A new practice routine? Life gets in the way?

[ChunkyMunky]

[font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]I've just recently started a new job in which the hours are a bit hectic. I'm working from 8am to about 6-7pm and don't get back until about 8pm, to which I'm usually too knackered to even eat dinner let alone get some practice in. I'm doing this 6 days a week at the moment but it should look to settle down a tad when the new financial year pops round. How do you lot with busy schedules practice these days?[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif]I went from having all of the free time in the world to being nearly too tired to even eat dinner. Little lulls in playing from external stimuli, perhaps? Love to hear your thoughts, chaps and chapettes.[/font]

[Lozz196]

I pracice when I have free time, simple as that. If I have none, I don`t practice. I must admit though that I`m one of those musicians that only really learns a song when playing with the band, so lack of home practice isn`t a big thing for me. Main thing is, if you`re that tired you won`t be at your best anyway, so don`t let it concern you too much - as you say, hopefully in new financial year things should settle anyway. Just play on your day off and whenever you feel you have the energy - you`ll probably get more from it than forced sessions when you`re too tired.

[Bobthedog]

I don't have kids, but am married. I have, however, have a 2hr each way commute to and from work. I leave at around 06:30 and am not home much before 20:30 five days a week. I still fit in 30 mins or so practice every night, even though I am permanently shattered. Okay I am not yet gigging so there is no time pressure to learn stuff but I have given up on weekday TV / socialising and would rather have supper, play some bass and bed as my current priorities. Weekends see a bass lesson on Saturday plus an hour playing on Sunday.

[DavidMcKay]

Yep - I know the picture.

I've got 2 kids myself and a 2 - 2.5 hour commute each day, but I find that having my gear set up and ready to play at all times means I can have a 10 - 20 minute noodle when the time allows, as opposed to fannying about making space, getting kit out and plugging in various bits'n'bobs. That and alcohol!

Edited January 17, 2016 by DavidMcKay

[arthurhenry]

Up at 5.45, practise 5.50 - 6.50 with a cup of tea and no amp. Everyday without fail, nothing gets in the way.

[blue]

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1453063757' post='2956117']
Up at 5.45, practise 5.50 - 6.50 with a cup of tea and no amp. Everyday without fail, nothing gets in the way.
[/quote]

Nice routine. I usually break out one of my basses around 1:00am and go at it for about 2 hours.

Blue

[blue]

A lot of you guys are busy, I was in the same circumstance when I was in that age range.I was married with 2 small children.

Now, divorced, the children have graduated from university and are out on their own.

It's really is great being retired and single. I do everything I want and when I want

If I want to go to bed at 5:00am and get up late in the afternoon then that's what I'm going to do.

Life is to short, especially when guys my age are seeing our mates drop off like flies.


Blue

Edited January 18, 2016 by blue

[Grangur]

I'm just about to leave for work now. I have a 3 hours drive to my first customer. I will be back about 6-7 tonight and it'll be 8 by the time I've finished doing emails and stuff.

We got rid of the TV license years ago. That's really what we sacrifice for playing music. I do have the advantage that my missus is a keys player and the kids are gone.

[william64]

Yes, it's a problem of most of us. Anyhow, if there is only 15 minutes regularly a day left for practising, it could still be significant. But we should avoid playing the songs we know or playing nonsense. We should devote all the time to practise technique and fully concentrate on left and right hand's fingers whatever we play, etc. Sorry if I'm not right but that I was told many times.