Hello readers, it’s been a minute! I have been on maternity leave and enjoying time with my newly expanded family, but I am slowly starting to get back into the swing of all things music. For today’s post, I’d like to write about something I am currently experiencing: how to get back into music after an extended break. Here are my top 4 tips.
1. Start slowly.
Let’s say you used to lift weights every day – but then needed to take an extended break. When you return to lifting weights, you don’t pick back up right where you left off! That would cause injury because your body isn’t in the same shape that it was before your time off.
The same principle applies to music. If you take an extended break, you need to give yourself time to work back up to where you were. Nothing good ever came from rushing. And if you’ve been on a break for a long time, jumping in too quickly can cause stress and burn-out (and yes, even physical injury if you practice with tension). Give yourself a break and remember that starting slowly is the best way to build yourself back up to where you want to be.
Set aside a small amount of time each day to work on your craft. And then slowly increase that amount over time as you get back into your groove. Don’t push yourself too hard right from the get-go.
2. Set a (realistic) goal.
One of the best things you can do for yourself when coming back to music after a break is setting a goal. This gives you something to work towards, which motivates you to do music even when you don’t feel like it. And trust me, there will be times when you don’t feel like it!
There are two types of goals you can set: long-term and short-term. A long-term goal is not something that is easily met right now, and that’s where the short-term goals come in. Short-term goals are the specific steps you need to take in order to meet your long-term goals.
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to setting musical goals. Evaluate where you are and where you would like to end up, and then set goals to make up the difference.
A word of caution: make sure your goals are realistic. Lofty goals can be great, but if they are unachievable, then you are setting yourself up for failure! For more on how to set reasonable goals, check out this post here.
3. Meet yourself where you are.
Don’t get frustrated when picking your craft back up doesn’t go as quickly or smoothly as you’d like. This blog post took me two weeks to write, and that’s not an exaggeration! My new lifestyle requires me to prioritize my family over my music for now, and that’s okay. I just work on music when I can; that’s the best I can do for now.
You might not be where you want to be. But all that matters is that you give yourself a little grace – remember, you took an extended break and need to work back up to where you were. Don’t try to force yourself to work harder than you are able (remember tip #1!). Do the best you can do right now.
4. Keep going.
Keep moving forward! Don’t give up! Just keep swimming! You’ve heard it all before, but let me say it again: you can do it. Getting back into music after a break is hard, but you can do it. It will be difficult. You might want to give up. But if you can push through the hard times, you will become better and stronger. And then one day you will be an even better musician than you ever imagined you could be.
Bonus tip: get inspired!
A great way to stay motivated after a break is to inspire yourself. Listen to your favorite music, or find new music to listen to. Go outside. Read a book. Learn something new. All of these things will help your mind stay sharp and active, and you will be refreshed and excited to work hard.
