Stop Hobby Burnout, Increase Productivity and Clear that Pile of Shame!

[@peterjones4763]

I wrote down all of the models I painted in the previous year and realised that it wasn't many (less than 60). Knowing that can really help when making that next purchase. For example, a new boxed game might have more minis in it than I painted last year!

[@BenjisHobbies]

This is very true! I love the look of the new Cursed City box however I know full well I’ll never paint all the miniatures in there without some serious effort, and more than likely just wouldn’t get round to it. I’d prefer to be a bit more considered with my purchases and just buy what I know I want to get round to 😊

[@michaelspitz9151]

I gotta try it now

[@KnarbMakes]

My hobby space looks like an episode of hoarders. Thanks for the video Benji! This is motivating me to clean up more.

[@BenjisHobbies]

Glad I could help motivate you 😁 My aim is to do a little bit of clearing/tidying often and in that way you never have to go to loads of effort with a major cleanup!

[@WeltenbauerClub]

😅 feels familiar

[@jaredharris7385]

Definitely think it's worth finishing a project off before moving onto the next. I'm 6000pts into my primaris Ultramarines army, probably 2 or 3k left to paint and I don't paint fast although I do paint nearly every day. As a bit of a palate cleanser I've been painting the odd warcry warband here and there, with a monster or two thrown in too.

[@BenjisHobbies]

That sounds like quite the army you’ve got going on there! I tend to break big projects like this down in to chunks, so maybe 500-1k points rather than as one big project. It somehow feels so much more manageable that way 😊 Thanks for commenting!

[@frubblegump]

Agree fully on the clear desk when finished session. Is great as you can just jump back in.

[@darrenwarner1299]

I really enjoy batch painting large armies and watching the progression take place generally I will have a commander or hero undercoated and sitting on my try as my next project by having my next project staring at me helps me with my motivation to complete the army I am working on. If I start a project I will not start another until completing the one I'm working on OCD May be in play . I really like your approach to the hobby and enjoy your content many thanks.

[@jillthomason-stewart7820]

cleaning down after really helps with keeping me on track - I've also had a recent check through the pile of potential and offloaded a few items I'll never get around to

[@BenjisHobbies]

Absolutely! I’m way more productive with a tidy hobby space 😊

[@gorram]

Great tips Benji! I spent most of last year scaling down my collection and inventorying the lot. Made me address my spending habits as well as encouraging me to finish off projects. This year’s goal is to up the % painted to get to 100% within 18 months.

[@BenjisHobbies]

Thanks Jill! I made a very half hearted attempt last year, but this year I’m being a lot more strict with myself. That’s a seriously ambitious project and I wish you all the luck with it! I think I’m way off having a fully painted backlog in 18 months, but I get ever so slightly closer each year 😊

[@TheImmersiveWorldCrafter]

There is some sage advice in this, Benji. I need to work on keeping a tidy space and reducing my projects in flight to one or two at the most. Since January 1st I have been working on #hobbystreak by making sure that I am hobbying for at least 20 minutes a day. Because my jam is more crafting and terrain making, as well as getting back into the flow of producing content for KZbin, I am including those activities within my go by streak criteria too. I have a lot more to work on and the advice provided here is inspiring. Thanks for producing this.

[@BenjisHobbies]

Thanks dude! I’m working on a hobby streak too - even a small amount of hobby each quickly adds up 😊 It’s sometimes difficult to balance the whole crafting and painting with the KZbin production and I’m not going to lie it’s sometimes a bit tough to juggle both. I hope the advice works for you, all the best 😊

[@warrickgriggs1369]

My big hobby goal this year is simple "always take my time with a model" if I feel like I want to rush something to just get it finished then I pack up and go back to it the next time. There's nothing worse for me than having a bunch a minis painted but that I'm not happy with the quality of. Clean and tidy desk is key as well although I've never had a problem with this one!

[@BenjisHobbies]

That’s a great goal and I definitely see where you’re coming from! I have much the same attitude when it comes to heroes and my favourite models 😊

[@seanbailey8545]

I don't buy new models till I have built and painted the last ones. Kind of a little reward for getting it done.

[@BenjisHobbies]

I’ve started doing that this year 😊

[@vincentdefelice7370]

Hi mate! I agree 100% with what you say in the video as I experienced it on my skin in the last year! Great tips!

[@haveguitar]

I have a dedicated music/ paint studio, problem is getting time to be in there ;) Is your dog a Havanais? Looked like it, I have two of them myself.

[@jacobtaylor9879]

nkce one, I've got commison on, got to finish off my Kings of war Dwarfs army, Finish my Grim Dark Future Army and my Frostgrave Warband for a new campaign , but I can always do something everyday. my best advice is to use a wet pallet and try and use cross over paints on multiple projects.

[@BenjisHobbies]

A wet palette is definitely a useful tool, and I like the idea of using similar colours across different projects!

[@peterjones4763]

I'm not buying anything new until ove finished the Space Hulk set i bought last year. I'm over half way and finding the promise of a reward at the end really motivating.

[@BenjisHobbies]

You can do it! I’d love to see your Space Hulk finished! 😍

[@peterjones4763]

@@BenjisHobbies ha ha. Getting there... the Terminators have sooooo much detail! 😂

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Fantastic video, full of good ideas. For me the most important is to keep the painting desk uncluttered. I found out the hard way that my output is inversely proportional to the untidiness of my workdesk, and grinds to a complete halt when a certain level of entropy is reached.

[@nordicmaelstrom4714]

Late to the discussion Benji but I found that taking part in hobby challenges is a great way to motivate my self. I started doing this in December of 2020 and have continued it through till now. I am on the verge of completely finishing all my 28mm collection go from bare plastic to painted miniatures. As of typing this I am working on twelve seraphon and have just the carnosaur and about five other 28mm miniatures left. I am saving one of them (Abaddon the Despoiler) for when I feel the inspiration to start collecting the Black Legion. Now that I am running out of miniatures I have decided to never again over burden my self with miniatures. I want to finish a project first before buying more miniatures and only in moderation so I don't ever wind up with a huge pile of shame.

[@allansmith5236]

I hit the like button when I saw the tray tip, and the video just got better and better from there!

[@BenjisHobbies]

Glad you found it useful, Allan! 😁 Thanks for watching!

[@thomaspage3486]

Last year I wanted to keep a track of the models I had painted, but I also catalogued those in my pile of shame. I found it really satisfying moving models from the unpainted to painted side of the document, and it helped motivate me to keep my paint count higher than my PoS count

[@BenjisHobbies]

That’s a great way of doing it! Seeing my ‘painted’ models increase faster than my buying rate was a really good feeling too. Once I’ve got my collection catalogued I think I’ll work the same way as you did and keep a ‘running total’ of my unpainted vs painted minis 😊

[@pierrethonon5742]

I have to say that's very close to the changes I made last year and it helped me a lot. In addition to this, I made a spreadsheet list of what I want and have with the prices as well as a painting planning both put together made me realize what I can realistically paint in the next months and stopped me to add to the pile of shame (and spare a few bucks).

[@BenjisHobbies]

That sounds like a great plan! When I eventually do the great mini audit of 2021 I’ll probably do something very similar to help me plan what I’m painting next.

[@kevinhayes517]

Excellent suggestions, I really appreciate your motivational suggestions. Thanks!

[@BenjisHobbies]

You’re very welcome! 😊

[@ElijahRhyne]

Shout out from January of 2022. Cheers!

[@danuk459]

I did a spreadsheet inventory of all my models in 2019, shocked me massively, sold several armies and didn't buy anyything for several months. Then 2020 came around, and while I've finished a huge amount of models, I also bought as much as not more than I painted, so I'm at it again. I think its just a case of giving yourself rules and sticking to them, as you've only got yourself to blame

[@BenjisHobbies]

Very good point! I think it’s definitely about being realistic with yourself about what you can achieve. I have grand ambitions of painting hundreds of miniatures but in reality I know I don’t have the time. A spreadsheet is a solid way of planning what you have time for!

[@thomasmatthewman808]

Clear desk policy is such a great shout. Loving the videos man.

[@BenjisHobbies]

It’s done wonders for my productivity. It’s so easy to just sit down and paint without clearing loads of stuff away 😊

[@letsplaywiththestapsmon5433]

Just found this video … and what can I say, I was inspired by your message to paint at least 15 minutes a day and it works. Thank you so much.

[@BenjisHobbies]

You’re super welcome my friend! I’m glad that it’s been of help to you 😊

[@no.6minis]

This is all really good advice! Completely agree.

[@BenjisHobbies]

Thanks No. 6 Minis!

[@BeardClipper]

That was a good video, interesting and thought provoking. I certainly agree about the tidy desk - I spend time every session to tidy, clean, clear and organise. Knowing EXACTLY where a tool is can be really important if you're in the flow, or currently recording :D Finishing projects is also a good point - the buzz you can get from seeing it completed can then inspire the next. As you know, however, I operate differently with regards to the NUMBER of projects ongoing at once. I currently have a model railway I'm building, the Haldir's Elves for our challenge, some Blood & Plunder minis, a 1:24 scale post apocalyptic diorama, a scratch built great house out of left over packing materials from Christmas, a plastic tower from Renedra and very shortly the challenge from Encounter Terrain will also start. Oh, and the Battle Games in Middle-earth terrain as well :) I thrive on this - I find it so easy to go and do something of an evening because at least one of those projects will excite me :) as you say, it does take all sorts and I am an odd-ball. Really REALLY enjoying the challenge and it is eye-opening that in the first week two of those days I'd have not painted at all without the impetus - so maybe one thing you missed off your list was "friendly challenges and co-inspiration with friends?" It bloody well works!

[@BenjisHobbies]

Thanks for the comment dude! I’m loving the challenge too, and I completely agree that it’s a great motivator to get stuff painted! I knew you’d be one of the outliers when it came to the number of projects. I’d get nothing done if I had that many projects on the go!

[@evileyeball]

I made myself a rule at present that I am not allowed to buy anything hobby wise unless it furthers me painting my current projects. Currently I have Kill team stuff ongoing and I won't be buying anymore until I have fully painted my 3 Kill teams

[@foehammer1172]

Great tips! I'm joining in the "January 20minutechallenge as I didn't manage to get through my Dunland army like I wanted to last year. Not even sure I'll be able to achieve it every day with current lockdown status and childcare requirements, but it's something to aim for at least, and I've only missed one day so far. Another thing I've started to do to get more organised is to magnetise and box up my painted minis to help protect them better (they were scattered around in other boxes or on shelves previously). I'm also going to do the same for some of my unpainted armies that are in various other bags and boxes. Some need stripping and gluing to bases, so I'm hoping to remove these barriers to painting and I can more easily identify any gaps in the armies.

[@BenjisHobbies]

20 minutes a day is definitely something to aim for, but it’s in no way a rule to stick to. I think it’s just important to recognise when you can make some time for yourself and seize the time to go and do it! That’s a great shout about painted minis. I have a couple of KR cases that I’ve got a couple of armies stashed away in but magnetised boxes feel like a much better option.

[@johnshuart7414]

15-30 minutes a day is what I've been dedicating to the war against the grey! Thank you for the tips and another great video!

[@AndurzTalksHobbies]

Fantastic! I've been doing the painting ever day thing since January first and already got 4 models done! Next step is cataloging the collection :P

[@BenjisHobbies]

Nice work! It’s amazing what you can achieve only by painting for a few minutes each day. I can’t bring myself to start cataloguing my collection yet - but it’s something that needs doing... It’s going to take a while! 😅

[@AndurzTalksHobbies]

@@BenjisHobbies yah needed to do some kind of cataloging for a while now... Also, for the painting once a day thing, i am extending that to include converting... As its still hobby :P

[@JRobb84]

Watched this video on release but came back to it today. I made an Excel spreadsheet of all my models. Pretty obvious to me now that I need to make a few cuts as there is stuff that is just never going to get painted...

[@BenjisHobbies]

I felt exactly the same way about a lot of the stuff I had. If it was never going to get painted then off it’s gone! 😊

[@declanpm8578]

I set myself a challenge for this year, paint at least 1-2 hours or do hobby stuff for at least 1-2 hours every single day. So far I am managing to do 55% of the days, so I'd say that's pretty damn productive.

[@TheRagingModeller]

I have amassed a fair amount of Orks for my Ork army. I build and paint one maybe two boxes at a time. And every couple of boxes paint some dnd single models or monsters. This year I will be splitting my attention between Orks and the new heroquest. This genuinely helps with burnout

[@BenjisHobbies]

That’s a great technique! It’s how I tend to paint my armies - paint ‘chaff’ and intersperse some heroes or cool, interesting models in between.

[@TheRagingModeller]

@@BenjisHobbies When I come to the lootas or meganobz I'll throw a character or single unit in there. I have amassed a large amount recently but I'd say I have enough for a 1500 point force so I can stop buying and start whittling this lot down

[@wychkingsarmoury]

Wow, I thought I was the only one who audited and used the label maker to identify my piles of shame! I'm glad that I'm not alone!!

[@BenjisHobbies]

LABEL MAKER BROS!

[@LordSubway]

Some really good tips here. I started taking inventory last year and there is A LOT to be finished in my cellar. Not only LotR, but also two Fantasy armies (my beloved Empire and Bretonia) but now also two 40k armies (Custom Space Marines and Speedfreek Orks). I think the labelling is an idea that I will apply on the weekend. I have some printer labels left that are the perfect size for the side of the euroboxes that I am using for storage.

[@BenjisHobbies]

Thanks buddy! I think it’s so easy to lose track of what you’ve got, especially when you’ve got a vast collection! An inventory and clearly labelled boxes will definitely help with this 😊

[@wolowizard4441]

Clear and clean desk policy is a good one, also having some sort of organising and uniform stacking/sorting etc really gives you a professional feel and a different frame of mind when it comes to painting, having literally everything in your hobby being easily accessible and visible makes it more appealing! Also, Bob is my grandad, not my uncle ;)

[@BenjisHobbies]

I think because I’m a KZbin channel I ‘have’ to look professional to some extent, but I think it definitely gives you a hobby boost when everything is clean, tidy and easily accessible 😊

[@songohan1075]

Thanks for this video, really helpful for me, I will give it a try.

[@fififinance7469]

Set this video to double speed for added productivity

[@BenjisHobbies]

Hahaha! Love it 😂

[@MrSteelface96]

Agree and disagree on building up a backlog. Agee that those pictures of 300 gray models prolly wont ever get done. But i disagree on only building one at a time, because there will be days not suitable to prime, nor you having the interest in glueing stuff together which might just futher delay any progress on your amry. So my tip is, get a 11/liter ikea box with primed and ready to go with models in it. which i also made a rule with my self, no buying more until it's empty.

[@BenjisHobbies]

That sounds like a great rule! The only reason I always suggest one at a time is that some people can suffer with option paralysis, and that the more options they have of things to paint the less productive they become. It’s an interesting paradox when you start looking in to it 😊

[@Willabrador]

Very useful thanks!

[@BenjisHobbies]

You’re very welcome!

[@AnonymousMontanantoo]

Great Vid Ben!! You rock!!

[@BenjisHobbies]

Thanks so much 😁

[@luciferofastora]

My backlog consists of a single miniature that I assembled yesterday and undercoated today after owning it four a few months. Granted, it's my first, and I've been so very scared of fucking it up that I've put off actually building it for a long time. I'm proud of how (mostly) great the undercoat turned out (two thin coats ftw), but now my anxiety is spiking that I'll mess up the rest of it. But at least my pile of shame is more like a pebble of pride right now. On the other hand, I feel the overwhelming desire to buy more models already. Why is assembling them so much fun?

[@BenjisHobbies]

Haha! I think it’s the same for a lot of people. Assembly is relatively easy whereas painting is a bit more taxing, and of course the easiest part is buying! I LOVE the Pebble of Pride!

[@Billio68]

I’m apparently the only person in this hobby that enjoys the building and painting part more than playing the game. I can’t buy enough to get behind…

[@BenjisHobbies]

I think there are all sorts of different people out there. I buy way fewer models now than I used to and I’m definitely making a dent in my backlog.

[@justinw.7045]

People who completely parade ready a box before buying more miniatures need a mental evaluation.

[@stephenspangler2790]

Great advice! I feel bad walking by my pile of shame everyday.

[@stephenspangler2790]

I definitely agree with trying to paint something everyday (no matter how small the item). Currently working on a set of Rebel Commandos for SW: Legion. Didn't really want to paint last night, however I made myself finish all the highlighting on just the boots for six miniatures. Got so into it, I moved on to highlighting pants.

[@BenjisHobbies]

Don’t feel bad about it! Your hobby should never make you feel bad 😊 I think chipping away at projects slowly is definitely the way to go.

[@NegativeCelcius]

I just start throwing base coats on models when I have free time. I don't think about being neat, the thought of that puts me off. I can correct them later when I have more time to focus on details.

[@robertosalvatore1211]

Who built your shed space for you? And what shelving units do you use behind you?

[@BenjisHobbies]

I built it 😊 The very first video on my channel is how I converted my shed in to a hobby room if you want to go and check it out. The shelves are just Billy Bookcases from IKEA.

[@dragonzbreath2353]

8:11 yeah sure I do that looks at desk errrmmmmm maybe not

[@christopherpeery7436]

Im gonna give the 20 min challenge a go!

[@BenjisHobbies]

Do it buddy! If you’ve not watched it already go and check out the video on painting for 15 minutes a day and I go in to a bit more detail about why it works for me. Make sure you post some progress on Instagram with #January20MinuteChallenge - would love to see what you’re working on!

[@Zemlod]

@ 2:24 Ow! That hurt!

[@nickwilson2097]

TIL "rationalize" means something completely different in the UK lol. In the USA rationalizing is how we got into the pile of shame in the first place

[@BenjisHobbies]

Hahaha! Maybe start using my interpretation of the word instead 😉

[@omrigilkis5016]

I had a 600+ backlog. it sucked. sold a few hundred (though I did buy few hundred more..) painted 100 per year. and after all was said and done. 10 years later or so. I'm now at 68 minis left. its still an annoying number. I think healthy is20 - 30. cause you do want to have some left. you don't want a completely clean desk. working on a few things at once can work for you. or maybe you don't want to paint just the one set you have. so I'm aiming to lose the last dozens of overboard minis till end of 2022

[@elstonation]

Well I agree with all of your points but don't do many of them as I am one of the few strange people that does things a little differently. However 20 mins a day is good practice to get into and your productivity levels go through the roof. Nice video dude

[@BenjisHobbies]

When I saw your necron horse I thought you’d be one of those outliers 😂

[@ThePickleJar]

@@BenjisHobbies Wait, Necrons have HORSES now?!?!

[@_i_m_]

"Knowing what you've got" can really become a problem sooner or later, especially if you can't afford (due to the lack of free space maybe) a dedicated tall shelf with transparent doors to store your minis. I myself do not know how to handle this problem.

[@BenjisHobbies]

It’s a great point! I’d tackle it by just going through any boxes you have (transparent or not!) and making a list of your minis. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, and doesn’t have to be a list that you add to etc, but at least it’s a quick reminder of what’s hidden away there 😊 Hope that helps a little!

[@framlinghamthetortoise8829]

The nice part about being broke is that you don't have a pile of shame

[@battlestreamsinmiddle-eart8564]

Nice video as always Ben - doubt I'll listen to any of it but smarter people than me will no doubt be helped :-) Damian

[@BenjisHobbies]

Thanks Damian! You’re another one of those mad ones who has several projects on the go at once.

[@blackalgae370]

I cannot work with a completely clear, clean, tidy work space, I need some degree of clutter.

[@bremer1701]

Dont be so negative! Its not a pile of shame, it is a pile of opportunities :D

[@MC_Deamonking]

I just did not buy any model since almoast eight months now... It moast certanly increases the presentedge of paintet models. But I don‘t wanna give myself a timelimit, because I know, that the qualaty of finished models will suffer. And I already did many of the Infantry models almoast a year ago. (150 Models in 3,5 Moths) Now it‘s time to paint all the cool models. 🎉

[@BenjisHobbies]

That’s a very good point! It definitely important to paint your models to a standard you’re happy - it’s not a race to the finish after all! Whilst all my troops won’t be Golden Demon winners, I almost certainly spend a bit more time on my heroes and cool models! That’s a really impressive painting rate! Great work 😊

[@MC_Deamonking]

@@BenjisHobbies thanks I just love painting models up to a really good standart. 👍

[@vernondelacruz7812]

Looking at this some I agree but some of it 0I don't. To me a hobby doesn't need to be productive, because a hobby is something that is done inorder to remove stress. Doing a hobby as if it is job seems a bit paradoxical to me, as I do my hobbies to avoid micro-managing things as I already do that on a daily basis. Finishing a group/single model for me can take a month to be done and that would be fine as long as I enjoyed the process.

[@hadespanda4572]

I have everything build I just don't like painting the same miniature over and over again

[@youn1700]

Yeah, I have a huge list of things that I want to paint but because I have a huge list, I don't want to try and paint it. In my case though, it's repainting 40k armies that were stored poorly. But the lack of new rules for them causes gridlock. For instance, my Primary Army is Craftworld Eldar.. I have about 12000 points of them. I bought them in 1993 to present. I need to repaint the entire army. I don't have new rules, so, randomly picking a force could be bad. I have a chaos marine army, they also lack all rules, So, painting them could be wrong. I own a Marine army made up of entirely circa 1989 citadel marines. So, first born mono-pose white metal models. I have a harlequin army, this just seems like tons of work to paint, I want more confidence before I tackle it. Now, you see true gridlock. At the end of the day, I want my eldar army fully painted. So, this is what I am working on, but, I don't want to make real Craftworld Decisions until I see the new rules. This means I can paint the Aspect warriors because they aren't Craftworld specific. But, that leaves me in a bind.

[@ger5956]

Remember to like and comment to appease the almighty algorithm 😁👍🏼

[@BenjisHobbies]

As always, myself and the KZbin void thank you for your support!

[@Dignika]

You have way to little subs for the quality that you have in each video

[@Dignika]

@@GeekGamingScenics ahah then it wouldn't fit on the screen anymore

[@BenjisHobbies]

Thanks dude! I always love hearing that! I know Luke is starting to get a little worried 😉

[@lunahula]

*shaking head* Binning those bits of styrene sprue... When you should be chopping them up and putting them in spare pots of Tamiya plastic cement and extra thin cement to make liquid styrene you can use for filling the gaps of plastic miniatures with the very material they are made out of! Or put those bits into a glass bowl with a varying quantity of pure acetone to melt them down into liquid plastic that you can then force into metal or ceramic ( make your own with plaster or Paris ) moulds to produce plastic scenery parts for bases and table terrain. As for the Dymo tape printer; why are you wasting that tape printing labels, that's what permanent markers and shaky handwriting is for! Use the tape on your large flat surface miniatures like tanks, combined with a micro chisel or scraping tool to add additional panel lines and details to the surface, using the tape as a guide! The tape works in exactly the same way as professional scribing tape you otherwise have to import from East Asia!

[@hectordenzel4650]

So Nice 💘💘💘💘💘💘