The Classical Voice Studio of Diana Farrell

: Last month, enjoying a day on the beach with the family when life was overwhelming. Recharging and relaxing for better focus.

 "I didn't have time to practice this week!" Yes, I hear it all the time and trust me: I feel you. There have absolutely been times in my life where I did not believe I had time to practice. Most of the time that meant I was not mentally in a place where I was able to focus during the time I had, either because I was overwhelmed with other things, didn't think the time I had would be "enough", or I simply wasn't motivated... or was a year+ into a global pandemic with another six months to go before most people venture into live music making. Sound familiar? Yeah. Sometimes it's overwhelming and you need to be gentle with yourself. We're all doing the best we can. So, what does practice look like for a busy working/SAHM mom of two when I do have the mental space to make it happen? When I'm very lucky, it is 45 minutes in a quiet house next to a piano studying my scores and focusing on tricky passages. The rest of the time, it looks very different: It may be listening to different recordings and interpretations of music in an earbud while prepping lunch for kiddos; it may be using bedtime songs to focus on my breath support and pianissimo singing; it may be speaking music in rhythm to the baby while we clap and play on the floor; it might even just be silently reciting music in my head while marking my breath before I go to sleep. It is often not caring about the funny looks I'm getting when parked at an intersection and singing at the top of my lungs while running a quick errand. The point is, there's always time to practice if I'm in the right headspace, have a proper goal in mind, and make a conscious choice. If I'm too burnt out to make the time, then scheduling time to decompress is *part* of practicing. After all, as many athletes will tell you, practice is 90% mental and 10% physical ...give or take.