Practice Tip #7 of 7: Give Yourself a Break

7. Give Yourself a Break in the learning process, and particularly if you're preparing for something big. Yes, you need to learn your music inside & out so you can sing/play it by heart, but you also need to give your brain and emotions a break so you can enjoy what you're doing and make sure stress doesn't sidetrack you. Some suggestions I've heard from professionals of all levels over the years:

• Read a good book or watch a movie to be transported to someplace completely different

• Run, walk, jog, bike, hike, or do other cardio exercise to unload your brain

• Laugh hard: nothing feels better than a good belly laugh!

• Give thanks for the opportunity to make music and for what you're able to do at a given time