Struggling with music practice?
Every musician knows the struggle: you sit down to practice, stare at your instrument, and suddenly scrolling through your phone seems more appealing (I'm 100% guilty of this 🫠)
You want to improve, but forcing yourself rarely works, and nagging yourself with guilt only kills the joy. The truth? Consistent, rewarding practice comes from smarter habits, not harder self-punishment. Here are some ways that I've tried personally to keep yourself motivated without the internal battle!
1. Gamify your practice!
Everyone loves games, it just makes everything so much more fun and enjoyable!
I personally use the app Habitica (available on app/play store)
Break down your practice into key challenges that you want to overcome and input it into Habitica. Whenever you overcome a challenge, tick off the challenge on habitica, which wil reward you with points that you can use to upgrade and customise your character!
This app has helped me feel motivated to complete my tasks and is also applicable beyond music practice!
2. Make your practice social!
I like to call it performative practice.
create a practice log account and whenever you practice, record your playing and post it there!
This motivates you to improve your playing as it gives the impression of 'performing' to a digital audience.
3. Make your practice space inviting
This makes so much difference!
Would you rather practice in space thats cluttered with laundry and papers, or in a space thats cozy... and spacious without clutter.
Personally, I feel this has such a huge impact and after I decluttered and personalised my practice space. I actually felt more inclined to practice! Practising and looking at the army of skullpandas lining the top of my Piano makes me happy.
4. Use a practice tracker!
This works similarly to gamification!
A printed copy is most ideal as you get more satisfaction when you colour the boxes in!
At the end of the month, if you didn't miss any practice, reward yourself! It can be something small: a cup of bubble tea! Waffles and Ice cream! or even a new popmart!
This boosts your morale to keep up the consistent practice the next month!
I hope you found these tips useful!
As a musician myself, I struggle a lot with practice due to my busy schedule and these are some of the tricks I've found that work well for me!
let me know in the comments what I should talk about next!
Beyond the tips shared in the original article, I found that using a dedicated music practice tracker app can significantly enhance motivation. Apps designed specifically for music practice often include features like setting daily goals, reminders, and visual progress charts, which make it easier to stay committed. Additionally, integrating short, focused practice sessions—like 10-15 minutes of targeted exercises—can prevent burnout and make the routine less daunting. Another important element is establishing variety in your practice. Switching between scales, pieces, and improvisation keeps things fresh and engages different skills. You might also find that involving friends or joining online musician groups encourages accountability and offers valuable feedback. Lighting and decoration of the practice space, as mentioned, play a surprisingly critical role in mood and motivation. Adding ambient lighting or small personal touches like your favorite figurines or artwork can make your space a place you look forward to spending time in. Lastly, rewarding yourself after milestones not only celebrates progress but reinforces positive habits. Simple rewards—like a treat or a break to listen to favorite music—can boost enthusiasm. These combined approaches helped me, and many others, transform practice from a chore into an enjoyable part of daily life.
