How do you manage your hobby time?

[Del640]

That's a good question.

Fortunately my wife loves her Lego builds so when we have downtime we both apply this time to our hobbies...both kids in thier teens so basically Weekends is build time, I also get a day off in the week so use that to build also.

Del

[Guest]

Reading all these insightful replies has got me wondering; how can I inspire my wife to take up a hobby?

[Dave Ward]

Being single & retired, I go to my bench when I feel like it - I've given up setting myself deadlines. If I don't feel like doing anything, I don't! ( I haven't touched anything this weekend ). If I don't feel like finishing a model, I don't.
I just make models for my own entertainment and satisfaction now.
Last year I realised that I was taking the modelmaking a bit too seriously, ( probably the same sort of thing that caused my clinical depression when I was working ). I've resolved that I won't continue down that path! . So no group builds, or anything that has a date, or a time frame.........................
Dave

[PaulTRose]

during normal times i always spend an hour each evening at the bench,......but very often dont get to it at weekends as thats when the memsahib has things planned

however since im again 'working from home' ..... :smiling6: .........i can spend as much time bodging plastic as i want....been times when ive been doing it at 8am.....or gone midnight!!....just cos i can and want to get something done

2020 was the crappiest of years for me, covid was just a minor side show, and so far 2021 is carrying on what its older brother started.........model making is how i cope, destress, keep sane, call it what you want.....its a little world i can retreat to away from the real world even if its just for a short while

[Defiant911]

Being single & retired, I go to my bench when I feel like it - I've given up setting myself deadlines. If I don't feel like doing anything, I don't! ( I haven't touched anything this weekend ). If I don't feel like finishing a model, I don't.
I just make models for my own entertainment and satisfaction now.
Last year I realised that I was taking the modelmaking a bit too seriously, ( probably the same sort of thing that caused my clinical depression when I was working ). I've resolved that I won't continue down that path! . So no group builds, or anything that has a date, or a time frame.........................
Dave

Dave, sounds like a much more relaxing way to do it and I’m much the same. I start a model and It completes when it completes. I never know how much time I can give to it from one week to the next and to be honest having gaps during builds gives me time to reflect on what I’ve done so far and also what I’m going to do next.
I think to put any form of time scale would spoil the enjoyment for me.
Carl

[boatman]

WELL Steven for me there are 3 answers no.1 im retired no'2 understanding SWMBO no.3 no children an jen dont mind if i spend all day up doin tiger as she likes watching her soaps an in the evening she knows i will be down for tea an then we some times put on a dvd film as we have a shed load an quite a few we hav'nt whatched an on this lockdown we cant go anywhere unless docs or shoppin so as the gent said IM FREE to model tiger as much as i want an i have a fair mojo as if i want to get tiger built then build it is an the days fly by
chris

[wotan]

I'm another of the fortunate retired brigade, and have been for some 11 years now. In the summer my wife and I are both members of our local golf club so we play golf at least 4-5 times a week, at least once or twice together. In the winter time it is cold and snow covered in Quebec so we tend to spend time at home. I have at least a dozen hobbies but most of all I like to try to learn new things and challenge the old grey matter. currently it's Arduino programming and electronics. I also paint and sculpt, build the odd weird things like puppets, wooden furniture, I enjoy computer graphics and I play some celtic music from time to time.

As many have said the important thing I find is not to take any of these things too seriously. Occasionally I play a great round of golf and start to think I should compete more, NOT. I once started to take painting seriously and started exhibiting and seeking out commissions etc, not any more, I just paint for friends now and then only when I am tempted to do so. All retirement activities should be completely without stress so I quickly realise the limit of my capacities and enjoy what I do until I don't any more.

My wife has her hobbies and like I said we share a game of golf and playing with our granddaughter (when COVID allows).

John

[Guest]

I'm exactly like Jim, being retired gives me unlimited time for modelling.
Sometimes it's every day , mostly in the afternoons.
This last year and now 2021 being a member of this forum is probably one of the most important things , being able to chat with fellow modellers. Having little face to face contact due to staying in the forum has become my go to place .

[Steven000]

Thank you all for posting your thoughts and stories, it's interesting to see how divers we all are and yet on the same page :thumb2: .
Wish you all te best and have fun doing what you do!
Steven

[dave]

Still working and married although my son has left home. I have my modelling area in the study so I can leave things out and do bits as 1 get time 5 minutes here and there, sometimes an hour or so in the evening (particularly easy when Strictly Come Dancing was on). Due to the current circumstances I have been working from home since March last year which has given me a little more time, although managing the work life balance has got harder. It is very easy to think I will just review that document or draft our comments to a consultation when your office is only 15 steps from your living room. The advantage is no travel which used to mean I could go weeks with no benchtime.
As others have said I don't set deadlines, I do it when I feel like it.

[stona]

It is usually easy for me. When I'm working I simply have no time for a hobby and am often away from home for extended periods. The decision is taken away from me!

Since March last year I have not been allowed to work which means I have almost as much time as I want at the bench, outside normal family obligations (you know, putting up new blinds, re-sealing the shower, that sort of thing).

That's why I did a load of builds last summer. In the winter it gets a bit chilly in my 'studio' which is a glorified conservatory on the back of the house, so bench time is less. Because of the various lockdowns and other restrictions I did invest in an electronic drum kit, it being unreasonable to play an acoustic kit out of respect for the neighbours, who are also stuck at home. I spend the time I would have been modelling keeping my hand in on that, usually at least a couple of hours a day, or until my arse can't stand any more of the cheap stool (something I will eventually rectify...the stool that is, not my posterior).

I have had FAR more time than I am accustomed to over the last twelve months, not helped by the fact the I along with everyone else have been restricted in what I can do. Time management is not the problem, it's motivation.

I did make a snap together Spitfire for one of the grandchildren...does that count

[Ian M]

1) finish the house. 'Just' the kitchen and first floor to do.
2) insulat the workshop/barn roof to stop condensation dripping everywhere.
3) pull the whole roof off the stable and build a new one. (My new man cave)
4) diverse jobs like shopping and cooking keeping the garden (and finishing the last of the hard landscape jobs....

Don't look like I'll be getting much bench time this year....

[CarolsHusband]

A bit of a thread dredge but this is something I've been contemplating for the past few days.
Currently we are renting the house that we will be buying once our sale completes in a couple of weeks, my cars are in storage for the same reason & I'm not working as my other half is on the covid vulnerable list and was told by her consultant that if I go to work or the shops she shouldn't let me back in the house.
So life is about not fixing up our new house yet, not working on my cars and not going anywhere. There's only so many miles you can walk the dog everyday. About 7 or 8 very hilly miles apparently, and me with my bad ankle, etc... If I've done my duties for the day an hour or two in the evening is available for modelling.
Quite what'll happen once the evenings get lighter and the house is ours to knock about I don't know, but I hope it'll still involve my re-found hobby as I'm really enjoying it.

[Guest]

Quite an easy way out of this it is so simple Steven..

You retire to fully concentrate all on model making. It is a superb life.

On a serious note I have only built one model at a time. For me I am then focused. Just love finishing a project at the same tiem as that one is coming to an end thinking of the next.

But then our characters dictate how we do things.

Laurie

[GerryW]

I'm 'semi-retired' and at the moment 'fully furloughed' from the part time job (and have been since March, when the theatres closed in the first lockdown) so plenty of time to 'get into mischief', wife loves the soaps/quiz shows and I rarely watch TV (can't stand the inane yap) so when the first soap style thing comes on, I go to 'my hobby area' in the other room - where I'll amuse myself until evening meal, then back to it before the evening soaps come on.
Roll on the reopening of the theatres, this furlough is costing me a small fortune! :thumb2: