Plateaus are no fun when you're on one. I know; generally around this time of year, whatever group I'm in is in the middle of its rehearsal season for holiday music. The novelty of new pieces and happy reunions with familiar music are over. We've been working hard and have wrangled notes, diction and phrasing into some sort of order. However, small but persistent issues keep cropping up. We drill certain numbers over and over. Sometimes practices drag a bit. Boredom is lurking around the edges.
When you plateau it's tempting to give up and start coasting. Now more than ever, you'll need to focus. Here are a few fixes that have worked for me:
- Take a short break. Even if it's only a day or so, that may be all you need.
- Partner up with someone from your group. Run, write or practice together.
- When you're in a session and feel yourself starting to zone out, use any keep-alert tactics that work for you. Try deep breathing, moving around or drinking water (being dehydrated can make you feel tired).
- Practice the state of mindfulness known as Be Here Now: your only task at the moment is to do this particular activity to the best of your ability.
- Know when it really is time to quit for the day. At the point where you've used up all your mental and physical energy, it's better to try again another day rather than spin your wheels.
- Find motivation or a goal with personal meaning that infuses you with energy. For instance, if you play in a band, what got you going in the first place? Do you like having a sense of mastery? Does performing for an audience provide your strongest motivation? Or is it belonging to a tightly knit group? There are no wrong answers so be honest. Once you know what floats your boat, you can create short and long-term goals that will help you get more of it.
