Twenty-two Ways to Stay Motivated to Practice

Whether you have played your instrument for so many years or are a beginner, there is always that aspect of being consistently motivated to practice. Most of us have been there. Deep down inside, we want to practice and do our share of the work, yet things come up in life, and we waste time on things we don't want to. By the time we know we are ready mentally to focus on our work, the day is over, and we have not done the most important thing for us. Practicing has fallen by the wayside.

Having said all that, sometimes things come up that we have to prioritize, which is a given. In these circumstances, we may need to stop playing for a while, as there may be far more important things to take care of.

However, if we do want to play and sometimes lack motivation, as simply put, we do not feel like playing on a day, and we do not exercise the necessary discipline to put in the required time, here are some ways to help us overcome these.

1. The first thing is to ensure adequate sleep and rest. Make sure you acquire a healthy diet and drink your daily water intake. When your energy is drained, your motivation to practice could diminish.
2. Resting is essential if you are tired and exhausted because of other engagements or overwhelmed by work. Therefore, rest if you have to.
3. Your location could affect your motivation. Check the lighting in your room. If you are unhappy in the room you are practicing in, try to find a different one, perhaps a place where there are not too many objects or distractions. A space that is crammed with possibly books and items that can take away your focus is not conducive to practicing, in my experience. Therefore, avoid clutter in your practice area.
4. Something you don't consider necessary could be distracting you for me is when the curtains are open. My gaze turns to the outside world, and I get curious when someone is walking on the street because I can see them from where I am sitting, so I always close the curtains. Also, I used to think I needed to see beautiful surroundings when I practiced, but I soon realized it did not help me.
5. Make sure your instrument does not need any upgrades. Sometimes, in the case of string instruments, for example, if the strings are old, that affects the sound, or an old instrument with cracks on the edges where the parts meet creates a buzzing sound as you play. Therefore, look for instrument-specific issues and problems. Each instrument has them. They need to be checked and upgraded at all times.
6. Determine what part of the day you enjoy playing the most. In the mornings or in the afternoons? I used to get up very early and work on technique for two hours, but I can't do that anymore. I do better nowadays practicing in the afternoons. In the mornings, I would like to sleep and feel rested. Sometimes, you might not have time in the mornings, so you need to adjust accordingly.
7. If you are not studying with someone, find a teacher and work with them. They can give you many ideas through new music and opportunities to play.
8. If you don't have a goal, create one. A goal could be going to a rehearsal and preparing the parts beforehand. It is important to go to a rehearsal prepared to the best of your ability, as that contributes to everyone's benefit.
9. Go to a concert and enjoy your evening with a friend.
10. If you are struggling with a particular piece, take the score and study it mentally. Don't try to accomplish it on your instrument right away.
11. If you are advanced enough to teach someone, you can offer beginner lessons, which could ignite motivation.
12. Play a duet with a friend or join a new group or an orchestra. Try to create a support system with friends who play music and want to get together.
13. If you experience pain of any sort, step back, don't practice, let your muscles relax, and consult a doctor. Then begin as you feel confident that the pain has subsided and will no longer be a problem. Even then, be careful and take things slow.
14. Suppose you feel overwhelmed. Go for a walk or a swim, do something else, and then return to the practice room. You can also reduce the number of your activities and limit yourself to those that are essential.
15. Organize an evening with your friends and play for them.
16. Try learning a new instrument; why not? Try to find a connection between your instrument and the new one you are learning.
17. Place your instrument somewhere you can see it—don't put it in a closet.
18. Sometimes, you just have to get up and do it. You have to start somewhere. If you can create a streak of days you have been practicing on your calendar, you might find it difficult not to practice. Therefore, even if it is for ten minutes a day to start, do that.
19. Find something joyous where you practice. Even though I clear distractions from my practicing space, I still appreciate that my pets like a specific type of music, as I have noticed over the years. For example, our older cat likes it when I play J.S. Bach, and our younger one enjoys contemporary music. So, find funny moments during your day.  
20. Track your time spent in the practicing room. If you need time off, like a vacation, do so without guilt, but do so with the intention of coming back. Therefore, keep a journal and a tracker sheet when you practice. I have included a yearly tracker sheet you can download below this post.
21. Many times, being active brings more motivation to do something.
22. Find out some information about the pieces you are playing. Why did the composer compose that piece? Is there a specific story associated with the composition?
    

How do you motivate yourself to practice? Please share in the comments below. Happy Practicing!