Procrastination!

I’ve started to write this blog several times and every time found something that I “needed” to do instead. Has that ever happened to you? 😂

Yes, I’m pretty sure it happens to everyone from time to time, but some are more prone to procrastinate than others. For me, it’s a matter of juggling a lot of things that have no “real” deadline. If there is a deadline, I get it done. But this “weekly” blog is really a soft deadline, so if I miss one or two or several, no heads will roll. But if I don’t learn this new tune for a gig, I will be embarrassed on stage and let my bandmates down. So prioritizing takes place on a daily basis, and while it may seem like procrastination, on further examination, it’s really a matter of shuffling the to-do list in order to make sure the top priority items get done.

I know that for many adult music students, procrastination is a big roadblock to putting in the time on their instruments.

One of my students recently told me that she was having trouble making the time to practice. She kept thinking about the other things that need to get done, and just not sitting down at her harp day after day. She loves to play, and once she sits down to play even just a warmup exercise, she finds she has the time and enjoys it. But the problem is actually sitting down to do it.

We talked about making a to-do list and checking in with it to see if she’s really not practicing because it’s not a priority, or if it’s something else. Other things that keep people from practicing are:

1. Fear of failure
2. Question of the value of it
3. Sense of obligation to do something else
4. Question of one’s right to do it

There may be more – let me know if you can think of other things that would go on this list.

So, let’s look at each one:

1. Fear of failure – If practicing your instrument means you might fail at “perfecting” the piece, maybe you can consider practicing just a small portion. Get just the first phrase to sound beautiful. Or choose a simpler piece to learn. Find something to practice that you know you can do successfully.
2. Question of the value of it – I think this is different from the fear of failure, in that it’s a mindset that usually comes from somewhere (or someone) else. Does someone in your family think it’s a waste of your time and effort? Is that really what you think?
3. Sense of obligation to do something else – This may be legitimate (my need to learn a tune for the band for example) but it may also be once again imposed from outside (kids need me to bake cookies) or self-imposed (kids need me to bake cookies) and may be tied in with this last one:
4. Question of one’s right to do it – okay, stand up for yourself! You have the right to use your time how you choose. But what some people question is whether it’s worth it to learn an instrument if you think you’ll never be “good enough” to perform. Or maybe it's that you never want to perform, so is it worth it to learn if you never intend to perform? This is tied in with number 2 as well – so first determine if this comes from your own sense of the value of it, or from someone else’s opinion.  Then remember that learning anything new is good for the mind, body, and spirit! Whether you want to play for other people or not, it’s the journey, not the destination that makes this worthwhile. And you have the right to take care of yourself by nourishing all aspects of yourself!

Please know that if you find yourself procrastinating and not getting around to your intended practice sessions, you are not the only one! But perhaps this little list can help to get to the bottom of the issue, and get you going on a more regular practice routine. And when there really are more important things that come up, and you miss a day or two or three, know that it’s a matter of prioritizing, and not a failure on your part!

I’ll be teaching an online workshop on Saturday, June 17^th on “The Practice of Practicing” in case that first reason for procrastination (fear of failure) is what you identify with.  Here is the information:

Saturday, 6/17/23 10:00 am - 12:00 pm pacific time - I will be presenting a two-hour online workshop, "The Practice of Practicing." This is open to all musicians, but will focus on application to harp. (Handouts for applying to guitar are also provided.) If you have felt that no matter how much you practice, the improvement is either slow or non-existent, this gentle class will give you steps to improve your practicing practice... You'll have a step-by-step approach to learning a new piece, troubleshooting an in-progress piece, and polishing a learned piece. You'll also get tips on how to use your current works in progress to create warm-up exercises that will build some much-needed muscle memory. Cost of the workshop: $30 per person. Here’s how to register: https://tinyurl.com/PracticeofPracticing