David Motto’s Practice Tip of the Week:
Making Time for Music

Too Busy to Practice?

If your life is busy, you may find it challenging to “fit in” your practice sessions. Day after day, practicing can take a back seat to other tasks: paying bills, homework, business travel, commuting, shopping for groceries, etc.

Here’s the solution: Practice first.

That’s right. Do your practicing before any of your other activities.

When you do, something miraculous happens. You still have time to finish everything else on your to-do list, and you practiced! That’s much better than skipping your music to do the more mundane things in life.

Effectively Using This Strategy

For some people, this means practicing first thing in the morning. Others might need to practice immediately after work—before returning emails or making dinner or checking that text or logging onto Facebook.

Students can benefit from practicing immediately after school, before homework gets started and definitely before any social media or free-time activities.

This practice tip is one of the most powerful ones around. Don’t underestimate its power! It helps procrastinators and helps people who never feel there’s enough time for their music.

Amazingly, if you follow this advice, you’ll still have time for your non-music responsibilities. It’s as if finishing your practicing gives you more energy and allows you to get everything else done more efficiently!

Benefits in the Rest of Your Life

Plus, there are psychological benefits: You will feel better about yourself, about your day, about your accomplishments, and about your commitment to something you believe in that makes your life better.

And you know that guilt you feel when you skip doing your music? That terrible feeling will be eliminated from your life!

Your practicing deserves to be put ahead of other day-to-day tasks. Try practicing first—even if it feels uncomfortable. The laundry and mowing the lawn can wait!

To Your Musical Success!
David Motto