The practice schedule is always harder to keep up with than every other part of the schedule.
Whether you’re a child or an adult.
Whether you’re in school or out working.
Whether you’re practicing music, painting, writing, acting, or speaking.
Why?
Because our practice is invisible to the rest of the world. Our practice isn’t graded. Our practice is more complex than just getting the right answers. And when we practice our craft, it’s usually alone.
So, when we practice, the world will see the results later. After the days, weeks, months, and years of practice.
But, when we don’t practice, the world keeps moving on. Nobody knows.
What to do?
First, keep it simple. Just do it every day. Bonus points if you can do it the same time every day.
Don’t have time? Just do a few minutes of good practice. Get something tiny done. Anything counts. It doesn’t need to be more complicated than that. And there are always a few minutes to spare, even on the busiest day.
Second, find a community. Whether performing in a recital or writing something for a friend, plan to show your work to someone. When we’re on the hook to show our work to other humans, we’re less likely to stop practicing.
That’s it.
Do it every day, and find someone to share your work with.
That’s all the practice schedule you need to make a difference to yourself and the world.