Hi Lin

I've probably been putting about the same amount of time as you...I have a lot of catching up to do too, it seems to run in my family to take up an instrument in your mid 30's!!.

I find it better, as others have suggested, to split it up a bit. So, I never put the melodeon away, I just pick it up every now and again as I wander by, but do an hour of 'proper practice' as well. The other problem I had (before the straps got sorted) was I found it impossible to play sitting down, so I was standing all the time leading to horrible lower backpain...however that's now sorted as well.

Alexander technique is a way of training your body to work more efficiently and to improve posture, there's a very through website here, including lots of stuff on Alexander technique and Musicians:

http://www.alexandertechnique.com/

Cheers

Fi