How much do you really sleep and work in a week? If you work 40 hours a week and sleep 56, that leaves 72 more hours. Most knowledge workers actually do more like 10-15 hours/wk of real focused "deep work" and a lot of people sleep less than that also...

I find plenty of time to do my hobbies despite being a single dad, and having a high stress academic PI job. I have every weekend and evening free, and I use them. I also involve my kid in my hobbies- we do them together, so it's also parenting time.

I think most people aren't short on time, but short on energy because of poor physical and mental health- things that can be solved/addressed. For me, the hobbies themselves are a key part of staying healthy enough to have a lot of energy. But also not the only thing- I had serious medical problems that caused fatigue, which I needed to treat to have the energy I now have.

I also usually find a way to do hobbies cheaply, or even make money at them. For example, with cars and boats I get cheap ones that need work, fix them myself, and usually sell for enough more to keep the hobby self sustaining.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to just do it, even if it seems too expensive/inaccessible/etc. Take a leap/risk and find a way to overcome the barriers, don't come up with excuses to stop before you even start.

And many hobbies require space. I'd love to do some woodworking but I don't have any space for that. I live in small flat. Of course nothing money couldn't solve, but buying huge house with workshop is another level of expenses and requires lifestyle changes as well.

Think smaller, try whittling a spoon. All you need is a sharp knife, you could buy a kit that come with a knife and a spoon gouge(it makes life easier). Pick up a stick and carve something. Or buy blanks, the BORG(big orange retail giant) will have carving material.

The obscene idea is that whatever hobby you pick up you must master, be great at it. Fail a lot at your hobby and learn from the mistakes. Perfection in your hobbies comes from the time you spent failing. This is the time you should long after a hectic day, week or month, a time to fail.

Once in a while you will create something you love, it probably won't even be good. It doesn't matter. Your not making a dollar on your hobby(do not try to), your carving your mind and body into a better person.

After work, after kids, after exercise, I've spent many nights just carving wood into what ever I feel like. Spoons, forks, etc. Many of them suck, many have been used to keep me warm on a cool night, none have expected anything from me, its always there when I have time and the will.

I've also suggest some cut gloves as well, you need your digits for the next time you decide to pick up your hobby.

There are makerspaces and the like- I'm a member of a low cost DIY-centric yacht club where people maintain and build their own boats, and we have a full woodworking shop that is shared/free. We have programs to make membership free for young people and those that can't afford it. You can also make friends with people that have the equipment for just about any hobby, and do it with them for free.

I used to buy/sell/repair cars as an undergrad in college both for fun and spare money, and did it on the side of public roads, and outside in a low budget apartment parking lot.

For many equipment-intensive hobbies, you can also take classes, e.g. at a local community college or community center, which are taught in places with all of the equipment provided.

The average person is on their phone for over 4 hours a day. You can have a very meaningful hobby with less than a quarter of that.

engaging with hobbies with your kids, which can also teach them useful skills, is one way

when I was a kid, when my dad was repairing the house or car I was always "holding the flashlight" or he would actually teach me to use power tools and do the repairs myself while guiding me along.

I agree with this to at extent, but will give a brief anecdote. My dad was/is a hobbyist woodworker and that's part of what he did on weekends. Typically late spring-early fall. However, 90%+ of his projects revolved around home improvement. Large decks and patios, chairs/benches for the kitchen table, playground sets, awning for the RV, redoing floors in the house, etc.

The larger projects would often span two summers. He also did not contribute to his projects on Sundays because he is religious.