How to Put Practicing Time into Your Life

Putting practicing time into life as an adult can be a challenge, even if you are well-motivated. Work, social life and family obligations can definitely take a priority. Some things are definitely more important than others, but if you want to improve your playing or writing you have to create time in which to accomplish these goals. Right? If this has been an issue, I have a very workable method to resolve this “problem” at my Musicians’ How-To Series website called “Organizing” that you should download and apply. (This info will assist you with scheduling and time management in anything you do: music, tennis, gardening, etc.)

Just short of that, here are some suggestions for establishing a workable practicing schedule:

1. Pinpoint exactly what you want to do. What do you want to learn, play, write, etc. (If you need help with this, email me and I’ll help you out.)
2. Establish what you are going to practice. Most of the time this takes having a good teacher to guide you on your musical path, though if you can do this yourself, go for it! WHAT you need to practice should be clear and well-organized. You should know WHY you are doing the stuff on your lesson and HOW to do everything. The “what,” “why” and “how” will help you align everything to your personal goals.
3. Establish a good practice space. Create a space, if you haven’t already, where you can work in the most distraction free area. It’s *your* space.
4. Set a schedule. You must set a regular time to practice and discover a workable routine. And here’s the challenge. Right?

And here are a few, possibly obvious, ideas:

1. If you have regular working hours, discover whether you practice the best before work or after work. Fit practice time somewhere between your other activities and make it a routine. Get this agreed with by any other family members or people you live with and work it out. Example: work, dinner, practice, family time. Example: Gym, work, dinner, practice, email. (I suggest practicing before hopping on the computer. We all know how this can suck up lot’s of time.) There are many examples. Find something that works.
2. If you are a creative type, I suggest getting your practicing in before creating whatever it is. When I’m composing a lot I need to practice first thing in the morning or it won’t get done. This holds true with most of my writer/composer students as well. One of my songwriter students was attempting to practice after his recording sessions in the evening without success. He started first thing in the morning and that schedule has been working just fine.

The point of all of this is that you simply need to discover what works for you, then do that. It could take a few weeks or longer to fall into a workable routine. It takes personal motivation and discipline which is why your lessons need to align with your personal goals: how much do you want to do this?

Then each time you achieve a personal success with your lessons and schedule it will get easier and easier.

Let me know how it goes!

Marty B.
Email
(818) 242-7551
http://buttwinickmusic.com