"Climbing Out of a Hobby Slump - Any Tips?" Topic

I recently refreshed my hobby mojo and posted some of my lessons learned on my blog.

Anyone out there have experience coming back from a period of low interest or low motivation?

Been in a down turn for the last 6 months. No motivation to come back yet.

I went hard through the summer and early fall to get ready for a con, but have been slow since then, particularly with painting. I can screw around on the computer coming up with project plans or statting out forces, but I just eye evilly all the stuff waiting for hands-on work.

Start small (project size, not scale) and manageable. My current project is 1/144th scale WWI aircraft. I bought a couple of dozen off shapeways. Building mounts for them and getting a game mat. So I can move from painting, to construction, to fiddling on the table with them within the month.

I also have a travel kit that I can take to work for doing projects at lunch. I usually use this time for filling in past projects. Fore example I can paint a dozen or so Celtic chieftains over a week period. Just carry the paints, brushes and figures you are working on at the time and again it is a doable project.

Try to limit other distractions like the internet, TV, etc. I get music that I like going in my room and tune out the world. Leave the cell phone somewhere else in the house.

Downturns happen – Enjoy the break – watch a movie – read a book.

Things will come back when the time is right.

This is a hobby not a job.

It happens; I don't fret it and I don't try to force it. I know that it will pass naturally.

I agree with the OP's blog post about making this hobby into too much work. I try to avoid it by taking a KISS approach and focusing on what I find enjoyable. If I'm not having fun, I don't do it.

Spend some money? I just bought myself a Hobbyzone painting station and the army painter mega paint set. I can't wait to get going.

I find that I'm good for about ten months on any given hobby or pursuit then I need a break from it. One or two months is enough usually.

Anyone out there have experience coming back from a period of low interest or low motivation?

Yes I go through fits and starts depending on my state of mental health. At the moment I am in a plateau stage so am chugging along – taking a few weeks longer than usual to paint a unit – but I am painting at least. My biggest dry spell was about ten years. I still read wargame blogs, brought minis and so forth – just couldn't get paint on a brush.

Small units, unrelated to any grand project.

When I still did plastic model airplanes, the standard antidote was to build a cheap model straight out of the box, in one evening. It wouldn't be your best work, but you actually FINISHED something, and that made it fun again.

Read a book for inspiration.

Start off with a add on for an existing force

Pick a battle which is really compelling and figure out what you're. Issuing to run it.

1) Start a project.
Any project, but small is better, because the sense of completion gives extra satisfaction. If you don't feel like painting, make movement trays, or flock bases, or make terrain, or print out flags, or assemble carrying cases.

2) Edit yourself. Your TMP post above is ideal: 2 sentences. The long blog post you linked: not so much.

I usually experience a hobby hang-over after big conventions, especially after all the work to get figures and terrain together to run a game. Then there's the haul of new stuff from the flea market and where to start. Doesn't help that Civilizations 6 just came out. I'm sure the next time I get to take some vacation the toys will come out. That's usually what gets me back to the painting table.