‘I haven’t got enough time to tap!’
Like everything else, tapping takes time. If you have a busy life it can feel as if there isn’t enough time to fit tapping in.
While there may not be time for intensive sessions of EFT in daily life, you can squeeze in soothing rounds of tapping into the many small gaps in your daily schedule.
Some of these tapping opportunities can be in the comfort of your own home, some of them are out and about. If you are shy, or of a nervous disposition, you are probably not going to want to do full rounds of tapping in a public place. If you haven’t already, I recommend that you investigate fingertip tapping or Steve Wells and Dr David Lake’s Simple Energy Techniques (SET) process as low key additions to the standard EFT process.
Here are 20 everyday opportunities to tap and soothe:
- Waiting for the kettle to boil. While you are waiting for the kettle to boil, you can spend that time doing a few rounds of full tapping just to soothe the system, or if the people you live with ‘don’t understand' you can do some finger tapping.
- Waiting for the toaster or microwave. Likewise get a few rounds of tapping in while you are waiting for your toaster or microwave to deliver the goods. Stick a post-it near the microwave or toaster to remind you.
- Before opening the fridge If you are the kind of person who likes to snack (like me). Do one full round of tapping before opening the fridge, or cupboard door, when you are in search of a snack. Tapping will interrupt your ‘autopilot snacking pattern’, soothe the original desire to have a snack and help you change your eating habits.
- Before eating If you are on your own, or in supportive company, it might be useful to do three rounds of tapping before starting to eat. Personally, I’m a fast eater, eager to start and quick to consume my meals. When I remember, three rounds of tapping slows me down and helps me enjoy my meal.
- Washing the dishes. Before washing dishes by hand, how about one round of tapping before you start, and one round of tapping when you end (you could also do this if you use a dishwasher).
- During the adverts. There are lots of things you could do while the adverts are interrupting your TV viewing. You could put the kettle on for a drink, go for a pee or look for snacks. You could also use those very unproductive minutes to do some tapping. Mute the TV volume and get a couple or more rounds of tapping in before your programme resumes.
- Waiting for your computer to boot up. When your computer is booting up it may be a good time for you to get in some soothing before you get to work, or play, and all that information sweeps over you.
- Before diving into social media - Facebook, Twitter and Google+ all consume hours of your time - even though it seems like less. How about doing one minute of tapping before you log on to your social media drug of choice. You still get to see lots of funny pictures of cats, motivational posters and find out what’s happening to your (real or imaginary) friends.
- Before meditation or prayer If you have a regular meditation or prayer practice why not include a few rounds of EFT before starting, to ease any stress in the system. It’s hard to focus calmly if your mind is jangling from the difficulties of the day. Adding some tapping to your routine may help make what you already do that bit easier.
- Walking the dog. This is already an opportunity for fresh air and exercise. Why not add tapping into the mix to make it three good things for you?
- Waiting for a bus or a taxi While you wait for your transport why not get in some discrete rounds of finger tapping (unless you like a lot of personal space) before your bus or taxi arrives.
- On your way - While in your taxi, or on the bus or train you have a chance to catch up with some gentle tapping before you dig into your book, newspaper or mobile phone.
- At red lights - If you are driving the chances are you are going to find yourself stopped by traffic lights or traffic. Finger tapping while waiting will make good use of an unavoidable delay.
- On the escalator, or in the lift. If you are travelling up an escalator or in a lift (elevator) there isn’t much to do except avoid eye contact. So why not finger tap for a few moments of self-soothing. If you want to have the lift to yourself, try a full tapping routine - you will probably be all alone after the doors close on the next floor.
- In a queue. There are lots of queues in life, at the checkout, in the post office, at the bank or in the doctor’s office. Lots of time spent standing, or sitting in line. A great opportunity for finger tapping especially if what you are waiting for is stressful in some way.
- Waiting for your skinny-decaff-mocha-latte or whatever your preferred drink is at your local coffee shop. There will usually be a queue to the counter and then a wait while the barista does their thing. Finger tapping in the queue and for the minutes before the arrival of your favourite beverage can add a bit of soothing before your caffeine jolt.
- Waiting for an appointment If you are waiting for an appointment at the doctors, dentists, lawyers or bank, those can be stressful minutes. You can soothe yourself and be better prepared for the ordeal ahead by tapping as you wait to be seen.
- Bathroom breaks In my opinion, tapping is the other reason that bathrooms were invented. If you need a private space to do some tapping this is a good place to do it (especially during the working day). There’s usually a lock on the door, or stall, you can have some piece and quiet to do some quality tapping and no one will know.
- Before your client / customer comes in If you see people on a one to one basis in a consulting room or office. Take a few minutes to tap out any stress in the system - while they are tapping out any of their stresses in the waiting room. It will put you in a more resourceful state of mind for working with that other person.
- Before smoking If you smoke, why not do one round of tapping before you light up your cigarette. Once again it’s a chance to interrupt a pattern and soothe a craving.
Not only can we use these gaps of time to tap, with practice we can use them as a reminder to tap.
Don’t try to fit a quart into a pint pot
Don’t use these small bursts of tapping to work on serious upsets. You won’t be able to soothe a traumatic memory or major life issue in the space of a commercial break or while waiting for the kettle to boil. Use these small amounts of time to gently soothe the system.
What to do next
If you want to try out some of these opportunities. Pick three of them from the list and make a commitment to try them out on a regular basis and see what happens. Don’t try to do all of them it’s better to succeed at a few than make a haphazard job of them all.
If you have a way of squeezing EFT into your daily life tell me about it in the comments below.
