How to Minimize Intrusive Thoughts When You’re Practicing

<p>Have you ever had one of those moments in the practice room, where you suddenly notice that physically, you&apos;ve been going through the motions for the last couple minutes, but mentally, you&apos;ve been spacing out or thinking about something else entirely?</p><p>It might mean that you could use a quick nap, practice break, or even a drink of water (yep, there&apos;s a study on that!) to clear your head. But it could also be that you&apos;ve just got a lot of stuff on your to-do list competing for your time and attention.</p><p>Jotting down these tasks on a to-do list can help - but a 2011 study found that this may not be enough to stop them from randomly popping into your thoughts and being a distraction. Luckily, the researchers also found a simple technique that can help to increase your focus in the moment!</p><p>Get all the nerdy details and this week’s practice hack right here:</p><p>​<a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/how-to-get-those-distracting-thoughts-out-of-your-head-when-youre-trying-to-practice/'>How to Increase Your Focus in the Practice Room</a></p><p>--<br/><b>Why do things sound better at home than they do on stage?</b><br/><br/>If you’ve been confused (and frustrated) by the inconsistency of your performances, I put together a FREE 4-minute quiz called the Mental Skills Audit, which will help you pinpoint your mental strengths and weaknesses, and figure out what exactly to adjust and tweak in your preparation for more consistently optimal performances.<br/><br/>You can take the Mental Skills Audit online at <a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/msa'>bulletproofmusician.com/msa</a>. It’s 100% free, takes only 4 minutes, and you’ll get a downloadable PDF with a personalized breakdown of where you stand in six key mental skill areas, plus curated articles that will help you adjust and tweak your preparation for more consistently optimal performances.<br/><br/>Take the quiz here: <a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/msa'>bulletproofmusician.com/msa</a></p>