How do you fit gaming into a busy, unpredictable schedule?

gaming not being the most important thing in your life ISNT a bad thing tbh.

Maybe that means that you don't like games like you used to? If you have some free time and you spend it on other things, that means that games aren't something you crave for. Don't force them as your priority, instead of it just ask yourself - do you really want to play some games, or is it only nostalgia for older times? You know, something like having nice memories of playing with toy cars but that doesn't mean you wan't to play with them again - in most cases it actually means that you miss times when you were younger and everything was easier.

If you really want to play games, just buy Vita, 3DS or some laptop and play on your way to work, or during breaks in work.

Tap into your inner child! You need dem gaems D:

But seriously, sometimes it's about game selection, really. Example: while I do not have time for Civ V anymore,I do have time for a game of FTL.

Nowadays I play mostly light indie games, that don't consume so much time. But I really miss my 7-8 hour gaming sessions on games like Dragon age.

wait for vacations.
also, less sleep :3

Best thing about games is that they will always be there waiting for you.

Start your own business, make your own hours....problem solved.

I play shorter games.

Overtime does that to you. My previous job had only 8 hour shifts by default and I had some moderate time to play even my consoles. Now I work 12 hours for 5 days in night shift, or 8-10 for 6 days in a dayshift by choice, so it ain't pretty. I almost missed the Mogwai 20th anniversary gig because of this job, that's how bad it is. The freaking 20th anniversary gig, goddammit.

I'd suggest you try and work for only 8 hours and 5 days, and if needed, search for a new job to do so. That's what I'll be doing anyway, when my holidays are spent already,. but that's 2 months from now.

stop working, earn less, play more!

I don't. I just buy games to try to fill the emptiness of my soul.

Just kidding! Kind of...

As we get older, it gets harder for us to enjoy our hobbies. That is normal. And when I have some time to spare, I'm too tired or lazy to go and play games, watch something, read or anything else I like. It is a paradox.

But I still hope that one day I'll get up and play all those games on my PC, my Wii U, my PS3, my Xbox 360, my 3DS, my Vita, my DS... =/

just play when you can, don't over do it, enjoy those moments and think about people who can't even play a game at all =)
and don't forget to rest too :D

• Pick games that can be played in short bursts.
• Say no to overtime every once in a while and let some-one else fill the gap. (Too much overtime also results in a burnout often enough, which is something you really want to avoid anyway)

Are you full time or part-time?
I was able to dedicate (and limit myself to) about an hour after work each day when I was part time... when they moved me to full time though, yeah... gaming sessions in any amount of time were rare.

[edit] Just saw your overtime comment -- afraid gaming is just weekends and holidays for you now! :) :( [/edit]

Roguelikes. 30 minutes - 1 hour gaming.

i mostly play turnbased games. so i can just play for an hour or so everytime... it's not the same as playing 4-5hours like i used to but life got in theway. and life is better ;)

I've got a completely zany schedule - day job, plus theater, plus a busy schedule out in real life as a photographer and culture-type - and I really miss gaming the way I used to do it. Long nights searching or perfecting or battling through to victory. My life just doesn't support it.

Casual games are diverting, but they aren't the same; I've picked up a hidden-object habit because they are short games with (if you choose them right) high production values and fun little adventures. Some roguelikes or scenario games - FTL was a great entertainment for a while, and Defense Grid is a great one. I really miss the great sprawling exciting RPGs, but my life just doesn't support them now. I buy them, and I think about them, I just don't play them.

I'd just start by giving yourself whatever time you can now and then. I know it can be difficult, as I'm also a workaholic. But if you can manage to do whatever you need to to make time for yourself, turning down overtime, not expecting so much output of yourself, etc. then the worst that happens is you get some time to experiment with what kind of balance you should have.
Work is great and obviously good to have as a priority, but I've also gone down the route where it becomes all you do and that can be very bad for you, mentally. It's important to strike a balance and make sure life doesn't pass you by and you actually have some downtime and enjoyment :) I'd suggest trying to take it easy, tone down the overtime, and take a break. If you find you hate the time away from work, you can always go back :) Just remember - you're not gonna have time for everything, it just isn't possible. So to have a balanced life you gotta work out what to sacrifice and just go from there :)

You dont, thats the problem.

Like Outlasted sais, get up early.
Once I was gaming the whole night and in the morning hours I played with/against a very good player. He was too fit in the game for that early hour. Then he told me he gets up an hour early in order to play games, since his work/family take most of his daytime.

Well I'd say do whatever makes you happy, don't let your job take over your life, even if you enjoy it (which you might not) there are things that make you who you are and you can't let go of them.

Oh and don't settle for crappy tiny mobile games or whatever, you can't tell a F1 driver to play with bumper cars instead.

I am kind of in a similar situation myself... I work a fairly hectic schedule as a Systems Admin (IT) for a medical facility which puts me working on call a lot, and I recently married into step children which require a lot of time. I used to be a hardcore gamer, putting in 4-8 hours every day and raiding heavily in MMOs. I have had to force myself to step back and play much lighter games that don't require the time investment like FTL, Terraria, etc. I do still play some DOTA and other larger scale games (RPGs, anything too adult-ish) for an hour or two after the kids go to bed, but any other time I never play anything that I cant step out of immediately if needed.