Hey everyone, Dan here (not THE Dan, so please stay seated), and I’m back to talk about a subject near and dear to my heart. As some of you might have noticed, I did a vanishing act late last year. I am proud to say that I am now a twin dad! It’s now 3v2 in the house and were looking being on the penalty kill for the next 18 some years. Time is far more precious than ever before. When my daughter was born, I took a hiatus from the hobby. I thought it would be a good thing to step away; however, it was terrible. Painting is how I express my creativity, it’s my zen thing, and gaming is the vessel to hang out with my friends. I knew I shouldn’t go cold turkey this time with the twins, but I had to make adjustments.

Here are three simple rules that I have made over the last few months that have allowed me to eeek 10-30 minutes of hobby when the moment is right.

Rule Number 1: Organize

I managed to organize all my painted minis and terrain in the closet under the stairs and my miniature display case (and one more bin in the garage that might be labeled Christmas… I mean its winter terrain!). I found the Battle Foam Medium Stacker Box to be perfect for project items and the Battle Foam Large Stacker Box for my foam inserts. Use your favorite brands, but the point is everything is labeled and mobile. I even did a few test runs to see if I could quickly get what I use the most. Now that the minis are organized, let’s talk about painting.

All glory is fleeting, I once had a hobby room, now I have the cupboard under the stairs… RIP HP

Once a mobile makeup case, now reborn as my hobby caddy.

This beauty began its life as a birthday gift to my wife years ago. We had a tiny bathroom, and I noticed that she had to put on her makeup sitting on the floor in front of the mirror. Now we're older, more … established; She does not need it, and that's where opportunity is born. You can buy these things new, anywhere from 75-400 USD depending on how crazy you can get. Also, check second-hand markets and apps. Most fit all types of paints lying down. This one holds everything but the excessive amount of basing bits that I have in a Battle Foam Stacker Box. If I need paint, in my ready bin (see Rule 2) I can easily roll out my paints grab what I need and throw it back under the closet until its time to go back to Hogwarts.

Rule Number 2: Be ready

Life, especially with kids, never happens the way you intend. I can hardly predict how breakfast is going to work out, let alone have a dedicated time to hobby. In those brief moments where the toddler is distracted and the twins are asleep and the house isn’t on fire, I have to act quickly if I want to get some hobby in. That’s why I make these ready bins.

At the time all my projects are 10 and 6mm but I have bins like these that are larger for my 28’s. Well before the babies I laid out a bunch of projects that I wanted to get done. I primed the minis and set them up in these bins ready to go. Now you don’t have to be that methodical, but a little planning can go a long way. Don’t forget your burn out projects. I have a Black Templar and Ork Kill Team that I work on from time to time when I need a break from my other projects. The secret sauce to this is having the paints and brushes you need in a bin ready to go. Getting started is as simple as opening a door, grabbing some bins, sitting down and getting after it. What you are looking to replace is the convenience you get from having a dedicated hobby bench where you can leave projects in various states of completeness. I was very surprised how much hobby you can accomplish in the aggregate with 10 minutes here and there.

Rule Number 3: Don’t be afraid take a break

If you read this rule and scrunch your face at the screen I can understand. I just wrote about all these tips and tricks to sneak hobby progress in here and there and my final rule is to take a break? Taking a break is just as important as pushing yourself to do better. Let’s face it burn out is real and even worse it creates skill atrophy. Normally, atrophy is something that we associate with neglect, but it also happens when you do too much. If you don’t change up your routine (different scales, different manufacturers) or don't throttle down you will eventually burn out. It’s important to pay attention to your mind and body. If you have “No Time To Hobby” it’s more than likely thar you are putting in 40+ hours a week at work or school plus raising a family or something else stressful (working and schooling). Rember, painting is fun! This hobby is fun! Plan out your projects, set achievable goals, and most importantly enjoy the journey of completing a project. Even if that means taking a tactical pause from time to time!

Thanks for reading! If you have some hobby time hacks please let us know in the comments below or the PATM Facebook Page.