know I can do the work and I want to do it but I struggle intensely in just sitting there and getting the important stuff done. I don’t want a pseudo result, I want something actual, that I can feel working and that produces results. I don’t want to try and pretend to myself that this is working if it’s not, right now I am simply desperate to try anything that gives actual results. Do you think that tapping will produce results?” -Tessa
Tessa, I can feel the frustration radiating from your words, and I want you to know that you’re not alone in this struggle. The gap between knowing what you need to do, genuinely wanting to do it, and yet feeling somehow incapable of just sitting down and getting started is one of the most common human experiences.
And let me be clear about something: This isn’t a character flaw. It’s not a moral failing. You’re not “weak in the discipline area” — you’re experiencing a very specific neurological pattern that Tapping can effectively address.
I appreciate your directness in asking for real results, not pseudo-solutions. That’s exactly the approach I believe in too. So let’s dive into what’s really happening when procrastination takes over, and how Tapping can help break this cycle in a tangible, measurable way.
The Procrastination Paradox: Why Willpower Isn’t Enough
Here’s something fascinating about procrastination that most people don’t realize: It’s not primarily a time management problem or a discipline issue. It’s actually a nervous system response.
Think about it — you’re clearly motivated. You say you’re “desperate to do” the work. You know you’re capable. Your conscious mind is fully on board with getting started.
So why doesn’t your body cooperate? Why, when you sit down to work, does your mind suddenly find a million other things to do instead?
The answer lies in what I call the “Procrastination Paradox.” The tasks we procrastinate on most often trigger subtle stress responses in our bodies. Our primitive brain perceives the task as a threat — perhaps because it fears failure, judgment, or simply the discomfort of focusing on something challenging.
When that happens, your nervous system shifts into protection mode. And in that state, your higher reasoning brain (which knows you should get started) gets overridden by your primitive brain (which is trying to “protect” you by avoiding the perceived threat).
This is why willpower alone rarely works. You’re not just fighting laziness — you’re fighting your body’s deeply wired protection mechanisms.
Why Traditional Approaches Often Fail
The reason most conventional advice about procrastination fails is that it addresses the wrong problem. Tips like “just start,” “use the Pomodoro technique,” or “reward yourself after completing tasks” can be helpful, but they’re trying to solve with logic what is fundamentally an emotional and physiological response.
It’s like trying to calm someone having a panic attack by explaining that there’s nothing to be afraid of. Logically, they may know this — but their body is still in fight-or-flight mode.
Similarly, when you’re procrastinating, your body is in a subtle resistance state. You can’t just think your way out of it — you need to address the physiological response directly.
And this is where Tapping shines.
How Tapping Addresses the Root of Procrastination
Tapping works directly with your nervous system to interrupt the stress response that triggers procrastination. Here’s what happens when you tap:
- Nervous System Regulation: Tapping sends calming signals to the amygdala, the part of your brain that triggers the stress response. This helps shift you out of “protection mode” and into a more regulated state.
- Breaking Automatic Patterns: Procrastination is often an automatic pattern that your brain runs on repeat. Tapping interrupts this loop and creates space for new responses.
- Processing Underlying Emotions: Often, procrastination hides deeper emotions like fear of failure, perfectionism, or feeling overwhelmed. Tapping helps you process these emotions rather than avoid them.
- Creating New Neural Pathways: As you tap while focusing on getting started, you’re literally rewiring your brain to associate beginning your work with calm rather than stress.
I’ve seen countless people break through years-long procrastination habits with Tapping, often experiencing a shift after just one or two sessions. And the beauty is, when you feel it working, you’ll know — there’s no pretending or placebo effect. You’ll actually feel different when you sit down to work.
Fear of Criticism: The Hidden Procrastination Trigger
When I work with people on procrastination, one of the most powerful revelations often comes when they discover that their avoidance isn’t about laziness or poor discipline at all — it’s their brain’s way of protecting them from perceived criticism.
Think about it: What happens in your body when you imagine someone harshly critiquing your work? For most people, there’s an immediate tension — perhaps in your chest, your shoulders, or your stomach. Your breathing might become shallow. Your heart rate might increase slightly.
This is your nervous system responding to criticism as a threat. And it makes evolutionary sense! Throughout human history, group rejection could mean literal danger to survival. Being criticized signals potential rejection, and your primitive brain responds accordingly.
Here’s where the procrastination paradox deepens: When you sit down to work on something important, your brain fast-forwards to the moment your work might be judged. It doesn’t distinguish between actual criticism happening now and potential criticism that might happen later. Your nervous system responds to both the same way — by trying to protect you.
And how does it protect you? By creating resistance to starting the task at all. After all, if you never complete the work, it can never be criticized!
I see this pattern constantly in my work. A client will describe feeling mysteriously blocked when trying to write that report, create that presentation, or finish that creative project. When we tap into the underlying emotions, we often uncover a deep fear of how others might judge their efforts.
The data supports this too. Our “Releasing the Fear of Criticism” Tapping meditation in The Tapping Solution App shows fascinating patterns. Users report an average starting intensity level of 6.4 out of 10 when focusing on their fear of criticism — higher than many other emotional challenges. But after Tapping, they experience an average 48% decrease in that intensity. That’s nearly half of that fear melting away in a single session!
For many people, addressing this fear of criticism directly through Tapping creates an almost immediate sense of relief. The work hasn’t changed, but their body’s response to it has. That’s what creates the real, tangible shift in being able to get started.
Let’s Tap on Procrastination Together
Now, let’s work directly on your procrastination with a Tapping sequence. As we tap, we’ll address several layers that might be contributing to your struggle.
Before we start, take a moment to think about a specific task you’ve been procrastinating on. On a scale of 0-10, rate how difficult it feels to get started on that task, with 10 being extremely difficult.
Now, let’s begin:
Tapping on the side of the hand:
“Even though I struggle intensely to sit down and focus on important work, even when I desperately want to do it, I deeply and completely accept myself and how I feel.”
“Even though part of me resists getting started, no matter how much another part of me wants to do the work, I accept all parts of myself and how I feel right now.”
“Even though I feel like I’m weak in the discipline area, maybe there’s more to this pattern than just lack of willpower, and I’m open to discovering what’s really happening when I procrastinate.”
Eyebrow: “This intense struggle to get started”
Side of the eye: “Even though I know I can do the work”
Under the eye: “Even though I want to do the work”
Under the nose: “Something keeps stopping me”
Under the mouth: “This frustrating resistance”
Collarbone: “It feels like I’m just weak in the discipline area”
Under the arm: “But what if it’s not about discipline at all?”
Top of the head: “What if my body is trying to protect me somehow?”
Eyebrow: “What am I afraid might happen if I start this work?”
Side of the eye: “What if I don’t do it perfectly?”
Under the eye: “What if it’s too overwhelming once I start?”
Under the nose: “What if I can’t finish what I start?”
Under the mouth: “All these fears under the surface”
Collarbone: “My body might be trying to protect me from these fears”
Under the arm: “By keeping me from starting at all”
Top of the head: “That’s actually pretty clever, even if it’s not helpful”
Eyebrow: “I don’t need this protection anymore”
Side of the eye: “I can handle whatever comes up in this work”
Under the eye: “I don’t need to do it perfectly”
Under the nose: “I just need to begin”
Under the mouth: “My nervous system can learn that starting is safe”
Collarbone: “I can rewire this old pattern”
Under the arm: “I can teach my body that taking action feels good”
Top of the head: “I can create a new response to getting started”
Take a deep breath and check in with yourself. How does it feel to think about starting that task now? Has the intensity shifted at all?
Digging Deeper: The 4 Hidden Barriers to Focus
Through my years of working with people on procrastination, I’ve noticed that most struggles with getting started fall into four main categories. Let’s call these the “4 Hidden Barriers to Focus.” Identifying which ones are affecting you can help you tap more specifically on your unique challenges:
1. The Perfectionism Trap
If you find yourself procrastinating because you’re afraid your work won’t be good enough, this is your primary barrier. The thought of starting triggers a fear of inadequacy or failure.
“If you’re waiting for the perfect time to begin, you’ll be waiting forever. Perfect isn’t a time, it’s a process that begins with an imperfect start.”
Tapping for Perfectionism:
Tapping on the side of the hand:
“Even though I’m afraid my work won’t be good enough, and that makes me avoid starting altogether, I accept how I feel and I’m open to a new perspective.”
Eyebrow: “I need this to be perfect”
Side of the eye: “And that’s making it impossible to start”
Under the eye: “This fear of not being good enough”
Under the nose: “It’s safer not to try than to try and fail”
Under the mouth: “But what if ‘good enough’ is actually enough?”
Collarbone: “What if I could value progress over perfection?”
Under the arm: “What if starting imperfectly is better than not starting at all?”
Top of the head: “I give myself permission to begin, even if it’s not perfect”
2. The Overwhelm Override
If you look at your task and immediately feel flooded by how much there is to do, this is your barrier. Your nervous system goes into protection mode because the task feels too big to handle.
Tapping for Overwhelm:
Tapping on the side of the hand:
“Even though this task feels completely overwhelming, and my brain shuts down when I try to start, I accept my feelings and I know I can break this down into manageable steps.”
Eyebrow: “There’s too much to do”
Side of the eye: “I don’t know where to start”
Under the eye: “It’s too big, too complicated”
Under the nose: “My brain feels overloaded just thinking about it”
Under the mouth: “So it shuts down instead”
Collarbone: “But what if I don’t need to see the whole path?”
Under the arm: “What if I just need to see the next small step?”
Top of the head: “I can break this down into tiny, manageable pieces”
3. The Clarity Confusion
If you find yourself procrastinating because you’re not exactly sure what to do or how to approach the task, this is your barrier. The uncertainty triggers avoidance.
“The reason most of us procrastinate isn’t laziness — it’s that our nervous system perceives the task as a threat and is trying to protect us from it.”
Tapping for Lack of Clarity:
Tapping on the side of the hand:
“Even though I’m not exactly sure how to approach this task, and that uncertainty makes me avoid it altogether, I accept how I feel and I’m willing to gain clarity through action.”
Eyebrow: “I’m not sure what to do”
Side of the eye: “I don’t know the best approach”
Under the eye: “This uncertainty makes me freeze”
Under the nose: “I need perfect clarity before I can start”
Under the mouth: “But what if clarity comes through action?”
Collarbone: “What if I don’t need to know the whole process?”
Under the arm: “What if I can figure it out as I go?”
Top of the head: “I give myself permission to start before I have perfect clarity”
4. The Meaning Mismatch
If you procrastinate because the task doesn’t feel meaningful or connected to your values, this is your barrier. Your resistance might be telling you something important about alignment.
Tapping for Meaning Mismatch:
Tapping on the side of the hand:
“Even though this task doesn’t feel meaningful or important to me, and that makes it hard to start, I accept how I feel and I’m open to finding value or purpose in this work.”
Eyebrow: “This doesn’t feel meaningful”
Side of the eye: “It’s hard to motivate myself for something I don’t care about”
Under the eye: “This resistance might be telling me something”
Under the nose: “But maybe there’s value I’m not seeing”
Under the mouth: “Maybe this connects to something I do care about”
Collarbone: “Or maybe it’s a stepping stone to something important”
Under the arm: “I can find meaning even in tasks that aren’t inherently exciting”
Top of the head: “I’m open to discovering purpose in this work”
Beyond Tapping: Creating Your Productivity Reset Ritual
While Tapping is incredibly effective on its own, I’ve found that combining it with a simple ritual can amplify its effects, especially for procrastination. Here’s a 5-minute “Productivity Reset Ritual” that incorporates Tapping:
- Set a clear intention for what you want to work on and for how long. Be specific and realistic.
- Do 2 minutes of Tapping using the sequences above, focusing on whatever resistance you feel toward getting started.
- Start with a “tiny step” so small it feels almost ridiculous. The key is just to begin.
This ritual works because it addresses both the nervous system response (through Tapping) and creates clear physical and mental transitions that signal to your brain that it’s time to focus.
The Science Behind Why This Works
You asked for real results, not pseudo-solutions, so I want to share some of the science behind why Tapping is particularly effective for procrastination:
Research has shown that EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques, also known as Tapping) significantly reduces cortisol levels — the primary stress hormone. When you’re procrastinating, your cortisol levels are often elevated due to the subtle stress response triggered by the task.
A 2012 study published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease found that a single hour of EFT reduced cortisol levels by an average of 24%, while also significantly reducing anxiety scores. This was later replicated in a 2020 study by Dr. Peta Stapleton, and the reduction was even greater that time — with a drop in cortisol of 43%.
When your stress hormones decrease, your prefrontal cortex (responsible for focus and decision-making) can function more effectively.
Additionally, a 2019 study in the journal Explore found that EFT significantly improved psychological symptoms including anxiety and depression — both of which can contribute to procrastination patterns.
Final Thoughts: From Procrastination to Flow
“Procrastination isn’t who you are; it’s just something your brain has learned to do in response to perceived threats. With Tapping, you can teach your brain and body a new response pattern.”
Tessa, what I want you to know is that the state you’re seeking — where you can sit down and focus on important work without resistance — is absolutely possible. It’s not just possible; it’s actually your natural state when your nervous system isn’t in protection mode.
Remember that procrastination isn’t who you are; it’s just something your brain has learned to do in response to perceived threats. With Tapping, you can teach your brain and body a new response pattern — one where starting feels safe, even enjoyable.
The real results you’re looking for will come not just in your productivity, but in how you feel when you sit down to work. That sense of dread or resistance will diminish, replaced by a calm focus that allows your natural capabilities to shine through.
I invite you to try the Tapping sequences in this post, explore the resources mentioned, and most importantly, be patient and compassionate with yourself through this process. Breaking long-standing patterns takes time, but each Tapping session moves you closer to the flow state you’re seeking.
Helpful Resources for Motivation and Focus:
- The Tapping Solution App – Beyond the Tapping sequences above, there are several resources that can further support your journey to overcoming procrastination. Here’s a few I’d specifically suggest:
- Motivate Me to Have a Productive Day – I hear all the time from members of our Tapping community how much this session helps them. It’s a classic, and definitely a great one to have in your toolkit. We have an entire Motivate Me To… category that has even more specific topics as well.
- Productivity Boost – This Active Transformational Meditation is different from our usual Tapping sessions. It’s designed to be listened to while you go on a walk, drive to work, or get ready for your day. It’s a great way to prime yourself to have a productive day. Great to use right before you start working on something.
- Instant Boost of Focus with Binaural Beats – This is a powerful and efficient session to help you release stress and connect with focus. Pro tip: you can let the music continue to play after the meditation and benefit from the focus-enhancing Binaural Beats. Simply close out the app or click the “done” button whenever you’re ready for the music to stop.
- Tapping + Box Breathing to Get Focused and Grounded – Another great way to connect with energy, motivation, and focus is by doing breathwork! This unique session combines a specific breathwork technique to help you focus with Tapping!
Note: You can access these meditations by clicking the links above using your mobile device, or type the name of the meditation into The Tapping Solution App’s search function.
Would love to hear your experiences with using Tapping for procrastination in the comments below. What shifts have you noticed? Which barriers resonate most with you?
Wishing you all the best on your productivity journey!
Until next time… Keep Tapping!
Nick Ortner