I am the queen of getting distracted and numerous times have set out to practice guitar and wind up looking at Free People instead for a half hour. It’s the worst feeling when I’m constantly thinking back to all the time I’ve “wasted” that I could have spent getting better at guitar!
However, I have learned a few tricks to make sure I am regularly practicing and improving at guitar, even when I'm having trouble concentrating. For a lot of people, guitar is a hobby, but putting time into it can help stretch your brain, keep you creative, and be the most fun outlet for connecting with people and having fun! So in this blog, I wanted to give you my top tips for how to find more time for playing guitar so you can reap all the benefits of playing and not have to give up your normal life!
Find Things that Inspire You
I find for myself, the times I tend to practice the least are when I don’t really know what I want to practice and it feels like it’s going to take a lot of mental energy to figure it out. Instead of trying to figure out something to practice, I keep a list of sources that keep me inspired! The top places I find inspiration are songs that make me curious about how something is played, songs with solos that seem fun, YouTube videos that are short and straightforward (like a “learn this lick” video), and having a gig on the calendar where I know I need to learn the songs or I will embarrass myself. I went through a phase where I thought that to be getting better, I had to always had to weave in lots of theory and hard concepts (even though I am glad to have spent time building that foundation), but now I think that just picking up your guitar and learning a solo you love teaches you so much and is a lot more fun than finger exercises etc. I know I have heard a lot of people say that noodling doesn’t count as practicing but I feel like some days if you want to noodle and it makes you happy, then noodle away! Getting a source of constant inspo will help you feel motivated to practice and you’ll find yourself getting distracted with practice rather than from it!
2. Make Your Setup Accessible
When I have gear out of sight it’s truly out of mind as well. If I have my worst guitar lying around, I’m way more likely to pick it up and leave one of my favorites sitting neatly away in a case. It’s been really important for my practicing that I have a guitar I love to play easily accessible and in eye shot! The good thing about guitars is they are usually pretty and a lot of people who don’t even play use them in their decor! If you have a guitar (especially one you don’t mind being exposed to the elements on the reg), hanging it up where you pass by every day is truly a game changer! I have one of these natural wood String Swing Guitar Hangers and it’s perfect for this. Another challenge can be if you always have people around and don’t want to annoy anyone with your practicing, in which case I would recommend getting a setup that you can put headphones into. Overall, eliminating that one little step of setting up everything you need to practice can make a huge difference in how much you pick up your guitar!
I also really love the String Swing Guitar Floor Rack and the String Swing Guitar Case Rack! I have both of them and they are the only stands I have found that are both sturdy and asthetically pleasing!
3. Don’t Get In Your Head
Feeling bummed out about your progress can really demotivate you! I remember a time when I was working on a challenging theory concept and trying to understand how to apply it in a class setting and everyone was so much more advanced than me. Rather than being inspired at how good they were (like a positive person might), I felt just overwhelmed and like I would never get there (why must I have emotions!!). I think a lot of improving on guitar is how you mentally handle not being good at something because that’s part of the learning process. When I focus on having a curious attitude, play because it’s fun, and enjoy hearing better players because it makes me realize what I could do one day is when I find myself most excited to learn and practice. Any time I let my thinking go to “because someone else is good now I can never be good” I tend to feel more defeated about where I am skill-wise. This is especially tricky if you are in the thick of the intermediate phase because it’s hard to see your process (I heard a friend say it’s the same as not being able to see your hair grow, but it is!). Focusing on what you currently like about playing rather than just the result you hope to get out of it is so important for keeping your spirits up!
So I hope one of these tips helps you if you are having a hard time finding the motivation to practice. If you are looking forward to playing and don’t see practice as a chore, you will naturally find the little gaps of time in your day to squeeze in time to play guitar. Thank you tons for reading and let me know if you have any questions or blog suggestions!
