Practice...., Relaxing or a chore? Options

[Misterioso]

One of my adult students made me wonder about this, because she says it's so relaxing to take time out and do something completely different. Well, yes, I can see her point, but I tend to procrastinate over practice myself and have to make myself get started on it. When I do, I work hard at it, and relaxing is definitely not how I would describe it. Then again, I'm a perfectionist, so I suppose I procrastinate because I know it won't be perfect, then do it and give myself a hard time because it isn't..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Which is it for you? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

[sbhoa]

I wouldn't call it relaxing. Sometimes it is hard to get started even though it's something I've chosen to do.
You mustn't be expecting enough of her... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

[bassoonista]

It depends what I'm practicing as to how it makes me feel. Grade 5 scales to be learned....hate hate hate (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) A new piece set for me this week, called the "Rum Baba Rumba" which is very catchy, but also challenging technically for me as it's according to June Emerson Wind Music, grade 6/7, and just try to make me stop. I'm loving it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

[Roseau]

I find practice helps me relax in the sense of decompressing and forgetting about the rest of the world. Because I am concentrated, and my practice sessions are usually quite intense, I can mentally isolate myself both from people around me and from problems inside my head.

[Maizie]

Both!

It's relaxing in a simlar way to my cycle commute home was, at the end of the working day. It's a 'work is done, throw the switch, it's my own time now' activity. I can understand how it would be described as relaxing, when you make it part of your routine that divides the day.

Only occasionally is it s chore - as in something I'd rather not do. Often it's something I find hard to get started, especially if my husband is in the house (yes, still, I don't know why...it went away for a while then came back). But rarely is it something I really really really would rather not do, like hoover (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It's not that sort of chore, even trying to practise something really difficult it's still not someting I'd pick cleaning the cooker over!

Just because it's something you are working at, with a specific aim and desire to improve, doesn't mean it can't be relaxing.

[CJB]

I only really find it a chore if I'm having to practise something I really dislike and there is a tight deadline.

[Lemontree]

I guess, I would say it is both for me.

I 'work' really really hard when I started practicing. I do so each day (Monday to Saturday) for 2 hours. When I am done, I am usually very sweaty because I pushed so hard work into it. And I am very precice. I work on some pieces for years until I am satisfied with the fingering, with the articulation, although I don't have them on my plate each day of those years.

However, I really enjoy my practice and look forward to it. And I know I still look forward to it, when it is Sunday and I hardly can wait till my Monday practice time is there. It is a good day in the start. I always have a smile on my face after practice. And whatever else might come my way in work, in interaction with people, I always can rest on the fact that I have done something beautiful and satisfying and that I have already achieved something because with music practice, I see progress every couple of minutes.

I guess, that is relaxing. Because it IS different then the remainder of the day or work or whatever. With such an inner attitude, it does not seem like work at all. So yes, I would call it relaxing, even though there is hard work involved.

[Misterioso]

However, I really enjoy my practice and look forward to it. And I know I still look forward to it, when it is Sunday and I hardly can wait till my Monday practice time is there. It is a good day in the start. I always have a smile on my face after practice. And whatever else might come my way in work, in interaction with people, I always can rest on the fact that I have done something beautiful and satisfying and that I have already achieved something because with music practice, I see progress every couple of minutes.

I guess, that is relaxing. Because it IS different then the remainder of the day or work or whatever. With such an inner attitude, it does not seem like work at all. So yes, I would call it relaxing, even though there is hard work involved.

Thanks for your post, Lemontree - it's positively inspirational! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[lottie]

Both for me too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Practice for me is a total escape from the rest of life. I can't usually play for just 20 mins - it has to be a minimum of an hour and I have to make sure I won't be interrupted or have to stop for any reason (like hubby coming home for work and wanting to talk etc). I usually ignore the phone too (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

If I can find that 'hour' then I lose myself completely and although I try to stick to the scales/studies/pieces routine sometimes I just play the things I love (like Bach (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) ). I am a perfectionist so I'm very demanding about good tone and accuracy but I'm also not as hard on myself as I used to be which is good.

Yesterday I did have almost an hour but I didn't have much energy so started another thing instead and the practice didn't happen. Yes, it was probably procrastinating so I should have forced myself because I do have an exam coming up!!! I'm not sure when I'll find my 'hour' today but hopefully after the shopping is done, the dogs are walked and today's art work is finished (hmm reverse that order!) Because I didn't practice yesterday I'll try very hard to fit it in! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Practice used to leave me intensely frustrated with my inadequacies and generally either angry or miserable which did make it a chore. Now I'm a lot more relaxed about it because I can actually play relatively well on occasions (albeit elementary stuff) now which is very rewarding. When I'm finished I'm usually very thoughtful and quiet because my brain has been working so hard in a good way. I have a familial essential tremor so my bow control can sometimes be very dodgy and so I do still sometimes feel frustrated but it's not something I 'beat myself up' over any more. Practice is MEANT to be fun (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/party1.gif)

[katemorrisviolin]

Relaxed concentration, like driving on an open road or reading a book. I feel refreshed afterwards like waking from a nap. It's a joy. If I find something hard or frustrating, I break it down into smaller and smaller chunks or tasks until it is easily manageable, and revise my expectation of what can be achieved in that sitting, so my practice never stresses me. But I am an amateur with no pressure to achieve anything except in my own time.

[Blackbird77]

I would find practice relaxing if I could find somewhere to do it where I wouldn't be disturbed by external noise (living on an estate that is never going to happen (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) and I can't afford soundproofing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) ).

If I'm not disturbed, it can be a wonderful release valve and especially now I've been given some guided practice to do, I can get into my practice routine and I really look forward to it. I just find I get very stressed about fitting it in when I either won't be bothering people or they won't be bothering me.

[flautando]

Why do I put off starting my practice when I know full well that the time will fly past and then I'll think "why didn't I start this earlier" ? It's weird.

[Maizie]

This will start of sounding off topic...it will get slightly more on topic, I promise.

I've relatively recently changed my working pattern, so I work at home three days a week. When this happened, I made a Great Plan, about fitting in cycle rides and practising and various other things. Every week, stuff gets in the way, and "the plan starts Monday".

This morning I work up, and in theory first thing I would be going out for a bike ride. It's dark. While having breakfast I was thinking about the enormous amount of stuff I have to do. So maybe actually I'll not go out for a ride, I'll start work early, have a long lunchbreak, and either go out for a ride then (except I won't as I know it is forecast to be very hot) or get on with stuff on my enormous to do list. Except...well, I said to myself, what do I really honestly want to do? Go out on my bike. OK, let's go then.

Came upstairs, switched computer on in passing, got dressed for cycling, stopped at computer on way out. Started frittering away time. Read this:

Why do I put off starting my practice when I know full well that the time will fly past and then I'll think "why didn't I start this earlier" ? It's weird.

And I remembered something I'd read elsewhere. A man said "The hard part isn't saying you're going to ride your bike more, the hard part isn't committing to get fit. The hard part is getting out there and throwing your leg over the saddle".

Well, what could I do except get out there and throw my leg over the saddle? The good part being that I'd procrastinated enough for it to not be dark, and instead be a beautiful sunrise!

Also, it gave me 55 minutes of thinking time. In some ways, going out on my bike, like practising, is a chore. It's something you know you ought to do. But you put off doing it, just like all chores. Is the hard part throwing your leg over the saddle? Is the hard part really playing that first note, mucking up that F# major scale yet again, having someone there who can hear you even if they are not listening?
I'm not necessarily sure it is the hard part. I think the hard part sometimes is saying "yes, I've got a hundred things to do, but right now I'm going to take an hour that is purely and selfishly just for me". At the end of my bike ride, or practice session, I don't have a clean bathroom, I haven't re-stocked my mother's cat food cupboard, I haven't got that piece of work done or written that letter. But you know what? I feel a heck of a lot more relaxed about my enormous to do list than I did before (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Clarimoo]

Well said Maizie.

[barry-clari]

Occasionally relaxing, rarely a chore (though when it is, I feel the necessity of the practice (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) ), frequently neither (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)