Practice Diaries / schedules

[matthew]

Hey all
How do you keep track of the number of hours/exercises/achievements you get through on a daily basis.

I have tried a variety of methods: writing down the exact exercise and what time i started and finished, i.e.:
3:15 - 3:43 french grip
3:43 - 4:01 bass drum

etc...

but i find this tedious.

i used to just write how long i did each day, but i found it lacked motivation and a sense of progression because i didn't reflect on what i specifically did the past day.


lately i used a system where i have a table with each exercise i COULD do down the rows, and the days on the columns. for each exercise I do it for 30 mins and move on to the next. Then i tick its' box. Some times if I do 20 mins instead of 30 ill write it in, but the default is 30 mins. I really like this one so far, because nothing you do feels like a waste of time. I used to just put on music and play aimlessly for a period of time until I felt that I was not being efficient, then move on, but now I put on specifically, say, shuffle groove songs, for 30 mins and work on that and move on. it feels like positive use of 'jamming time'.

I'm just wondering, what ways have worked for you when keeping track of your practice?

[razorx]

30 minutes on one exercise that's kind of crazy to me.

[matthew]

i gues it depends what it is. also i currently just play drums so i have the time to do it.

15 minutes on each exercise would also work, i think.

[oops]

I use a pretty standard A4 notebook.

I get my teacher to write all his notes in there from my lessons every week, with the date.

Then I write my practice in there as well:

Date at the top.
Exercises I do (ie. p.11 from Art of Bop, Solo 150 from Wilcoxon's)
With these I write any notes I need: how fast I practice it at, anything I particularly have problems with, any ideas for exercises/licks that come from what I'm working on.

This way my teacher can pick up the book, flick through a couple pages, see what he gave me to do and what I've worked on, then we're all on the same page.

I've also started doing 15 minute practice sessions due to wrist problems. I'll put my timer on for 15 minutes, work on an exercise till it goes off, and then I make myself take a break. I'll either get up and stretch for a minute, or go get something to eat or whatever. But I won't let myself go too long sitting at the kit. When I come back I can do another 15 on the same exercise.