Practicing Focus

It's about the journey, not the destination. This is an idea that we hear so often. Yet, it is human nature to obsess over the destination; I find that I constantly have to remind myself to stay in the present moment, especially while I am practicing. As musicians, we would do well to place more emphasis on the process of practicing. By that, I mean to really dive into the weeds of what it takes to practice well: how to focus properly, and truly make the most of your time.

Try this: Close your eyes, and count slowly to 10. For each number you count, visualize it in large, bold font. If you find your mind wandering, thinking about anything else but the numbers (thinking about what you're going to have for lunch, an awkward moment from a few days ago, your Instagram feed, or whatever your mind tends to wander to), start over from the beginning. Once you can do this, you are in the proper mental space to practice! It's easier said than done, and the trickiest part is to maintain that level of focus throughout your practice session. Try to be aware of certain occurrences that cause your focus to wane. I find that I frequently lose focus at exactly the moment I am practicing a few notes that are difficult (a shift, fast fingering, double stops, etc). This is precisely the point that I tend to start thinking about lunch or dinner. Try this during your next practice session: when you are running through a passage slowly, pay very close attention to your mind at the exact moment you approach a difficult technical hurdle. What are you thinking about?

This is a change anyone can make in their practice, right now. In a world of ever decreasing attention spans, if you can focus well, you have a leg up!

To give credit where it is due:
-Counting to 10 exercise: I learned this from Steven Pologe (Cello Professor at University of Oregon)
-Your mind tends to wander while you practice a difficult moment: I learned this from Jerry Horner (former Violist of the Fine Arts Quartet)