In numerous past posts I’ve discussed topics about keeping our anime hobby going even when the social pressures and time constraints of real life kick in. I’ve talked about what things could determine how long our fandom lasts, citing examples of friends of mine who once loved anime but eventually lost interest in favor of other things. I’ve talked about what it could be like when we become the first large wave of senior citizen anime fans and whether we could even remain fans for that long. I’ve even talked about how I budget my time to make room for anime activities like watching and blogging among real life obligations. But one related thing that’s been on my mind recently is, when we become full-time workers, parents, or gain other kinds of real-world responsibilities, how do we still find time to partake in all of our favorite anime and other “nerd” activities, like blogging, video games, reading manga or novels, going to conventions or other fan meetups, and of course, just plain old watching a lot of anime…
There are plenty of exceptions of course, but the majority of anime fans are teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 30. That’s typically a time in life when people have a decent amount of free time; they haven’t started a family yet and are in more cases than not still being supported by their parents who take care of the majority of household matters. They may be busy with school and/or a part-time job, but in all likelihood they have enough time to themselves to watch anime and partake in various parts of the fandom online (or in real life too). But once they hit the point of full-time jobs and family responsibilities, being able to keep up with a very time-consuming hobby like anime becomes difficult. Between working at a job all day and having to take care of children or other family matters and everyday errands, how can one find the hours needed each week to keep up with the latest anime episodes? And even if they find time to watch anime each week, what about all their other favorite related activities like blogging, playing video games, reading manga, and discussing anime on forums? How are they gonna squeeze all that in too?
Maybe the reason I’ve been thinking about this is because not only am I getting older (my birthday is next week) but I’ve now worked at my current job for six months and I’ve begun to pick up on the strain of working more than the part-time hours I was used to before. The main reason I still have time to blog and watch anime is because I still live with my mom and she doesn’t mind taking care of the house chores and helping me out with things when she can, such as cooking food for me and doing laundry (not that I could live on my own since my meager monthly earnings would barely pay rent). So basically any time I’m not at work I can use for my own hobbies and things I want to do. And besides paying the occasional bill here and there, all the money I earn is mine to buy the things I want (but I always save money too). I consider myself very lucky for this kind of situation, as the majority of my coworkers can barely cope in terms of time and money with taking care of their everyday life chores and family responsibilities, not having room for any hobbies at all besides watching a TV show or movie once in a while.
The main idea I’m trying to bring out in this post is the possibility of being able to keep up our current anime and other fandom-indulging lifestyles when we get older and family and full-time jobs take priority. I know my mom is not going to be around to support me forever, and one day this comfortable and stable lifestyle I’ve been living my whole life will have to go through a drastic change. Years ago I decided I don’t want to have children for many reasons that I’m not going to get into here, but one of them is the severe limit on free time being a good mother requires. But even without the responsibility of children, working at a job and just plain old getting through life in this day and age takes a considerable amount of time and money unless you have special circumstances. Unless I end up in a great situation of lots of time and wealth, most likely I’ll have to spend pretty much all my time and money working and taking care of all life’s chores and responsibilities…and I wonder where that will leave me in terms of time and money left for anime. Will I still be able to spend all the time and money on anime I currently do, or will I have to severely limit it to the point where I’m miserable without it? And I’m sure a lot of us have other fandoms we’re a part of besides anime. I’m a forever-fan of Pokemon and a newly indulgent fan of My Little Pony for example…if I can barely find room for anime, how will I keep up my other hobbies too?
Of course, this is all just rambling on my part, as we never know what the future holds. Maybe I will nail myself a good job where I’ll still have time and money for my hobbies. Or maybe, just maybe, I won’t be as interested in anime in the future so all this won’t matter (not likely though =P) Or maybe I’ll just have to give up a few time-consuming things like blogging, or a few expensive things like buying a lot of collectibles and Blu-ray sets. But for now, I’m going to make the best of this good lifestyle I currently have and indulge in my hobbies to the fullest, since one day I may not be able to anymore. Whatever happens in my future, I’ll continue to like the things I like and do my best in trying to balance out hobbies with real-world responsibilities.
So the questions I’d like to post to my readers are, if you’re in a similar situation as me, do you think about how your lifestyle may change when you get older and you may not have time for anime and other hobbies? And if you’re someone who already lives on their own, works full-time, and/or has a family to take care of, how do you find the time and money for your hobbies? Have you had to significantly limit how much you spend on your hobbies? Or maybe I’m worrying for nothing and it’s really not that hard to find time and money for your hobbies throughout your life if you’re resourceful and organized enough ;)
Ah, the ever difficult question of how to manage time. It’s a difficult question, that has no clear answer. I also have a full time job, and I work Saturdays. Saturdays are pretty lax (still have work to do, but not much), so I will actually watch anime while working (I’ll re-watch something I’ve seen before, so I do not have to pay complete attention to it). I exercise every morning in an orbitrek, so I setup a tall shelf in front of it with my laptop, and watch anime while I exercise. That makes the exercise less boring, and I get some time to watch anime! On my days off, and when I’m alone, I’ll watch anime while eating lunch/dinner (24 minute lunch/dinner is perfect for me).
That’s what I’ve been doing. Watching anime while doing other activities is a definite time saver (and makes the other activities more fun). I do not keep a blog like you though, and I’m not very active on the internets, and those are activities that cannot be mixed with others well. The only thing I can say, is that I will always find time to do the stuff I like doing. Taking time for your hobbies is as important as time for work, and family. Life would be pretty miserable without my hobbies :(
Sounds like you budget your time very well with watching anime while doing other activities like eating and exercising. Unfortunately I’m very particular with the time and place I watch anime, especially episodes I haven’t seen before. I can’t give my full attention if I watch something while eating or exercising, so the only time I like to watch new anime is quiet time alone in my room without doing anything else ;) However, I don’t have a problem rewatching things I’ve seen before while eating and exercising, but usually it’s not anime XD But if my life ever becomes more busy I may have to change this strict anime viewing habit I’ve set for myself, LOL.
I often wonder if I will still be a fan of this genre in years to come and I would imagine that I probably will be =P its been a part of me since I was young so i’ll probably never lose interest. I do find myself devoting less time to watching anime/playing video games but I always find time, even if its only an hour or so. Of course im alot like you in the respect that I still live with my parents, so that frees up some time for me to devote to my hobbies (anime, video games, etc) when im not doing college work. Like Kal stated, life would suck without our hobbies! If i go a couple of days without watching a few episodes of an anime or playing a video game I feel like a mindless zombie.
As I get older I will undoubtedly have less and less time to spend on hobbies but I’ll find whatever time I can to indulge a little here and there =P
Ever since I was a kid there was always at least one media work I was really into, and seeing as that hasn’t changed now that I’m 27 years old, I highly doubt it ever will XD Even if it’s not anime, I’m sure there will always be some hobby I’m really into so it’s important for me to find time and money for it. Of course, there are plenty of people who are perfectly happy without having a hobby, just as there are people perfectly happy not raising a family and instead indulging in hobbies. As long as it’s nothing immoral or anything, you should try and live your life with whatever gives you pleasure ;)
No family to take care of here, but I’m 25 so there’s still time. I do work beyond full time in the military though. My job is highly technical and I’m constantly having to read and study to keep up with everything going on in my field. Good part is I’m transferring to a new station. Hawaii will hopefully treat me right. ^_^
Regardless, I always find time to watch anime every weekend. Also to check my daily dose of comics and blogs (yours is one of them of course :P). If I find free time, I’ll watch or rewatch things. Like Kal stated, I also put on anime when I do other activities like eating or running/jogging on a treadmill (I HATE running, anime is the only thing that keeps me in any kind of aerobic shape).
Even if it’s just a couple episodes here or there, I get my fix. If I find myself with free time during the week and no plans, I’ll watch a few episodes of the shows that aren’t airing anymore. I don’t see myself ever giving this up. It’s more than a hobby. To stop enjoying anime would be like if someone said they stopped enjoying “music” or “movies”. It’s that basic to me.
A few years back before I signed up, I had to move across the country (Southern California to New York), to take care of my nephews while my brother spent time in the hospital. Even with two kids, I found time to enjoy shows and games. Granted, it wasn’t as much, but I still had it. I even introduced my nephews to Avatar: The Last Airbender, which is a good start IMO. The oldest one (6 now), is a fan of Inuyasha also. My brother was less than pleased *evil grin*.
As for money, while I do buy shows that I want to be continued, I’ll freely admit that I won’t purchase shows (merchandise is different), if there isn’t any more of a chance that my purchase will increase the chance of sequels and such. So I watch a lot of my anime for free online. Even so, I can still afford a new series every couple of months with no real issue. I try to just save like 5 bucks a day. Maybe forgo the coffee or snack at the gas station. Or buy food myself and cook it (much cheaper than going out).
What I’m trying to say in my long winded way is ganbatte. :) The things in life you love you’ll make time for. From reading this blog for the past 5ish years, I don’t see you giving it up anytime soon. You’ll find a way!
I remember you mentioned that you worked in the military on a post of mine a long time ago…glad that’s still going well for you and that you always find time to watch anime regardless of the time your job takes (but yeah, not having any family obligations helps ^^,,,) That’s interesting that you only buy anime series to increase the chances of there being a sequel. Most people I know, myself included, simply buy series they like and want to watch again. But personally I find myself buying character goods more often, which can be either cheaper or more expensive than anime box sets depending on what it is XD
Heh, like I said to Kal above, I don’t really like watching anime while doing other activities. But thanks for sharing your stories and encouragement – it gives me hope XD I’m also flattered that my blog is one you continue to check up on =)
I’m currently in the same living arrangement as you – I could probably count the number of times I’ve done chores in the past year on both hands. XD It’s really nice having my mum around as it offsets the 30+ hour weeks I do as a student and gives me time to study when I get home rather than having to also cook/clean/etc.
I usually watch anime while I’m eating a meal, which is something I’ve been doing even when I was living by myself in the first couple of years of university. It’s a real time-saver, and the length of an anime episode is perfect as it works for both a short meal (~20 mins) or a more luxurious one (~40 mins). And because I’ve always got to eat, it means I’ve always got time for some anime!
Yeah, it’s too bad more parents aren’t like that and would rather kick their kids out as soon as they’re adults, or make them pay rent and do their own chores regardless of time and money they have. I’m lucky that my mom believes she should always be a mother no matter how old I am and always wants to give me the best life possible.
Heh, it seems like everyone watches anime while they eat to save time – I feel like the only one who doesn’t, LOL XD When I wasn’t eating at work or school, for some years I would eat watching TV or rewatching old anime. Nowadays my mom and I just eat together at the kitchen table. I like to give my full attention to watching new anime episode I haven’t seen before, and it’s hard for me to do that when I’m eating, especially if I have to read subtitles while looking at my food XD I do, however, have a late-night snack of pita chips and orange juice while I watch my seasonal anime episodes, but I make sure to pick a series that’s not too complicated or engrossing while I eat, LOL. It’s also helpful to watch something with subtitles if you’re eating anything that crunches =P
What I’ve found interesting with getting older is that while I have more money to ‘display’ anime — through imported figures, posters, and clothing — I don’t have the time or energy to watch nearly as much. A few episodes a week, on average.
It’s a different way to enjoy it, I suppose, but it’s still a way to participate in the hobby.
I think I’ve always balanced out how much money I spend on “displaying” anime compared to how much I watch. I watch a handful of seasonal anime but will typically only spend money on my overall favorite anime. So basically the number and type of anime I watch is varied, and while I’ll spend a good deal on anime from time to time, the series that will actually get my money are few. I’ll most likely keep that trend unless my life changes and I have a lot less time and/or money =P
I don’t know how I relate to your questions, although I might have some experience with it. While I am a relatively new fan of anime, I’m an old fan of anime, having just passed my 42nd birthday. I’ve watched anime on and off for the last 15 years, mostly off, but in the last 18 months have been a huge fan of it, doing the things you note: reading blogs, watching a lot of shows, even becoming a blogger. I haven’t gone to any conventions, or meetups, mostly because my wife’s not interested, but I think I’m an active hobbyist.
And from that perspective, it’s something that I think anyone can enjoy if they enjoy what it is. One of the key things about anime is that it’s not a genre, like some people try to pigeonhole it into. I probably don’t need to tell anyone reading this this, but it really is more of a medium, nearly on the same order as ‘movies’ or ‘tv’ or ‘music’. There’s such variety in stories, subjects, storytelling, maturity level, that almost anyone can find something they like. And that also means that you can find something that suits your tastes as you get older.
But on top of that, I find it helps keep me thinking young. I’m a huge fan of romance anime. And those stories still touch my heart, and I hope they always do. Because whether it’s high school kids or adults, finding love is something that everyone wants to do. So you only really grow out of it if you want to.
Ultimately, tho, it’s about the things you choose to do. Those other things that are mentioned that take up your time, they’re all choices. I have a friend of mine who watches anime with his daughter. He makes time for it. I make time for it through my choices. If you choose not to make time for it, it’s not that important to you. And it’s ok if it’s not that important to you. If other things are more important, those are the things you should do.
Excellent advice, especially what you said about anime being a medium rather than a genre (something that I know I’m always touching on in some form or other in my posts XD) and also about how anime keeps you young and having the time for what you want ultimately comes down to choices. Like the example you used about how finding love is such a universally appealing thing, the same can be said about anime in general – who wouldn’t want to go to these amazing fantasy worlds or hang out with funny, cute characters in a slice-of-life anime? I’m sure some people don’t care to of course, but many do and it’s that yearning and ability to find enjoyment in a fictional yet imaginative world that keeps us young at heart I think ;)
As you suggested, I’m sure the choices I make will be the ones that allow me to do the things I like. How free I’ll be to make choices could vary though, for example, I might have to sacrifice time and money for anime if I need money to pay my bills and eat, but assuming I end up in a better situation than that, I’m sure I’ll figure it all out =)
This is an interesting post; I’ve actually been thinking about it a lot since I’m on the verge of tranferring to a new college.
What I find unusual about my fandom is that it gets more complex as I age; I only started watching anime on a seasonal basis about two years ago and that has led me to watching more anime yearly than I did when I first started out, which is odd since most fans I know of tend to reel in their viewing as they get older.
One of the main ways I get around the barriers of age and responsibility is finding a kind of “time pocket” in my routine to exploit; the weekends are perfect for me, especially Saturday afternoons and evenings. However, one thing that is quite effective is establishing a kind of mental intersectionality between interests; if one interest is mentally connected to another, than there is a higher likelihood that one’s fandom will survive tests from changing life circumstances. For example, I love cars and auto racing; for me, both can act as a “hub” for my other interests, uniting multiple interests via speculative fanfiction. There are a couple of folders on my computer dedicated to such speculative activities, actually.
I also started watching more anime as I got older, but that was mainly because I didn’t have a good computer that could play fansubs, plus streaming anime wasn’t available back then. Recently I think I may have cut down my amount of seasonal shows a little bit, but nothing major. I suppose the reason people reel in their viewing as they get older is because they tend to have less time as the years go by.
For the past six or so years I’ve made a time pocket for watching anime, which is the 1-2 hours before I go to bed. That’s worked for my schedule well all these years. Blogging and other activities are a different story though, so I may have to give some thought as to how I’ll fit them all into my life in the future =P
I guess I manage things just by keeping as organised as possible. I work a full-time job in Japan now and have done since August (and will be staying here at least until mid-2014), but I usually get by okay with continuing to watch plenty of anime. That said, I only have two main time-consuming hobbies right now – the other being swimming – so unlike a lot of my friends, I don’t need to split my fandom time between gaming, comics, TV dramas, etc. And since I live alone I also don’t have a family to take care of, so any socialising outside of things work-related is purely by choice. While I’m still in the under-30 age bracket, I don’t see myself ever out-growing my anime habits. If/when I have a family of my own though, I’d like to think that I’d still be able to find the time to indulge in it.
Sounds like you manage your time well =) I’m not sure how time-consuming a hobby swimming is, but it probably doesn’t take as much time as video games and catching up on a lot of TV shows XD If I were in your situation I would probably have time to watch anime at least, though I’m not so sure about blogging and other activities. Since I plan to either live alone or with a significant other (no kids) I suppose I’ll just have to wait and find out how much time and money I’ll have for hobbies =P
Thus far, the times when I was unable to watch a ton of anime are:
1. The summer of 2012 when I got my first (full-time) job.
2. Anytime it’s the week before or of a show. (The only reason why I’ve been able to devour so much Japanese media this past week is because I was also technically on spring break.)
I’ve been able to handle my first two college semesters very well and have been pretty good at balancing time for self-practicing, rehearsals, homework (which I don’t have much of this semester thankfully), my boyfriend/socializing, and free time.
As for how much this will change in the future…who knows? I’m only finishing up my first year of college so it’s way too early to say. But with so many things I want to watch and read, even if my time lessens, I don’t think it’ll be difficult for me to keep my interest in Japanese media going.
Yeah, I’m always impressed at how much you’re able to consume – not just anime, but manga too and even blogging – and you still find time for your studies and college socializing. You may have to cut down again when you get another full-time job, but maybe not if you plan right. Who knows what the future brings so I say we should keep doing what we’ve been doing, which is making good use of the free time we have in our lives now because we may not have it one day.
I’ve gone through several periods in my life where I’ve had to sacrifice something in order to keep up with anime. So far I’ve given up on video games, regular TV, movies, forums, and drawing. My life right now is the busiest its ever been, I have a full time job, a part time job, a volunteer job, weekly evening meetings to attend, professional development work, and prepping for a competition for mba students starting this year.
Despite all of this, based on an excel spreadsheet I made for an upcoming post, I’m watching more anime now than I ever have in the past. All it takes is 1 hour a day and not being distracted by things like Youtube or Facebook. I think it’s possible to keep up with a fandom no matter how busy you are, it’s just a matter of setting priorities.
P.S. Happy Early Birthday!
Wow, that is certainly a busy schedule! (and it’s not even including anything family-related). Technically I have sacrificed some things in favor of anime over the years. I used to play a ton of video games when I was a kid but once I got into anime, I only play a select few series like Pokemon because I just don’t have the time and money to be a hardcore gamer too. I also don’t watch a lot of non-anime TV shows and movies, at least compared to most people. But I don’t mind that since few of them interest me anyway XD
It’s true that if you just set aside an hour a day for anime viewing, which I’ve been doing the past several years, it’s not hard to keep up on a decent amount of weekly shows. Blogging and other activities are a different story though. I know I had to put my blog on hiatus when I was away at college being a full-time student, so perhaps I may have to do that again in the future. Hope not though =P
Your post helped inspire me to write one of my own: Making Time For Your Passion
I think my 22 years following anime is sufficient evidence that one can balance quite a bit of anime with a very full life. I agree with Highway above – and he’s a mere kid compared to me. (^_~)
I enter the working world surprisingly early in my childhood and had been working full-time for a considerable amount of time. My time management gets a bit hectic at times, desperate rushing and desperate multi-tasking at times, but these past few days, I’m getting too tired to do so much at once and just concentrate on one at a time.
For how I share my time currently, I always check several hours forward and see if I can actually finish it, say an anime for example. If I can’t, maybe I can choose something quicker to do (reading manga, or writing a brief blog post). Whenever possible, I try to write some drafts on my blog when I’m out using my phone too, but even that is still getting harder due to time constraints, still possible to jot down some points though. I also choose to read my light novels on the go too.
When we grown extremely older and have familial obligations like taking care of our kids, it does certainly take some sacrificing of our favorite hobbies to make time for them. However, you can always past your love for anime to them^^ One of my usual commenter in my blog, is exactly in such a case, he watches anime with his son, usually the latest episodes of anime or just some other old completed anime his son handpicked.