Favorite Folks First: 7 Simple Ways to Make More Time for Your Family

Modern life seems to be all about the 24-7. Too many of us remain tethered to the clock, firmly believing that we simply don’t have enough time for the ones we love.

The good news? We can find more quality time with our families simply by increasing our creativity and efficiency.

On that note, here are 7 tried and true ways you can make more time for your family.

Jot down your priorities. Whether it’s on your smartphone, a journal, or an index card, make up a list of 5-7 weekly priorities. Make sure “family time” is way up there near the top of the list and stay focused on it – just in case the craziness of life starts to lead you astray.

Be deliberate in how you plan for family time. The truth is that if something isn’t on your calendar, chances are it won’t happen. Make sure everyone in your house knows that family time is not merely an afterthought – it’s a priority.

Be a good example by occasionally biting the bullet. Remember: you’ll get out of this exactly what you put into it. If you always have some sort of an excuse to not be available, you can pretty much guarantee that the other members of your family will soon follow suit.

Monitor everyone’s screen time and occasionally make the most of it together. You already know this, but an overabundance of screen time can pretty much suck the life out of your home. Shared limited and planned viewing can be a worthwhile family activity. The key here is to gain full control of the screens in your home, rather than letting them control you.

Make family time fun. This sounds like a big old duh, right? But you’d be shocked at how often parents think merely being under the same roof is sufficient. Be aware of the quality of the time you spend together as a family. If your time together is boring, you’ll likely soon find that your favorite folks keep “forgetting” to do it.

Schedule family dinners each week. If it seems as though very few folks still consider dinner a sacred time, you’re right. Whether it’s two or three times a week, I recommend setting dinner time in stone and seeing it all the way through. If motivation is hard to find, think of family mealtime as a variation on the traditional family meeting in which everyone has a voice.

Don’t waste the time that you do have. Ready for some pretty straightforward advice? Make the most of the time you do have. Don’t waste an evening when everyone happens to be home. Take advantage of the time by doing something together. Even a simple board game can encourage quality bonding time.