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[OccamsRazor]

Hey everyone!

This is a topic that has been on my mind a lot recently, and I'm hoping those community members with more experience than myself would be able to shed some light onto it. How did you find a way to balance work and the rest of your life?

I've recently started a day job after graduating Uni, and am planning to do indie development as a side project until I'm confident enough to make a go of it. Until then, I'm going to try and balance work, development and the rest of my life, hopefully not tanking any of them in the process.

So I'm curious as to how others in similar situations managed to balance their passions for game development with the other important aspects in their life(friends, family, relationships etc)?

I'll note that becoming a hermit, while certainly the most effective way to get my games done, lacks appeal to me

[leonidax]

I've been in the industry for 5 years working as a programmer for a big company and I have to say that I'm still trying to hit the nail. I mean I have tried to focus on doing personal projects on my spare time but I have failed miserably in big part because I ended doing a lot of over time so I would be burn out and I would not have energy to work on my project(s). I didn't even have time to make exercise so at the end I decided that I would get up earlier to make exercise so that if they asked me to stay at the office I would not spoil my progress, I would focus my efforts in saving money so that I could quit my job and work on my projects full time. I would work on my projects only on any task that was not related to programming like on the game design document or writing a stories or ideas that could work for any game. That's what I've been doing the last two years and I'm close to having enough money to quit my job and work for one year out of my savings. 

[manabreak]

I pretty much wing it and do what feels good. If I feel passive and can't get anything done, I'll "live the rest of my life", so to say. If I have things to do, I try to clear them off before doing the dev stuff.

Even though I work for myself as a full-time dev, I try not to stress myself about it. Cool movie is about to start on TV? Might as well watch it. Cat wants to play? Sure, let's find some yarn!

Of course, the dev time is important, and it has to be used efficiently.  

[Gatlink]

For me, it's pretty close to what Leonidax described: as a programmer working in the industry, I have difficulties finding the motivation to produce even more code outside my work hours. I try to make other things, like game design documents, but I get frustrated because nothing tangible gets out of it.

Working with others helped me on several occasions. Doing jams, or just taking a weekend to work with a friend.

Most of the time, I don't do much, except some days when I woke really early without any reason and start working before going to work. Then I'm pretty productive!

[s-spooky g-g-ghosts]

I quit my time-consuming job and went back to study at an University. I don't regret it, but I live a poor life.

[manabreak]

Most of the time, I don't do much, except some days when I woke really early without any reason and start working before going to work. Then I'm pretty productive!

This is a good way to get something done - wake up earlier and do an hour or two of your own project before going to work. 

[Slader16]

I'm still trying to find a balance between game dev-ing and everyday things/work/college, so far, it's not really working out for me.

[Lycaon]

I once listened to a pretty excellent podcast on this topic.

I feel like work is more like a hobby to me, so I enjoy doing it a lot. I'd be making games even if I wasn't trying to profit off of them, so it's just a thing that I do when I want to. I don't produce quality work when I'm frustrated or not feeling productive, so when that happens I just let it go and do something else until I feel like working again. This seems like a terrible strategy, but it usually winds up that I work a ton because I"m not constantly trying to force myself to work.

[OccamsRazor]

I once listened to a pretty excellent podcast on this topic.

That was an extremely interesting podcast, I listened to it this morning.....while at work, coincidentally.

I think the key for me is going to be twofold, keeping myself motivated to do more development after work. And making sure that I don't feel guilty when working, as if I'm taking away time from other parts of my life. Much easier said than done, but its worth a shot.

[Lycaon]

I once listened to a pretty excellent podcast on this topic.

That was an extremely interesting podcast, I listened to it this morning.....while at work, coincidentally.

I think the key for me is going to be twofold, keeping myself motivated to do more development after work. And making sure that I don't feel guilty when working, as if I'm taking away time from other parts of my life. Much easier said than done, but its worth a shot.

I think that podcast is particularly pertinent to indie developers, because both Grey and Brady are full-time YouTubers, which is another job that frequently evolves from a hobby to something that actually pays your bills. If your job starts from a hobby, it's very easy to slip into a workaholic attitude and just do the thing all the time because hey, you like doing it, and you're getting paid to do it, but then soon enough you get burned out on it and then you're kind of fucked.

[Superb Joe]

sometimes i really have to shit half way through taking a shower, and i have to dry myself, shit, wipe, get back in the shower. etc. ive recently taken to pissing in the shower, but im not brave enough to plop a fat one in the shower basin yet. i hope one day to achieve that power

[Venomlemon]

After work I always dedicate couple hours for complete relaxation and only after that work  on my own project. That's what has kept me going this far. Then again I am relatively new to this develop games at work and develop games at home -thing.

[a pita]

As a team member at a local indie game company for mobile platforms, I find myself in a rut of multitasking. Multitasking to the extent of becoming overwhelmed! Anal. And even borderline OCD.

One of the many ways that I have learned to cope with this is to use my time efficiently. How? By being honest, being realistic, and being SMART.

Gamification Goal setting

I measured my visual progress on side projects, errands, and tasks. Visuals, Metrics, and Rewards. That was the whole shabang! Utilizing intrinsic motivation in goal-setting with meters, percentages, and some brain food.

Have any of our members have had experience with Gamification and goal-setting? I would recommend the art of Gamification to combat against a disorganized work-life balance!

[PowRTocH]

work on whatever you want when you want

if you feel a lack in an area your body will react

don't be constrained by conventional opinions

don't define a life by others views

hermit life is the best option if that makes you happy

[Netsu]

I'm currently working full time as a programmer, spend most of the weekends writing my master degree thesis and work on my hobby game project evenings.
This leaves close to zero time for other activities on a regular day but I make time to meet with friends once almost every week.

I usually wait all day for the few hours I can spend on my game, so it feels more like 'life' than work though.

I wish I could just ditch my thesis and make games all weekend

[RoboticPotato]

After 8 years programming in the business software world, I quit my job and decided to go whole hog into making games.

I always thought that I could make games in my spare times, but I didn't have the uh..."Mana" to do so. After 2 months of pure game development 40 hours a week, I feel that my proficiency in making games has increased more than it could have if I had spent 4 more years in school on a masters.

[InvertMouse]

I have been a full time programmer for about seven years now. Used to write novels in my spare time. Now it is game development. The latter is tougher because it means I am coding from day to night. It is cliche, but passion is really the thing that you pull you through.

Once you are working full time, sacrifices will be needed to continue your side projects. Less TV, less going out, even less gaming. If you are working on a project not because you want to, but because you need it in your life, everything will be fine.

I think it is important to give yourself at least one day off in the week. For me, I work as little as possible on Sunday. It is a marathon, so sleep well, get out to exercise plenty and live a balanced life !

[Liza]

I work in game dev full time and make my own hobby projects in my spare time. I think the ability to work on your own thing is so important - it makes me feel like I still have some other channel to express my creativity in a different way, and it keeps both work work and hobby work varied and interesting. They complement each other.

[tieTYT]

I've recently started a day job after graduating Uni, and am planning to do indie development as a side project until I'm confident enough to make a go of it. Until then, I'm going to try and balance work, development and the rest of my life, hopefully not tanking any of them in the process.

What I do is try to work on my game every single day, but for a minimum of 15 minutes.  Usually I work on it for at least an hour, but if I'm super busy or not feeling it, I just do as little as possible.

Part of the skill in this is breaking things down into pieces so small you can do them in 15-60 minutes.  I've been working on my game for 1-2 years for almost every day.  It adds up. 

[ryansumo]

I've recently started a day job after graduating Uni, and am planning to do indie development as a side project until I'm confident enough to make a go of it. Until then, I'm going to try and balance work, development and the rest of my life, hopefully not tanking any of them in the process.

What I do is try to work on my game every single day, but for a minimum of 15 minutes.  Usually I work on it for at least an hour, but if I'm super busy or not feeling it, I just do as little as possible.

Part of the skill in this is breaking things down into pieces so small you can do them in 15-60 minutes.  I've been working on my game for 1-2 years for almost every day.  It adds up. 

This is about the same advice I was going to give, although i was going to be more anal about it.  Try to stick to the same amount of time during the same period of time everyday.  ie work on your project for 30 minutes everyday at 8 am in the morning.  This kind of repetition builds on itself and can be a very powerful tool.  I used to do this with regards to my sketching and drawing but one thing or another derailed me and I haven't gotten back in the flow since.