Poker has been just fun for a few years now. I spend max 1-2 hours on it, except when a match lasts longer.
When it was a career, it was 8 hours of play and 1-2 hours of study and analysis.
I spend more time than I should , because usually I hit early my daily target at cash games.
If i make more $$ than I should in a particular day , I use those funds to play tournamets (hyper-turbo cause I don't have patience for regular) , and I also like Bounty tournaments , because I can recover some of the buy-in in case I don't make it in to the money.
I'm taking Poker as a hobby. Although I only spent a few hours a week, it teaches a lot of emotional discipline and keeps me positive even on hard days in my life. Honestly i feel like, i have to learn a professionals way to handle all that, cause Poker requires responsible bankroll management and self-control. But yeah, approached correctly, it offers a rewarding blend of entertainment and lessons for my life.
I don't know that it matters how much time you spend on poker but rather how exactly you use that time. If you spend a lot of time at low stakes or play freerolls you'll see the poker played there is far inferior to professional poker. I'm not sure you can learn that much from those stakes. The poker I notice being played at 1/2 c or freerolls and what I see the professionals play at a 10k high roller- well, let's just say I prefer to watch those guys play. It feels more like GTO poker.
Playing part-time, averaging 3 to 4 hours a day, I can't support myself exclusively with poker, but I intend to. I'm focused on my studies and have plans for next year.
Right now, I only have a few hours a week for poker , mostly freerolls or small micro-stakes games.
It’s just a way to stay sharp and enjoy the game without pressure until I can dedicate more time again later.