This Weeks Geek - Hobby Overload

Image © Wizards of the CoastEveryone has a hobby or two that they enjoy working on in their spare time. But what happens when you start taking on several time intensive hobbies all at once? That is when you reach hobby overload my friends, and that is the focus of This Weeks Geek.

Hobbies are typically something done to fill the void left after you have completed your obligations to life. They keep you busy in your free time. Idle hands are the Devil's tools so they say; this means a hobby can be healthy to have. But in this era of short attention spans people find it hard to stay focused on only on thing. Soon you start to take up multiple hobbies. Next thing you are trying to fit too much into a single week. Previously my hobby list included video games, anime, this website, and Dungeons and Dragons. Well apparently I found that I still had too much time on my hands (which I really don't) and have recently returned to play the Necron army in Warhammer 40K. With this 5th hobby I am stretching myself a tad thin. Not only is it hard to find time for all this, but it is not cheap by any definition. Games can run $60, D&D needs rule books that run around $35 a pop. Then Warhammer 40K has models that run between $20 to $60, plus paints and glue. Blast it is expensive being a geek.

Necrons Image © Games WorkshopAs you can see, this may be considered hobby overload. Now the question becomes, how am I going to manage all these hobbies? Should I give up one of these tasks? No, I enjoy them to much. I cannot neglect work or my family. While that is the easy way out I think it has far longer and worse repercussions. The only answer I can come up with is to take all these in moderation. I do not have to do everything at once. I do not have to completely submerge myself in my hobbies. Also, by taking them in moderation I will not burn out as fast, which should allow me to enjoy my hobbies for a far longer time. How about you fellow gamers? How do you handle hobby overload?