Re: [Harp-L] Practice motivation tips?

[The Iceman <icemanle@xxxxxxx>]

	I posted a technique that proved effective with many students...reiterated below


5 minutes/day is all I ask of a student to practice. Now (I ask the student), is 5 min/day too much to ask of yourself? Everyone has answered "no".


However, sez I, there are 3 requirements attached to 5 min/day


1. You must commit to EVERY DAY (no skipping a day and making it up with 10 minutes the next)
2. You must practice in a quiet alone place - not in a car - but in a room in which you can shut the door, turn off the cell phone and tell your spouse that for 5 minutes, no one is to disturb you.
3. MOST IMPORTANTLY - It must be THE SAME 5 minutes every day at the same time of day. You have to choose a time that is available to you that does not change. (7:20 am - 7:25 am, 9:45 pm - 9:50 pm, etc)


you can set a timer for 5 minutes and deal with just one or two aspects (no more than 2) of playing for the 5 min. When the time is up, your homework is done and you can go outside and play with your friends. If you choose to go longer, that is extra credit, but is not required.


This time becomes sacred to you and puts you in a different place. It becomes a very focused practice time. 5 minutes of focused practice is better than an hour of all over the map practice.


Try this for a minimum of 2 weeks and see what develops.


-----Original Message-----
From: Sean Murphy <taser8@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Harp-l Mailing List <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sat, May 21, 2011 3:14 pm
Subject: [Harp-L] Practice motivation tips?


Hi all,

I know there's been conversations about good techniques for practicing -
what to do, how long to do it, etc. but I wonder if anyone's got good tips
on getting into the habit of practicing - any techniques they use when they
find their motivation to practice lagging, or find themselves coming up with
excuses not to, that sort of thing - how do you hold your own feet to the
fire?

Sean
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