How do you find time to hobby?

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**D4V1D0**

Evening Dakka

As the topic says, how do you find the time to paint your models?

The reason I ask is that recently I've just seemingly had no time to even look at my ever-expanding project pile, let alone paint it. Even when I get a spare few hours, I'd rather focus on other things.

I know I physically have time available, but how do you stay motivated and force yourself back into painting or other hobbying pursuits?

Take a break from the hobby?

Man up and just get on with it?

Diarise time to paint?

Just interested to see how everyone makes sure the hobby love doesn't die out

**CREEEEEEEEED**

It comes and goes, sometimes I get an urge to just paint and within a few weeks I'll have devoted all my free time and done loads, and then it runs out and I do nothing for a month or so.

**Elbows**

The first step is to not really create a project pile. That's just hobby discipline which most people fail at (including myself, but I get better every year).

Avoiding the "buy new and shiny" constant money-drops unless you're making progress on assembling/painting stuff is a darn good way to start.

I don't force myself to paint...I wait until I feel like painting (occasionally I'll sit down and try..just to see if I suddenly feel up to the task). I can go 2-3 weeks without painting, and then I'll knock out 20 figures in two days because I just felt like painting. I try, as a general rule to have 2-3 things primed and ready to paint in case I feel like sitting down and taking a swing at it.

I try to never have more than one or two projects on hand at any one time. Stuff stays boxed or bagged or sorted until I plan on painting it. I don't assemble stuff to game with until it's going to get painted (don't play with anything unpainted).

On top of that, have a nice, well-lit area to paint and have a podcast or movie on while I do it.

**Davor**

How do you find time? Well as my Collage teacher once told me, there are 86 400 seconds in a day. If you can't find time for that you are just making excuses for not doing so.

I know this isn't what you said in your post but in your title. That is why I said that.

As for how to get your self to paint? I really can't say right now because I have depression now, and really find it hard doing anything I like right now. Be that modelling, painting or even playing video games.

What I remember before my depression is what like Elbows has said. Don't create a "project". Just do what you love. For me my problem besides jumping from army to army to gaming system to gaming system to company to company and getting nothing done, is just do what you want.

That is what I finally did yesterday. I finally picked a mini I want to do and try to finish. Before, it became a chore. Work. Something I really don't want to do.

So now instead of trying to think of it as a chore, or work, I am thinking it as something I want to do. So now it's not a chore or work but something that is fun and pleasing to do.

Hope this helps a bit.

**Retrogamer0001**

Try having a painting goal a few times a week (ie. today I'm going to get my first basecoat on this model, or today I want to do my washes for those silver areas). Even if you only paint ten minutes every day for a week, that's still progress, and you will eventually finish.

**D4V1D0**

Thanks guys, I'll definitely give some of those things a try!

The problem atm for me is I just got a puppy and boy does he eat up some time!

Before we got him I had grand visions of starting my 2017 armies on parade entry early to avoid a last minute rush. Since he landed it's now "hey maybe I'll paint that mini" and now it's like "Yeah I'd rather sleep than paint"

I know in a few months that will chance as he gets older, but my motivation has seriously gone out the window!

Another problem is I've joined a trading group on FB and my "unpainted" list has jump up more than I would like!

Thank you for taking the time to post though, these responses are awesome

**Elbows**

There's no rush to do a hobby. A self-imposed rush might occur if you have games you need to play, or tournaments you want to attend. It's a hobby - your relax/down time. Think in a few years you might be painting with a dog curled up at your feet.

Also if you joined a trading group...that goes both ways. Right now I generally keep my hobby money only generated from eBay as I sell off extraneous stuff/kits/models I no longer want (and sales from my game). So I keep a small cycle/flow.

**Zach**

You need to find some form of reward in the endeavor, otherwise its going to be hard to devote the time required to complete a task like model painting.

When I first started, I was always eager to get a new Tyranid unit on the battlefield, but I refused to do so unpainted, so I would work as fast as possible to get it done.

**ScootyPuffJunior**

Finding hobby time can be difficult because I work a four day on, four day off shift.

Typically, on the days that I work, I have very little (if any) time to build or paint because I have a family that I enjoy spending time with. However, on my days off I have more or less as much time as I want because the only thing I usually have to worry about is taking my younger daughter to and from school. As far as staying motivated, that's a little tougher. I find that it kind of comes and goes... sometimes I'll go a couple of weeks without really doing much and then I'll buckle down and crank out an impressive amount of work in a short period of time.

**Gulgog TufToof**

The unofficial painting challenge is a great way to get at least one mini a month done. I find that once I post a proof pic, the motivation just comes naturally. Combine that with the advice above about sorting through the pile for something that you want to paint and I think you're guaranteed to make some progress.

**Asmodai**

I try to do 15 minutes a day. Some days I may end up doing a lot more, but 15 is my baseline. It's enough to see gradual progress.

Also, I keep my finished armies out in display cases while the unfinished are packed away in boxes. It's surprising how often you see the opposite.

**timetowaste85**

Have a goal or a plan for your stuff. Be "the guy who has that". Be it a unique paint scheme, or an unseen conversion. Be unique. Just painting "another ultramarines chapter" gets boring; cuz there'll always be someone with a sharper army. So go unique. Make a special conversion. You'll wanna paint it up and show it off cuz nobody else has it. Try to avoid having a massive backlog. It just looks daunting. Do something fun (music or movie or painting with buddies) at the same time. It helps. Considerably.

**Perkustin**

I should not be giving advice on this subject as i know all too well that buying stuff is, for some reason, more fun than making it. However if you are in a funk i do have one piece of advice, the two minute rule.

If you force yourself to do something for two minutes chances are you'll continue to do it, at least for an hour or so. Don't fall into the trap of preparing, tidying your hobby space, getting a coffee etc just open a paint and start. After you've started to get into it a bit grab that coffee or turn on the telly to watch in the background.

When it comes to rewards I try to only watch the garbage youtube game videos my decomposing brain craves whilst doing some painting/hobby stuff at the same time. It's not worth your undivided attention so just watch it in the background. My go to channel is 'The Sw1tcher' while painting. though only really the 'Matt' & 'Pat' ones, 'Woolie' and 'Liam' are so inane they are distracting haha.

**Davor**

Retrogamer0001 wrote:Try having a painting goal a few times a week (ie. today I'm going to get my first basecoat on this model, or today I want to do my washes for those silver areas). Even if you only paint ten minutes every day for a week, that's still progress, and you will eventually finish.

Very great advice. I will try this and see if it helps me instead of thinking everything needs to be done at once.

Gulgog TufToof wrote:The unofficial painting challenge is a great way to get at least one mini a month done. I find that once I post a proof pic, the motivation just comes naturally. Combine that with the advice above about sorting through the pile for something that you want to paint and I think you're guaranteed to make some progress.

Does Dakka have one of these? If so, can you link it please.

**timetowaste85**

It should only be a couple spots below this one; its in this subsection.

**JoshInJapan**

I don't generally have a plan for my hobbying, but I do have two dogs and a young son. Before he started school, the only way I managed to fit in all his care and make it to work on time was to walk and feed the dogs when they woke up, which is to say at the crack of dawn. I am now so used to getting up at 4AM that I'm awake before my alarm goes off. I use that 40-50 minutes every morning for painting and modelling.

I guess what I'm saying is that it really helps to add "hobby" to your daily to-do list, ideally at the same time every day.

**Guildenstern**

Honestly, I have more of a problem with hobby adhd. Last count (this month) I have over 370 minis to paint, and I wasn't very exact. I'm working on something like 5 armies atm as well, 7 I guess, if you count the work Im doing for my sons.

If you start focusing on what you've not got done, you ruin the enjoyment for yourself. Put what you've done where you can see it, even if it's small, you will get a good feeling looking at it as it grows. Take time to admire the stuff you've done. Ok, maybe it's one unit. So what - still worthy of admiring ^_^ It all helps you get better as well.

Try not to be too critical of your stuff, that way leads to depression. You can set out a certain piece - something you tell yourself you're going to attempt to do at a higher level than your 'norm' and use that to learn with and get critiques. Be critical of that single piece, so you can learn, but overall, keep on painting - and know that you will, get better (unless you're just not trying, in which case you probably won't care any way so the point is moot

)

Otherwise I also set out rewards for myself - like do 5 infantry/boring units, then paint one champion/special unit. That sort of thing. Or for instance, if I finish X thing, I'll allow myself to buy Y mini or whatever.

**Jadenim**

Things that help me:

- I love making the models, particularly reposing and converting, so I always have stuff built and ready to go when I feel the desire to paint. Figure out what drives you in the hobby, is it building, painting, gaming, collecting? Use that to give you drive to get through the bits you're less keen on.

- I tend to put podcasts or long YouTube videos on in the background when I hobby; spoken word stuff, nothing that requires too much attention. I find it helps the time pass and also that I'm killing two birds with one stone.

- Have a wife/partner in charge of the TV. I love my wife, but not having to watch "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" is a great motivator for going to the hobby room!

**Freddy Kruger**

I'm currently married with 2 children under 2 years old, now THAT eats up your time! Add in shift work and it becomes tight to do anything, but I have to make time.

I usually get 2-3 nights per shift pattern where I can sit down from about 8pm to get a couple if hours done, but no later than 11pm. Painting tired leads to, interesting painting techniques...
Just concentrate on one unit/model at a time,complete, then move on. It's gonna take me at least 4 nights to complete 12 Necron warriors, the easiest to paint models EVER. But it will be worth it.

Continued little steps gets more done than one big session. Just plod along when you can, and you'll soon so results stacking up.

**DalinCriid**

I am working at 2 jobs atm and I simply don't find time. Painted to Sargent for 1 week and they are barely anything higher than average table top quality.
So sad :(

**pancakeonions**

Likewise, I'm married with two kids, 4 and 1. Like Freddy, I also am usually able (maybe 4-5 times a week?) to spend an hour or two in the early morning or late evening to paint.

I find it very relaxing, so I make a point of spending my free time doing it.

**G00fySmiley**

I have two young children (4 years and 9 months) they nap at the same time when I am watching them on the weekends for 1.5-3 hours each day. I try to get some building or painting done during that break. I also some evenings after they go to be will watch something and slowly assemble kits/ clean mold liens etc.

**JoshInJapan**

G00fySmiley wrote:
I have two young children (4 years and 9 months) they nap at the same time when I am watching them on the weekends for 1.5-3 hours each day.

I envy you. My son (now 7) stopped napping at home when he was 2.

**dargrin**

I just started back up again after a couple years of few false starts. I had the time but couldn't get into the grove. My boys showed no interest in painting or gaming with them so I made it hard to get back into the hobby. By the time they went to bed I was too tired to get it going. Now they are older and more into themselves I am finding getting back into it is a lot easier now.

**IronDane**

Listening to audio books while I paint has become a new obsession. It is incredibly relaxing as I find immense satisfaction in creative outlets like this. I'll usually do this while my wife is scrap-booking or doing some kind of craft nearby so we're still together. Yes, the 4 kids may be dismantling the house while we blissfully create, but it is well worth it for us.

**Skawt**

Before I had the discipline I have now I'd tell myself I'm just going to work on it for 15 minutes. Every time, I'd end up completing a task or a layer. Eventually you end up with a finished product.

This is coming from a 32 year old with three boys (two under two years old) who still finds time for this.

**Big Mac**

If you can't find the time for hobby, why hobby at all? Put it on the backburner and do something else with your time; or have your minis done by a commission painter.

**D4V1D0**

Loving the tips guys, thanks for replying!

Big Mac wrote:
If you can't find the time for hobby, why hobby at all? Put it on the backburner and do something else with your time; or have your minis done by a commission painter.

Painting is my main enjoyment so commissions aren't really something I'm into.

I do agree though that not worrying about it definitely helps!

Small update: still no real hobby progress, although I did manage to base coat one model

**Davor**

D4V1D0 wrote:

Small update: still no real hobby progress, although I did manage to base coat one model

Hey you are doing better than me.

**ian**

Im suffering from having to many armys and models and really wanting to have them painted so i can game with them . My plan im not sure if its going to work is to write 2 army lists for my armys we normaly play 1.5k - 2k and zenithal prime them .and base them,once thats done any new additions have to be fully based and painted , hope it works