1) Schedule in practice time, just like your lessons. Mark it in your planner/iPhone/Blackberry. And then treat that time like you paid for it!
2) Find a space that works. Your living room, basement, deck, garage. Your fitness club, racquetball court, aerobics room(check with the front desk first!). For all you teachers out there - use your school. And when the weather is nice - tennis courts, yard, park.
3) Plan in dance opportunities. Go to dances (buy tickets/memberships so you'll go), attend one of the many instructor supervised Practice Dances I host, dinner dance outings with friends once a month. And remember to check my Ongoing Dance Events and Event Calendar.
4) Make sure you have music for all the dances that you know. Buy or make Practice CD's. Fill up your iPod/MP3 player. You can search on iTunes for dances (ie: Cha Cha, Waltz, ect..) You can also purchase Practice CD's from me on your lessons.
As for practicing with music, you can play it on your stereo, or, my favorite, play it on your iPod/MP3 player - and the MAN has the headphones - really helps improve lead and follow! Remember, the man follows the music, the woman follows the man!