Creating Quality Time

Life goes by fast and busy-ness can get the best of us. Our work, career, errands, and chores are all important but not at the expense of our relationships.

When you’re juggling a multitude of responsibilities, making time for what matters most can be a challenge. Here are a few simple tips on creating quality time despite a busy schedule to keep the bonds of family and friends strong.

Family Time

• Turn off the TV. The average American spends four hours and 32 minutes a day watching TV.* That adds up to 31½ hours per week! Think of all the quality family memories you could create by just taking half that time to do something more meaningful together. Playing board games, crafting, taking a walk, dancing in the living room, or a host of other togetherness activities can set the stage for some truly rewarding quality time. (Similarly, computer screens rob families of quality time together, so turn off computers and other gadgets.)

• Pitch in together. The chores must be done but there’s no rule that says they have to be done solo. Team up to halve the effort and multiply the fun factor. Kids love to feel needed and value your appreciation so let them help tackle the to-do list. Make a game out of household tasks then celebrate those well-done jobs together!

• Hang out before turning in. Bedtime is the perfect time for bonding with children and connecting with partners. When you follow a nightly ritual, quality time becomes a built-in, automatic part of the day. Snuggle up to read bedtime stories to the kids and talk about their day when tucking them in. Similarly, allow time to unwind with your partner to talk about the events of the day and expectations for the next.

Friendship Time

• Schedule a regular get-together. Spending quality time with your female friends is important to your wellbeing and theirs. Pick a reoccurring date—the first Tuesday of every month, for example—and choose a place to meet. Then highlight the 12 dates in pocket calendars and give them to your girlfriends. For those friends scattered far and wide, schedule a regular phone date or meet up once a year for a girls’ getaway.

• Give the gift of time. Holidays and birthdays don’t require gifts you have to purchase. Instead, block out some time and spend it together as a gift. Spend an afternoon doing whatever your friend likes to do. That face-to-face and heart-to-heart quality time will be a present you’ll both cherish.

• Go combo. If the only time you can see your best friend is to share an activity, why not multitask? Combine your visits with an activity you both need or like, and you’ll be sure to get in some quality time on a regular basis. Take a class together, meet for weekly fitness workouts, or volunteer for a cause alongside one another.

No Time Like the Present

The time we have is limited and cannot be replaced or recycled. Create some quality time with family and friends today.
*Nielsen Media Research.