Start larger than you think
Many players jump straight to busy subdivisions and end up chasing the click. Start with quarter notes and eighth notes. Learn to hear the space between clicks before asking your hands to do more.
Use voice and feet
Count out loud, tap your foot, and let your body help. Timing is easier to hold when it is shared across the body instead of trapped only in the hands.
Reduce the number of clicks
Once basic alignment improves, let the metronome mark fewer beats. Two and four, or one click per bar, forces internal time to do more of the work. That is where progress starts to transfer into music.
Avoid boring sessions
Change the exercise every few minutes. Move from rudiments to grooves to short fills while keeping the same tempo goal. Variety keeps the ear fresh without losing focus.
Quick summary
Hear the gap between clicks, not just the click itself.