Practice is not just about putting in time and going through motions, it’s about making quantifiable progress. That’s the difference between practice and productive practice. To make progress, clear objectives are needed. Knowing the skills and goals you are working toward makes it easier to choose the exercises that move you in the desired direction.
Set realistic goals and expectations and work on a few things at a time. Choose one to three things to practice in any given session. At least a quarter of practice should be sending. Find a time and place to practice that is conducive to learning without distraction. Assuming a Loose Focus (lean-back copy) enhances the learning process. Loose focus yields more effortless copy and the ability to decode for longer periods of time without becoming fatigued. Too much practice or practice when fatigued is ineffective and counterproductive. According to Koch, half an hour of continuous practice is the most favorable duration. Furthermore, practice in the morning and in the afternoon for half an hour each yields the best and fastest success. Modern training methods can be intense. Many students prefer to break their practice up into shorter sessions of about fifteen minutes to prevent fatigue.
Rest and recovery are critical components of the learning process. Find a sustainable pace and don’t burn out. Progress is not linear. Progress is usually steady at first but then no perceptible progress is made for a period of time. Short periods of regression are common. Everyone experiences learning plateaus. Take the long view, stay the course, continue productive practice habits and you will achieve your CW goals.
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