How do I prevent D&D from taking over my life?

[Dannyalcatraz]

Thornir Alekeg
"I cannot just kill my boss and take his stuff."

FATDRAGONGAMES
I'm making sure everyone gets a copy of this at the FDG staff meeting on Friday.

Famous last words.

"Next on News 12! A tragedy today as Tom Tullis of Fat Dragon Games walked into his office, only to be killed by a booby-trap set by one of his employees. Investigators surmise that Mr. Tullis anticipated an attempt on his life after saw the memo he was carrying...but too late."

 

[Kheti sa-Menik]

For me, running/playing in actual D&D games take up less time than participating in the hobby.
By "participating in the hobby," I mean browsing/posting websites and forums like Enworld, WOTC's boards, etc; planning trips to conventions or RPGA events; actually going to conventions or RPGA events, chatting with friends and other gamers about the hobby in general; etc.

The participating thing really doesn't take any more percentage of my time than other hobbies I have or what I see other people doing with their hobbies.

I work with a guy who is into fishing. I daresay he spends more time reading websites about fishing, reading magazines about fishing, reading reviews of new equipment, planning trips to go fishing that may or may not materialize, keeping his eyes out for good fishing spots, talking to other fishing enthusiasts than he does actually fishing.
So it's not that unusual.

In my opinion, it's like anything else in life. Trust yourself to see if you're stepping over the line or becoming addicted to a particular thing. If your hobby starts negatively affecting your family, your religious practices, your job, then probably it's time to take a step back and realign your priorities.

 

[Jack7]

It's just a game.

But that being said you can also turn your gaming towards real world benefit if you really wish.

And that being said as well, you (and everyone else) have far more important things to do with your life than living in your imagination all of the time.

So don't do that.
The imagination is a nice place to visit on occasion, but you don't need to live in a dump like that because the imagination ain't really living, it's just an imitation of life.

Who at the end of their life really looks at the heavens and says, "If only I had a little bit more time to imitate living, then I could have really been somebody?"

And if they do, then what does it matter one way or the other?

What you want is your games to imitate your living, not your living to imitate a game.

 

[+5 Keyboard!]

DM's
- You have players that are able to show up at least 1 a week for games, and never have to cancel more than 1 game per month.

Check.

- You habitually over prepare / over customize your adventures.

Negative. Don't have the time anymore.

- You create more than 50% of your adventure scenarios (instead of using pre-published)

Oh, mercy! Check and double check.

- You also paint miniatures. A lot of miniatures.

Oh, geez, yes! But not so much anymore. Maybe every other Sunday if a friend comes over to paint with me.

Wow, though! You pretty much nailed me dead on. Fortunately, I do have other things going on in my life to balance what my Mother and Wife call an "obsession". Like having my own business that is in no way related to gaming other than that I get to carry a weapon. And I have a 2 year old that is damn near impossible to ignore even if I tried to obsess over my RPG of choice.

 

[questing gm]

I would say don't offer to DM.
Being a player is less time constraining.