How do you admins find the time to contribute to your server?

[[DtK] [V] Sink]

Hey,

So I was wondering how those of you who are admins for one of our servers manage to be active on the server and take care of any managerial tasks you're required to. About a month ago I was given a trial admin position for DtK 13 but with uni and work I've found myself unable to get on the server that often, let alone contribute to it. Maybe it's because I have 26 contact hours a week for uni (about 50 hours if you include homework), but I'm really struggling to find time and I feel like I'm letting DtK down. I really want to succeed at being the best I can be for DtK so if you have any tips, please share them with me!

Cheers,
Sink

[[DtK] [Jedi] Tonic]

A few years ago, I made as much time as I could, and it nearly cost my marriage.

It's a hard thing to balance, and i can only offer ver few words of advice.

Priorities and efficiency are the 2 big factors, do what you need to do, and do whatever else you can, when you can.
Break up the lower priority bits, and do them in small chunks so you don't feel like your just constantly pushing stuff back, which just demoralizes you.

Failing that, something has to fall.

And that's all I can really say for advice.

[Willikazam]

and it nearly cost my marriage.

holy shit dude, that's dedication.

[[DtK] [Jedi] Pilot Jones]

Don't feel like you have to achieve everything at once, you can't please everybody - so take the time to plan things for your server so you can get it done right.

If you can't be active in-game, commit yourself to the forums, make threads of your plans so people know what's going on in that head of yours and that they ain't left in the dark.

Back when I was SA for Jailbreak, I made the requirement for Admins to be 7 hours a week. Cut down, that's one hour a day and if nobody could commit to that on a weekly basis, it might have been a good indicator to step down.

In the end tho, shit can't be helped. Note that your real life gets in the way of your leisure time, note that that shit is much more important.
Trial admin is a period to determine if you are capable of monitoring the server but also to determine if you are ready to commit yourself to the responsibility, in this case you're unsure. Still, no big deal homie, it ain't the end of the world and there will always be opportunities for you to try again.

Do your best to achieve what you can in helping your server in anyway, at least you can't say that you didn't try.

[[DtK] [Jedi] Tonic]

holy shit dude, that's dedication.

It was a few things, the other large part was work, i did 50 - 70 hours a week, plus up to 17 call outs per week, and i hated it so when i wasn't at work, i was grumpy in general. And to escape real life i just involved myself into DtK because when i was doing whatever within DtK, i forgot about my real problems.
And the other real problems (wife kids etc) just got bigger.

It's 100% my fault, but a change of jobs, towns etc and a more relaxed lifestyle everything is back on track.

[[DtK] [Jedi] Ham]

I was in Year 10, shit was stupid easy.

Also I hate almost everyone irl and the friends I did have went on foreign exchange/hung out with people I hated.

[[DtK] [Jedi] Tonic]

I was in Year 10, shit was stupid easy.

Also I hate almost everyone irl and the friends I did have went on foreign exchange/hung out with people I hated.

It's ok, most people IRl would hate you too

[[DtK] [Jedi] Ham]

It's ok, most people IRl would hate you too

Thnx friend

[RavenSpyder]

I was an admin on a now dead server.
I found it relatively easy to do, but it did sorta take over my life. I almost failed school for it and that is sorta when I learnt I need to take over control of my life. I stopped admin (of which I was really close friends with the owner, and was second-in-command) and took a break, and now just playing casually
I now like helping out other people, just not in a major role.

[[DtK] [Jedi] KT]

Last year I didn't really have to worry about hours they were easy to get but being in year 12 now I've found it's more difficult to keep up with hours; easiest way for me to get my hours up is time management. If I know I have assignments due I'll plan what times and days to jump on the server so I know I can keep up activity whilst leaving myself practical time for irl commitments and leisure.
Some weeks it will be harder than others to keep up activity you can't be too hard on yourself about that as long as you know you'll be able to actively take up your admin role afterwards.
I tend to plan the week before what I'll do for next week to ensure I am being active forum and server side, but I just like being organised so that might not work for you, hope that some what helped. ^.^

[[DtK] [Jedi] Satalin]

When I was EM for DtK, I got the position when I started studying full time at TAFE, I was also working 3-4 days a week. I had little to no time to join the servers to be apart of the event nor be in meetings for it. But I made a mistake of dedicating myself more in DtK than my study's and I failed. Even when I had EM and working full time it was hard cause I worked nights, so events during the week I couldn't join cause I'll be at work. Only weekends.

[[DtK] [Jedi] Booshti]

Drink lots of alcohol and have no life like me. On a more serious note, wait that was a serious note.. Nah jokes aside you should work out how much you feel you need or want to put into DTK or the position assigned to you and work out whether or not you have a good balance to do what you need to do IRL while doing so. If you want to put a certain amount of time into DTK then you can always try it and see if it works out that's ultimately the best way for you to know if you will be able to handle it. There are a few people who gain admin positions who think they will be able to cope then they try it out and they just can't meet the hourly requirements. There's no harm in trying in my opinion since if it does work out and you end up being a great influence on the DTK community and their servers then isn't that a good thing? No one will hate you if you step down from an admin position because I'm sure if it's something you want to do then you can always come back right?

[[DtK] [V] drillmored]

Same thing with Ham but had plenty of spare time till now (besides the frends). I would probably try if you gots the time for it

[[DtK] [SA] WalkerBoh]

I run my own lawn mowing business, so I drop in at home for lunch and play then sometimes. Also I don't require too much sleep. 4 hours is usually enough through the week. Only reason I go to bed earlier is to prevent wife aggro, otherwise id be up till about 2 or 3 every morning.

In the morning while waiting for the kids to get ready for school. the best part of this is it takes me 25 minutes to get ready for work which includes loading up the ute and trailer. Takes the kids about 90 minutes to get ready. So usually time for a game in the morning, although most often this is against bots.

I think the most important thing is to not plan to spend a big chunk of time on the server. Just jump on when you feel like it and hop off when you have had enough. The hours will probably accrue without you even realising. But to plan a big chunk of time can actually make it harder to achieve the hours you want.

It's a game and it needs to remain fun, even for admins, or it's just not worth doing anymore.

[Complex1ty]

Eh. I didn't really have a life. I worked about 25-30 hours a week and spent the rest of the time on the Computer or exercising.

[[DtK] [Jedi] Jessica]

Its mostly just management of time, I was surf admin while going through year 11/12 (yes it was stressful but what isnt?) But managed to put 100% into both positions. Its all about that time management.

[[DtK] [V] Sink]

I run my own lawn mowing business, so I drop in at home for lunch and play then sometimes. Also I don't require too much sleep. 4 hours is usually enough through the week. Only reason I go to bed earlier is to prevent wife aggro, otherwise id be up till about 2 or 3 every morning.

In the morning while waiting for the kids to get ready for school. the best part of this is it takes me 25 minutes to get ready for work which includes loading up the ute and trailer. Takes the kids about 90 minutes to get ready. So usually time for a game in the morning, although most often this is against bots.

I think the most important thing is to not plan to spend a big chunk of time on the server. Just jump on when you feel like it and hop off when you have had enough. The hours will probably accrue without you even realising. But to plan a big chunk of time can actually make it harder to achieve the hours you want.

It's a game and it needs to remain fun, even for admins, or it's just not worth doing anymore.

You're right. I think if I break it down into chunks of 2-3 games a sitting (roughly 20-30 minutes) I can do as much as I can with no worries. Thanks man!

[Sariи]

Hey,

So I was wondering how those of you who are admins for one of our servers manage to be active on the server and take care of any managerial tasks you're required to. About a month ago I was given a trial admin position for DtK 13 but with uni and work I've found myself unable to get on the server that often, let alone contribute to it. Maybe it's because I have 26 contact hours a week for uni (about 50 hours if you include homework), but I'm really struggling to find time and I feel like I'm letting DtK down. I really want to succeed at being the best I can be for DtK so if you have any tips, please share them with me!

Cheers,
Sink

A few years ago, I made as much time as I could, and it nearly cost my marriage.

It's a hard thing to balance, and i can only offer ver few words of advice.

Priorities and efficiency are the 2 big factors, do what you need to do, and do whatever else you can, when you can.
Break up the lower priority bits, and do them in small chunks so you don't feel like your just constantly pushing stuff back, which just demoralizes you.

Failing that, something has to fall.

And that's all I can really say for advice.

Sames with me. Caused many arguments. But i pushed through for the community.........yay to me.......

[Terminat0r]

i tried my best to push through with hours but had IRL commitments that kept popping up like work and relationship. had to set priorities right. as much as i like this community, life commitments always go first before gaming and sometimes it can be hard to set that straight. wish i had the time to game more these days, lucky those who can alternate between work relationship and gaming without problems.