NITTY-GRITTY DETAILS post 2 of 5

How to turn holiday schedule mess
into holiday practice success:

“When I’m out of my normal routine, I’m always forgetting to practice.
My usual schedule doesn’t work any more–there just doesn’t seem to be a good time.”

It’s good to take time away from your instrument, but after a month (or even a few days!) of not practicing, you really start to feel it.

So it’s great to develop a “backup routine” for when your days are unusual.

If you always practice after school, but school’s out, you’ll have to find another regular time to practice.

And the key is REGULAR.

Find something you do every day.

Can’t think of anything?

Start with getting out of bed. Chances are you do that sometime during the day!

Imagine your routines. Do you get dressed, brush your hair, have something to eat?

Your day may FEEL inside out and upside down, but some things stay the same.

Focus on those things.
Decide to practice before one of them…
…or after another of them.

This is called “habit stacking.”
Find something you already do, and practice before or after that thing.

Give yourself a reward for remembering.
This could be anything from a piece of Fair Trade chocolate to a simple thumbs-up!

You’ll start looking forward to the reward and remembering to practice as part of your holiday routine.

When will you practice?
Drop a comment below with your special holiday habit stack.