Working with proper body position is just as important as making sure all your sixteenth notes are even and that you're not skipping any key signatures. Actually, it's more important, because improper playing can come back to haunt you when the flute's put down, in the form of muscle aches and pains. For more ideas on preventing performance injuries, check back to this article.
OK, you're taking care of your body. What about your instrument? Just like a computer, little problems can develop with your flute until one day, it just seems to not want to cooperate with you. The first thing you need to invest in (and it's a minor cost, really) is a little repair/care kit. This kit should have the following: a jeweler's screwdriver to take care of loose screws, the smallest size crochet hook to take care of slipped springs, cigarette paper or specially make paper to clean sticky pads, a clean cotton cloth (not too huge!), and little sewing machine brush or pipe cleaner to get rid of dust between the rods, and possibly a specially made polishing cloth. Clean off those fingerprints every day, and swab your instrument out. This seems like common sense, but it's easy to slip up. What happens is, if too much moisture accumulates in the instrument, it can eventually get to your pads. And, contrary to popular notion, too much playing may wear pads down, but no playing causes them to become misshapen and even crack. The notion of using dollar bills to clean pads isn't really a good one, either. It could possibly work in a pinch, but when was the last time you ever saw a really clean bill? Don't hestitate to have your flute looked over by a professional, even for a more thorough cleaning, every 2-3 years or so. Tiny things get out of whack very easily, and the experts are the best ones to handle them.
Do you need inspiration to keep playing? Maybe it's time to check out taking lessons again on a regular basis, even if it's just once a month. And, yes, teachers take lessons, too. It's always good to have someone else's unbiased opinion, because, believe me, there are things that other experienced players can notice that you can't, such as hand position, tension, etc. How do you go about finding a teacher? Try one of the following:
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