Motivation In Lockdown

What are you doing to stay motivated?

At first we might have thought being at home a lot and so close to your instrument is totally going to equate into loads more practise time… right? But in reality we find that between online school assignments, or conference calls and emails; the couch and video games or a mini Netflix binge just seems a lot more enticing…

Here are some of my top choices to try stay motivated to make some noise!

Create a schedule for having a jam…

At the top of every hour set 5 minutes aside to get some of the pent up energy out. Not necessarily working on anything specific, or anything at all… Just jam! Aside from getting a few minutes behind your instrument in, it will make you feel better! Music raises the serotonin levels in our bodies which make us happier, and being physical releases endorphins which has the same effect - this is a particularly large benefit of playing the drums!

Choose the right things to practise…

When you do sit down to practise with a purpose and not solely a “let loose” jam, what are you practising?

It’s important to be careful with our choices to make sure we’re not pushing too far beyond our capabilities. If you’re struggling to gauge where the bar currently is, and where it needs to be raised to, maybe consider getting a few lessons. Your teacher will be able to guide you along your progression ensuring you make the right steps forward in level of difficulty.

Know when to MOVE on!

It’s so easy to get trapped in that “broken record player” cycle where we go in circles focusing way too much time and energy on a bar or section we’re struggling with! Skip it! You can always come back later.

You might even find the break from that difficult part is exactly what you needed to come back and nail it! Often we just overthink things.

Think outside the box to get inspired!

Choosing a song you like = audio stimulus… what about some visual stimuli?

Watch videos of musicians playing solos, doing covers, and also live concerts to get you pumped up to play around yourself. YouTube alone has an enormous library of videos for a huge variety of instruments.

Set up goals!

Setting goals can be a great motivator, so long as the goal in mind is reasonable; similar to choosing the correct pieces to practise.

Having lessons (online or in person) help make the goals easier to establish. For example, having this weeks materials learned and ready to demonstrate to the tutor for next week are fantastic milestones to reach. Especially because you know the reward is moving on to the next stage or level and improving your abilities further.

Make sure your instrument is ready to rock…

If you need to set up every time to just have a quick session, this will start leading to playing your instrument feeling more like a chore. It’s not always feasible to leave the gear ready to play for sure, but where and when you can, try leave it in a “ready to rock” position!

People of all ages with ADHD tend to be a lot more susceptible to boredom than others. But being in self-isolation or lockdown doesn't mean that all hope is lost!

For sure in these uncertain times many people (ADHD and non) are feeling disrupted and experiencing heightened levels of anxiety, stress, loneliness, depression and fear. Our extroverted friends in particular are taking a lot of strain being stuck at home. However, sticking to your routine, and embracing creativity and music during this time can all help to alleviate some of the despondency linked to self-isolation.

Keep up your routines! You’ve worked so hard to build the rhythm of the fundamentals, do your best not to lose it now! Get up the same time as usual and go to sleep the same time as normal, try do as many of your usual daily activities as possible. Of course we do have the opportunity to adapt existing, and integrate new routines for home life to maximise productivity and ensure good mental and physical health while we wait it out.

A suggestion to use this time more productively is by making the most of the fact your drum kit is nearby! Think of the drum kit as your “Creativity and Expression Zone.” For those homeschooling, take 3-5 minutes between each subject, class or activity to head over to your Creativity Zone and let loose behind the drums! Experiment, jam, play fast, express yourself through your movements and sound creations, have fun and make some noise! For those older drummers working from home, spend a few minutes at the top of each hour taking a break from emails and spreadsheets to let rip in the same way!

Don’t have any instruments at home to do this? Try making your own with stuff you find lying around the house! A bunch of different sized textbooks lined up next to each other and a wooden spoon can produce a surprisingly melodic percussion-type sound; or grab a few different sized pillows and two sticks and Go Mad. You’re only limited by your imagination… and maybe Mum or the neighbours.

Go Mad Music makes the most of specifically timed short bursts of drumming to promote focus and attention, which have immediate short term effects. This helps for the theory and technical aspects in between the lesson, which are also designed to maximise outcomes. These effects can show in other aspects of life, and begin to last longer - if a good practise routine is kept up.

By getting rid of excess energy, as well as the releasing of endorphins by being physically active, we create a sense of well-being throughout our bodies which keeps us feeling happier and healthier.

The coordination and motor skills involved in rhythmic activities and playing the drums keeps the brain stimulated in a positive way too. This a key player in improving attention and focus.

And to add to that, just simply listening to music increases our dopamine and serotonin levels which again make us happier!

The combination of all this makes for a triple whammy of happiness and joy, a sense of being more connected by the brain being stimulated in a way unlike any other, and a general feeling of well-being! Which is welcomed in these strange times we’re currently facing! For the first time now, you can actually incorporate this method, feel these benefits, and have the short term attentional effects transfer between regular school subjects, or work calls and emails!

Even better, after home schooling and work, Go Mad Music now offers online drum classes! After its first week of online classes the feedback from parents and students alike was terrific! It allowed for a dedicated time to make music and have that be the main focus, which increases the neurological functions that lift our mood, as well as allowed for the teacher and student to have a social interaction for the duration of the session. No more isolation blues. We’re only trying to physically distance ourselves after-all, not socially cut ourselves off. The extra added benefit of this platform is that location is not so much of an issue anymore, lessons don’t have to be confined to just the Northern Beaches/North Shore areas!

We really hope these few tips help, and happy isolating! Stay healthy and stay happy, and if you’re interested in learning more about Go Mad Music and the online drum lessons, head over to www.gomadmusic.com

Lee

Go Mad Music

P.S.

There are also a large number of music apps available. Something like GarageBand on Apple products or Walk Band for Android lets you virtually interact and play around with various instruments by tapping or running fingers across the screen, and you can even create your own music!

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29499311

https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/exercise-depression#1