So Saturday night I had the chance to sit down and chat with The.Salty.Robot, the creator of the cerulean project, is about the struggles of burnout and neurodiversity in the hobby.

I’ll be upfront and honest I am dealing with hobby burnout right now. There has been very little time spent at my workbench and stuff really hasn’t been getting done. My jobs and school have kept me tied up and occupied. NaNoWriMo has also started and I really would like to get a good chunk done on my current novel (praying for a good first draft this year!)

It has been sending my ADHD tendencies through the roof.

Like many others with ADHD, I tend to start a new project before I finish one. Currently, I have around eight unfinished projects collecting dust. A few gunpla related and a couple is miniatures (not including school projects and writing projects)

(My nightingale and hygogg frogs have been neglected lately.)

But my experience isn’t the only one to exist. So I reached out to my community and asked.

Some tips for the hobby

• Setting a timer for 30 minutes to do something specific and attempt to do it in that time period.
• Music or Audiobooks to help maintain focus.
  • I listen to audiobooks quite a bit and have found that it keeps me on task.
• Taking large projects and breaking them up by doing small simple fun projects.
  • Some may find it easier to focus on one project at a time, and see what works for you!
• Follow the instructions till the end and modify when finished.
• Use spreadsheets for project wips!
  • or use a whiteboard to track projects!
• Sometimes I find things like sand for dioramas tend to set off sensory issues for me, so I wear gloves when dealing with it.
• Clear. Containers. For. Supplies.
  • Honestly, this is an ADHD hack that has saved me from repeat purchases and junk collecting.
• I have found a support group that has been great for my needs. I have met a whole network of other neurodiverse people who have also shared similar hobby situations as I have.

Opinions

I think that Gunpla is a great hobby for those who deal with issues on the social side. You don’t have to interact with others in order to do the hobby, or you can find like-minded people to chill with. It’s literally up to you what you want to do!

Warhammer is a little tricky because of the gameplay aspect. Some stores foster great environments for neurodivergent people, and some don’t. There are plenty of hobby stores that I dislike (some for social reasons and some for different. Certain lights cause me migraines and I can’t stand them very long.)

I had someone bring up that they wished their hobby stores did sensory-friendly nights (build or game nights). Dimmed lights and a calm environment. I can get behind this idea.

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What do you think? Drop a comment below and let me know, I’d love to hear it.

Have a safe Tuesday everyone!

-J