If you’re like most dancers, you probably struggle with having a consistent practice routine. The month of April, let’s challenge ourselves to build a practice routine one step at a time.
James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, has some great suggestions for building habits. Two things that I use from his book are:
- Keeping your new habit doable and small
- Habit stacking
Number one, keeping your new habit doable and small. Make a commitment to yourself to do 5 minutes of dancing everyday. You may end up doing more, but don’t put so much pressure on yourself that you dread your practice time. Build the habit up slowly and steady. 5 minutes a day is better than an hour once a week. You will make great progress with just 5 minutes on a consistent basis.
Number two, habit stacking. What is habit stacking? What habits do you have on lock already? A morning cup of joe, brushing your teeth, taking your dog for a walk or making your bed? Try stacking your new habit of dancing 5 minutes a day with something that you do without thinking. I am going to stack my 5 minutes of dancing with opening my office door. Between opening the office and turning on my computer I will do 5 minutes of dancing each day.
Let’s break down our challenge into manageable steps. Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Choose a time of day that you will practice each week.
2. Commit to practicing for at least 5 minutes, even if it’s just a few basic steps.
3. Join the facebook group! Find a practice buddy or join our online dance community to stay accountable.
4. Track your progress! Seeing your progress on video or in a notebook will help with motivation. Your brain will get a little hit of dopamine as you check off your habit tracker or record your progress each day. Consider recording a before and after video. Video yourself dancing before you start practicing and then record yourself at the end of the week or month to see your progress. You don’t have to share this with anyone, it can be just for you to see how much you improve over the month. Very motivating to see your progress so clearly!
Building a consistent practice routine doesn’t have to be daunting. By taking it one step at a time, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a better dancer in no time!
