How to get back on the practice horse after a long break

We are in the second week of January and school and gigs are starting up again. Some of us traveled and spent time with family/friends who kept us away from our instruments and practice routines. I think taking breaks away from our instrument is important, but it's also scary AF to get back into it. It sounds different. It feels different... why the hell did I take a break?! Here are some tips I told myself when I came back recently. I hope you find them useful! 

1. Be realistic. It's not going to sound good right away. Lower your expectations. It's going to feel like a step back BUT it's good to remind ourselves it will be OK. For now, don't expect that you will sound just like you did before break. Have a plan in mind and set realistic goals for the first two weeks.

2. Start with the basics, and not necessarily from where you stopped (don't even think about picking up that concerto yet). Choose scales, etudes, short pieces, or even excerpts from larger pieces. Take everything at a slower tempo. You can even take advantage of feeling fresh and do some basics that you normally never have the time to focus on. It’s a great time to form new habits and bring your technique to new levels.

3. Build up your endurance moderately. I know you are probably eager to sound good again. But, our body needs to take things slow. If you didn't touch the instrument for a week, you shouldn't expect your body to be able to play for 6 hours straight without getting injured. You wouldn’t expect your body to run a 10K race without any training. Take breaks often and stretch before and after. Build up your endurance by adding a little bit of practice time every day. It will take at least a week to get back to your usual amount!

4. Don't schedule concerts/big performances right after your return if you can help it. Focus on quality practice as much as you can.

5. Be forgiving. Watch how you speak to yourself. It's hard to not panic and regret taking the break. I promise that breaks never set us back, and can have quite the opposite effect sometimes!

6. Remember the feeling of missing your instrument. Hopefully you had some inspiring and relaxing moments during your break. Channel them while you play and try to enjoy reuniting with your instrument!