In the Practice Room- Physical Set Up

If you're a non-professional musician like me, getting adequate time to practice is a big issue. You probably have a job that keeps you busy during the day, a spouse, kids, house projects, and the usual retinue of laundry, dishes, shopping, etc. You're pressed for time, to put it mildly. And then there's your energy level. Practice comes last, after everything else is done, and your energy level isn't at its peak. And don't forget gumption, willpower, grit, etc. Just like time and energy, willpower is a finite resource. You'll need some of that, too.

So if you've decided to practice, you're already short on time and energy and willpower. But wait! Now you have to get ready to practice! What's that, you say? This:

• Go to your practice area
• Clear a space to open the case & assemble the horn
• Get a music stand 
• Get an instrument stand
• Light on the stand if needed
• Dig around for something to play
• Get a pencil to mark the music
• On and on...

Here is my gold-plated guarantee: If you don't make it as easy as possible to practice- if it involves an iota more effort than you think it should otherwise take, you will start finding excuses for not practicing. Your playing will suffer. You'll struggle to get through rehearsals. You'll be one step closer to giving up. Bet on it. 

Although you can't do much about other obligations that use up time, energy, and willpower, you can lower the barrier to getting in some practice time. Take a look at your physical setup and see what could be changed to make it easier. Minimize decision fatigue and you'll practice more often, rather than waste time merely getting ready to practice. Here's what I did:

• I keep an adequate amount of free space on my desk at all times. No moving books, papers, etc. out of the way to make room for the case, music, mutes, etc. 
• As I've upgraded equipment, I kept the older music stand, stand light, and instrument stand. Zero time spent setting these up. They're permanently sitting there. The new stuff is what I take to rehearsals & performances.
• I have a Pen Pal holder stuck to the bottom of my stand with a mechanical pencil in it. Fumbling around for a pencil annoys the crap out of me. 
• I use my iPod touch as my metronome, tuner, audio/video recording & playback device, camera, and picture viewer. I snap shots of stuff I muffed during rehearsal and work on it at home. Something with a bigger screen would be better, but the iPod touch is adequate.
• I have a decent but inexpensive set of speakers that can be plugged into the iPod for listening to recordings, play-a-longs, watching videos, etc. Aebersold CDs are already on the iPod. 
• A small shelf that sits on my desk that has a small stack of music I'm currently working on. It's within arm's reach, and I don't have to get out of the chair.

As a finishing touch, maybe put up a few pictures, posters, or decorations that inspire you.

The beauty of this tactic is that you only have to do it once, and you're all set forever more. 

Short of a magic amulet that gives you a little peace and quiet, what else can you do?

By the way, none of the above addresses your practice plan. You do have a plan, don't you? That's another big drain on willpower. Make your practice plan in advance so you don't waste time and energy figuring it out when you should be playing instead.