Finding time to raid: How do YOU do it?

[Kalyn]

Hello all, long time lurker here with a general question. I could not seem to find any thread similar, but alas my search capabilities may be weak. I have played WoW for 6 years now and in that time I have been hardcore for about a matter of... 2 months give or take.

I am currently 24, work a full time job M-F 8-5 with the occasional self project that takes up my own scheduled evenings. Now I am not claiming to be a giant socialite or a super busy... businessman, but, I came with a question today:

How do YOU find time to raid?

Currently I cannot even commit to a 2-day raiding schedule without something coming up. I maintain a relationship, working hours and time with friends, but nothing extravagant by any stretch of that word. But do you schedule this time separate? Do you tell your friends you cannot make certain nights? Does your wife allow it? I really want to raid and I can't seem to maintain a normal life and get 2 nights in a week so I'm all for insight on achieving this.

[Nanaboostme]

Problem for me is that I hate playing based on a demanded time/schedule, it feels more like work than fun since I play wow when I feel like it. That's why I usually do LFR or join trade pugs, but usually never complete all of progression every week. But that is okay for me.

Because of this I can stay in a guild that I have the most connection with and not based on a raid schedule guild

[boseguy22]

I have carved out 2 nights a week with a casual raiding guild, and I tell my friends I'm busy those nights. I hold down a full time job and part time school.

The relationship thing... I got my wife to play. I tank, she heals, and we fill in the gaps. It is quality time for us together, so instead of her getting put on the back burner she is right there with me (hopefully looting more than wiping).

[Mammoth]

Raiding I treat like a club activity, like a sports club. You know what day it is occurring and you put that time aside for it. In many ways it is similar, you're part of a team that needs you to be there.

Currently I'm doing 2 days a week, its enough for me. Previously I raid lead a team raiding 4/5 days a week. At the time 4 days a week was fine for me, these days 2 days suits better. You need to pick a guild that suits your needs.

[Splatter]

I treat it like being on a sports team. I know in advance when I need to play and how long for. Its pretty easy to plan for that. It just means Wednesday and Monday nights are out for anything that isn't super important. Its no different from when I played basketball in a local league, Thursday night i had practice and Tuesday night was league games.

[Azutael]

Oh I don't anymore, so I only do LFR. I would love to be able to raid properly, but there's simply not enough time for me to do it. Well, I probably could. But I would need to sacrifice everything else in the game to do it, and I like other aspects of the game to much to do so.

Haven't raided since mid TBC, and some PuG's in WotLK. It became more like work, even though it could be fun it was very tiring in the end to keep up. And I came to a point where I decided it was no longer worth it, even though I liked raiding.

Then there's RL of course, not that I have a very busy one. But there's still to few hours in the day to do everything I want and have to do.
Not to mention I have a ridiculously high need of sleep..

[Frozenbeef]

If i was to keep to the same raid schedule as i did in tbc i would be overwhelmed by pressure from home, university and wow >.<

LFR is a god send in getting to experience a part of the raid/ story, you really don't know how much it sucks leveling 15 alts in northrend constantly stopping the lich kings plans and culling his minions to not see it conclude and instead have deathwing randomly popup

[Galbrei]

I only raid once a week (Sundays) and I'm 15/16. Would be higher, but we've lost some good people and now we're having trouble finding good recruits. Since it's only on Sundays it doesn't get on the way of my job or going out with friends on Friday/Saturday or anything else. I don't understand the belief some people have that you need to raid every single day to do good progression...

[Dukenukem]

I manage my time around raiding. It works just fine. 12Hours/week (4x3 hours) its not much (i was used to 6x5hours).

And Im a Guild master I can setup raid times as it suits me

[fps90]

Just plan it out like any other activity you'd be doing. For example, as others have stated, a club, or sports of some kind.

As for the relationship part, I suggest finding someone who plays WoW that you can raid with. Been working quite well for me.

[Tziva]

It's not hard for me to find the time, really.

I also work office hours, I also have a family, a social life, and participate in activities outside of WoW.

I raid in the evenings after dinner (after my raidmates have put their kids to bed). It's at a time when I'm probably not going to be out running errands -- as most places are closed -- or doing social activities -- as its a work night. Really, the things it is taking the place of is other loungey activities like watching TV or reading or playing other video games.

Even raiding four nights a week (two on my main, one each on two alts), I still have ample time for other things I want to do. I go out to dinner, I take classes, I do martial arts training, I have time for going to the movies, keeping up with my favourite TV shows, going hiking, and doing other fun activities, both on non-raid nights, but also before raid starts, and on weekends.

That said, in Burning Crusade I did raid seven nights a week (yes, really - sometimes two raids back-to-back on the same night, too!) and that was a little much

[FoodProduct]

Similarly to others, it's a similar hobby to a sports team. You can't play without a group of others, so you need a set schedule when you're all on.

I raid 9hrs/week, work full time, am in a serious relationship, and have time to hang out with friends still.

[Rivellana]

For me it's been easy...find a guild with a start time late enough that I have my kids in bed before raid starts, and that doesn't go late enough that I have to worry about not getting enough sleep since I have to get up early. I play with my significant other so it's never been a big deal in that regard. On non-raid nights we watch TV or have relationship time instead of playing video games after the kids are in bed.

[Beefhammer]

Hello all, long time lurker here with a general question. I could not seem to find any thread similar, but alas my search capabilities may be weak. I have played WoW for 6 years now and in that time I have been hardcore for about a matter of... 2 months give or take.

I am currently 24, work a full time job M-F 8-5 with the occasional self project that takes up my own scheduled evenings. Now I am not claiming to be a giant socialite or a super busy... businessman, but, I came with a question today:

How do YOU find time to raid?

Currently I cannot even commit to a 2-day raiding schedule without something coming up. I maintain a relationship, working hours and time with friends, but nothing extravagant by any stretch of that word. But do you schedule this time separate? Do you tell your friends you cannot make certain nights? Does your wife allow it? I really want to raid and I can't seem to maintain a normal life and get 2 nights in a week so I'm all for insight on achieving this.

I work 11 hours a day 7-6p Monday - Saturday. I raid 2 nights a week from 2-3 hours and we clear Heroics. We searched realm forums for months to find a home that fit.

[Mawnix]

I raid 3-4 nights a week, 8 PM-12 AM.

We raid Sunday through Wednesday.

I still have a very nice Social Life.

How you ask?

I get lunch and dinner with my friends every single day, fit in study hall/homework between Lunch and Dinner, work out after Dinner, Raid, get stuff done after Raid or during Study Hall, and Thursday through Saturday hang out with them.

Very easy system to manage.

[Giants41]

When i raided in wrath (last time i seriously raided) i joined a guild that raided when i knew i was available. If something came up they weren't that serious that they would kick me out so it was flexible and i loved that guild <3

[Deleted]

I work, have a girlfriend and I told her that I like to play wow and that I want to raid atleast 2 times/week. Finding time for 10h/week is not that hard The hard part is to find a guild you enjoy playing in that raid the days you want/can raid.