What do you do when just don't want to practice

[bernadette60614]

We're having some brillant, sunny (but not too) days and I just don't want to spend 2 hours at the keyboard working on this new section.

From those more experienced with "heavy" practicing (the new learning part...not the playing for pleasure)...how do you "get" yourself to practice?

[hfmadopter]

Practice is accumulative, don't sit there for 2 hours straight. Break it up, I might get 30-40 min in in the morning ( 4 AM) before work. 30 minutes in in the afternoon after work ( maybe 3:30ish) And some time in after dark. These days I'm not doing two hours a day though. I just got out of work, I'm glancing through here at 3:03 relaxing briefly. Then I'm going on a bike ride for about an hour. When I get back, Quick shower and a piano lesson to give ( 5PM), then supper time. After supper around 6:30 I'll practice for half an hour and again tomorrow morning before work.

The last few weeks have been bundled with yard work and yard machine services etc. I was getting in 20 minute shots at the piano. On the weekends I do more, I'm an early riser, my wife later riser. One could find me at the piano at 3:30 am on the weekend for the couple of hours you mention. Or just as well it may be 5 Am.

[outin]

I cheat...I am lazy by nature to start things,but when I start I just get sucked into whatever I am doing. So I tell myself that I will just play my piece once or a few scales, so that I won't completely miss a day. Then I sit down and an hour ot two just flies by without me even noticing.

Like today I was really tired after working late and instead of practicing I just spent some time watching the silly box...then I decided to go to bed since it's another long day tomorrow. But I thougt I must at least touch the piano today. Ended up spending over an hour working on some fingerings and learning a new section of a piece. It works everytime, my lazy self is not that smart, it's really easy to fool

[sv3nno]

Well, i usually follow my practicing timetable (e.g. 1,5 hours for moonlight sonata, 2,5 hours for hungarian rhapsody no.2 and 1 hour for other smaller pieces.) that way i keep myself motivated
Sometimes i practice 4-5 hours in a row, sometimes i divide it throughout the day.

[ajspiano]

even on the best days I'd rather be inside playing piano..  I have the opposite problem.. I have to force myself out so that I get some vitamin D, and don't become a total recluse.

[outin]

even on the best days I'd rather be inside playing piano..  I have the opposite problem.. I have to force myself out so that I get some vitamin D, and don't become a total recluse.

I get mine from pills and fish...

[chopin2015]

I just don't practice and have a very restful day where I avoid using my hands for a entire duration of a practice, so just not do any work with the hands for 4 to 6 hours and wait for a moment of inspiration. Then the next day I just jump in and then push myself into a brutal session. Then I have a couple of shorter sessions in the rest of the week, then probably a day of wasted practice where because I feel depressed and uninspired, but somehow still practiced piano. After a day like that is when I take the break. Then the next day is usually a going back up day.

[hfmadopter]

even on the best days I'd rather be inside playing piano..  I have the opposite problem.. I have to force myself out so that I get some vitamin D, and don't become a total recluse.

Well, the wife and I like the outdoors, I like to bicycle, we like to boat and fish, we like to kayak or canoe and just kind of meld with nature. We can drift on the tide in our boat for two hours sometimes. We both love music ( she sings) but music is everywhere, it's an atmospheric condition sort to speak. So just because we go out doesn't mean we lose touch with music and the piano looks all the more welcoming when we get home. Also, we can't do those things all winter long, so there is a limited time frame to get it in throughout the year ( late May through early Sept, then the winds change and the waters and wilderness do too). Music is for a lifetime.

Family matters and family functions take me away from my piano as well. But it just simply isn't going anywhere, it will be right there in the living room when I get home. Yes you can walk away from your piano, it is loyal waiting for you upon your return. Just close the lid so the cats don't go in there !

[momopi]

What do I do when I don't want to practice?

I watch cartoons.

[mahlermaniac]

Well, the wife and I like the outdoors, I like to bicycle, we like to boat and fish, we like to kayak or canoe and just kind of meld with nature. We can drift on the tide in our boat for two hours sometimes. We both love music ( she sings) but music is everywhere, it's an atmospheric condition sort to speak. So just because we go out doesn't mean we lose touch with music and the piano looks all the more welcoming when we get home. Also, we can't do those things all winter long, so there is a limited time frame to get it in throughout the year ( late May through early Sept, then the winds change and the waters and wilderness do too). Music is for a lifetime.

Family matters and family functions take me away from my piano as well. But it just simply isn't going anywhere, it will be right there in the living room when I get home. Yes you can walk away from your piano, it is loyal waiting for you upon your return. Just close the lid so the cats don't go in there !

YES!

[teran]

When I don't feel like practising, I just don't do it.

Works for me.