“How to Practice When You Don’t Have Time (Or, Did You Brush Your Teeth?)
No Time? No Problem
The number one statement music teachers hear these days is “I didn’t have time to practice.” Usually backed up with a story about homework and birthday parties and sports. Repeated weekly, students and teachers get frustrated with lack of progress. Many quit.
Then I ask my student if they had time to eat… or brush their teeth.. and they look at me, grin and say “yeah.”
This concept persists that for music lessons, you have to devote hours and hours to practicing your instrument. And at pro level, that may be true. (See our next post on practicing efficiently!)
But guess what?
When you have a busy day, ANY practice is better than none.
It’s frequency and quality, not sheer length of time that matters when you are learning. Mental health benefits greatly from a music practice session too, especially in exam years. #LC
So the next time your brain tells you “I don’t have time” when you’re waiting for that unicorn, a full free hour, say to it firmly, I WILL DO 5 MINUTES.
5 minutes for my future self in lesson next week, when my teacher is asking me to play that tricky part. I can do that now.
And if it turns out to be 20 minutes because you got interested in solving one problem? Bonus. Just Start. Now.