Consistency beats intensity at the piano. Ten focused minutes every day will move you further than an hour once a week. The hard part is not talent — it is building a routine your brain actually wants to repeat.
Start absurdly small
Pick a goal so small you cannot talk yourself out of it — one scale, one measure, one tricky transition. The point of the first week is not progress; it is showing up. Once sitting down feels automatic, you can quietly raise the bar.
Practice in loops, not passes
Instead of playing a piece start to finish, isolate the two bars that keep falling apart. Slow them down until they are easy, then nudge the tempo up. This is how you actually learn a passage rather than rehearsing your mistakes.
End on a win
Finish every session by playing something you enjoy and can already play well. Your last memory of practice should be pleasant, because that is the feeling your brain files away for tomorrow.