Have you ever put off practicing the piano?
We’ve all done it.
No matter how much you know you should sit down and play, the other side of you finds any excuse possible to ignore playing.
Why is that? It might be because of the amount of practice you think you have to do.
Do you assign yourself practice sessions in minutes – 30 minutes a day? That can drive bad feelings into the brain. Thirty minutes can seem like forever if you have other things you want to do.
Or maybe you’ve assigned yourself specific tasks. Maybe you practice a certain amount of scales, or will be playing a song a certain amount of times through before you can get up. Again, these lists of “chores” can seem difficult at best, especially if you don’t particularly enjoy the process. 
Our brains are trained to keep us away from things we don’t like. Think of them as the friend that tries to steer you to only the enjoyable things in life. It’s up to us to control those urges, and keep us on track to do everything we need to do.
When it comes to practicing, it might be easier if you give yourself rewards first.
Instead of focusing on a time limit, sit down to play something you enjoy. A favorite song, or maybe even creating your own music. Once you’re sitting, you’ll have a much easier time of flowing into the next phase.
Or instead of focusing on things you don’t like about practice – scales – leave that until the end. Your fingers will be more ready to take on the action, and it will seem like a part of the process rather than a chore when you sit down.
Sometimes the easiest way to get started is just to sit down and do it. But give yourself a reward at first, and you’ll find yourself looking forward to the opportunity.
