How can you practice at home AND be productive

This is probably one of the greatest mysteries for musicians: how to practice in our own home without getting distracted. Many of the musicians I know (me included!) prefer practicing in school or work in order to avoid ALL the distractions that wait for us at home: food, TV, a comfortable bed/couch, other project, etc... But do we really must escape our comfortable home in order to practice?

Throughout the day we constantly think about and plan our every move. Whether it's in class, work, rehearsal, or a concert, there are always thoughts that occupy our minds. When we practice, we suddenly demand something different from our body and mind. We must stop the racing thoughts, and focus on one thing as much as we can: to get better. 

"Getting better" is a classic example of something that is easier said than done. When we need to focus on the music we find ourselves thinking about dinner, how to study for the midterm, and wondering why a friend didn't text us back.

The more distracted we are, the less efficiently we work... so what can we do?

1. You're not going to like this but... avoid using your cellphone at all costs! Do ANYTHING it takes to not have it near you. If you must use it as a watch, metronome, or recording device make sure to put it on airplane mode. Even if you are expecting an important communication, waiting 30 minutes until you will read that email is not a big deal! You can even tell friends or significant others that expect to hear from you that you are going on airplane mode so that they do not worry.

2. Use a timer. The old school ones are the best because you can't use your cellphone (refer to #1 above!). Plan how much you need to work on very specific tasks and the timer will keep you in line. Be creative with this as well: if you know you need to fix a tiny thing on one piece, set it for 2 minutes, or if you need to do slow tempo practice you can set it for 30.

3. Schedule social plans. If you have a whole day free, it can be difficult to keep yourself on task. Schedule morning or evening activities so that you have something putting a little bit of pressure on how efficiently you work. It will also feel more rewarding to hang out with friends after you have done your work for the day.

4. Have realistic expectations for yourself. It's not possible to practice 6 hours straight without any breaks. Learn as much as you can about yourself in terms of how long it takes you to practice certain things. Always experiment to find a more efficient way to do them, and take breaks when you feel like you are "losing it".