As a newbie, I wish I would have known about using transparent shelf liner on my wood instead of painters tape. It comes off all at once and can be cut to size and is super cheap compared to tape.
Having fun and remembering its supposed to be fun is something I had to really practice. Staring at a fretwork piece and thinking I had to rush to get it done because of so many cuts, started to take the fun out of it. Now I do a very complex piece and simple projects simultaneously. Work on fretwork for awhile, set it aside and knock out a small project. I get the sense of accomplishment and I'm able to enjoy the 200-300 cut pieces.