10 Incredible Benefits Of Spending Time With Family

In the busyness of life, you should not lose out on the benefits of spending time with your family. It is important to carve out quality time as it can help you live a long, healthy life. Spending time with loved ones helps in reducing stress, boosts productivity, and improves your mental and physical health. It is not easy to maintain a work-life balance, so you need to come up with simple ways to strengthen the relationship with your family without compromising on your career goals! Scroll down to learn more.

Benefits Of Spending Time With Family

• Strengthens Family Bonds

Strengthening relationships in the family is the most significant benefit of spending quality time with your loved ones. You need not plan out something elaborate to spend time with your near and dear ones. Family bonding can be something as simple as playing indoor games or cooking dinner together. You can even incorporate a fun element into your family time activity so that everyone finds it interesting. The rest will work out on its own.

Quick Tip

Simply being present as a family in a room without conflict and doing what interests you as individuals can be beneficial and increase the comfort all the members share with each other. This act sends the message that your individualities are accepted and acknowledged, which deepens the emotional support between family members.

• Reduces Stress

The time spent in the company of your family, away from the hassles of job deadlines and work commitments, can help refresh your mind and body. Quality time with family can make you feel energized and ready to take on the world once more. It is an effective way to reduce stress and improve your mental health.

• Encourages Communication

People often find no time to communicate with their family members due to a hectic schedule. But spending time with your loved ones is a chance to overcome this issue. You can talk freely and listen to what others have to say. It helps create a space for easy and open communication between the members of your family.

• Fulfills Emotional Needs

Often our emotional needs remain neglected while being caught up in the daily activities. By spending time with your parents, spouse, or kids, you can fulfill your and your family members’ emotional needs. It can leave you in a constructive frame of mind, which is a priceless achievement.

• Creates Positive Vibes

If a family seldom gets time to spend together, the home environment can get charged up. With every member dealing with their pressures, there seems to be no outlet. Making time for family can help ease up such stress and monotony. When you spend time with your family, and everyone is happy and joyful, it creates positive vibes in your home.

• Improves Relationship Dynamics

It is a known fact that children imitate the behavior of their parents. If they find their parents are always stressed out and have no time for them, they can internalize such things. This might hinder their healthy mental growth and development.

Thus, by having a good time with your family, you can set an example of happy family life and improve relationship dynamics. It will make the kids understand that even if there are stressful situations in life, one can always depend on the family to deal with them.

• Keeps Behavioral Issues In Check

More often than not, kids experience behavioral issues as they step into their teens. This can impact their well-being and prevent them from growing up into happy and confident individuals. By spending more family time, you can help your adolescent kids to open up about the issues they are facing. If you adopt a non-judgmental attitude towards their problems, they will take your advice and implement it into their lives. If they know there is someone at home to help them out of tricky situations or peer pressure, they are less likely to have behavioral issues.

• Improves Mental Health

With more time on social media platforms, people have been able to increase their virtual friends and acquaintances. But the downside is that they are losing touch with those near them, particularly family and friends. When you enjoy your time with your family, you are in a better position to share your anxieties and seek guidance or opinion. Being surrounded by your loved ones can help improve your mental state and boost your energy to overcome any challenges.

• Improves Academic Performance Of Children

Kids who come from happy families are often able to concentrate better and do well academically. Also, when parents spend time with family, they can help children with their academic activities and learning. One of the benefits of a family spending time together is that the kids can pick up communication and problem-solving skills, enhancing social skills and building confidence. These can play a significant role in shaping their personality and help them excel in academics.

• Creates Lifelong Memories

You get to create lifelong memories by spending a good time with your family. Your kids will grow up in time. You and your spouse will age. But the happy moments spent as a family will always remain etched in the memories of each one of you. Just the thought of happy moments – all of you laughing, talking, and doing things together will bring a smile to your face.

Family time is the best time. Even if you are caught up with your professional commitments, spare some time for your family in creating memories. Here are the 10 simple yet effective ways to spend quality time with your family.

How To Spend Time With Your Family

1. Enjoy At Least One Meal Together

Sitting together for at least one meal a day can be a great way to bond with your family. You can opt for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, depending on the schedules of your family members. Eating a meal together enables a family to have lively conversations and exchange thoughts, ideas, and views on various topics.

2. Keep Your Phones Switched Off

It is a healthy practice to switch off your mobile phones while spending time with your family. There will be no distraction from work calls or emails when you are engrossed in a family activity or conversation. This will keep your focus on your family and improve the quality of time you all spend together.

3.Opt For Daily Reading Sessions

Reading together as a family has many benefits. You can enjoy this as a family activity and spend some quality time with your loved ones. You can also incorporate the habit of reading in your children. If your children are too small to read by themselves, you and your spouse can take turns to read out to them. For adolescent kids, you all can read together and exchange ideas.

Quick Tip

You can also have shared music sessions where each member gets a turn to play their favorite songs for the family. This can create a mood of relaxation and also offer a chance to learn about the tastes and preferences of the other family members.

4. Go For Post-Dinner Walks

After-dinner walks are a good way to maintain your health and improve your digestion. Well, it is also an easy way to enjoy family time. Every night after dinner, take a walk with your family members. Strolling at night can be an exciting experience for the kids and help you indulge in talking and discussion.

5. Enjoy A Day Out Every Month

Make it a point to go on a long drive or picnic every month. Spending the whole day out with your family can be a lot of fun. Select the picnic destination or drive route in advance and decide how you want to spend the day. You can involve your kids in the planning to create excitement about the whole affair and increase their enthusiasm.

Matt Lo, a blogger, talked about his personal experience of having a cozy picnic day with his family in his blog post. He shares, “Sometimes, it’s the little things that make life great. Like taking a break from work to enjoy nature or hanging out with family. Last weekend, my family and I had a fun day out, having a picnic at the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan (i).”

6. Share Family Stories

What can be a better way to bond with your family than sharing family stories? All your family members can share stories about special family moments or funny stories from their childhood.  Not only will your children enjoy such sessions, but they will also be able to know better about each member.

7. Create Photo Collections

As a family activity to spend time together, you can show your old photo albums to your kids. You can also create new albums to store photos of the special moments you spend with your kids. This way, the kids will also be interested in adding up to the photo collection, and in no time, you will have new albums with splendid memories.

8. Dance Together

One stress-busting activity that can enrich your family time is dancing away to the tunes of the latest chartbusters. It will help every family member to let go of any tensions and enjoy some amazing moments together. You can also make it a part of your weekly family time activity.

9. Try Baking And Bonding In The Kitchen

Who does not like those baked treats, especially if they are fresh and homemade? You can work out a baking session to spend quality family time. Plan what you want to bake and get your kids involved in the process. You can ask the kids to help you with small tasks – they will enjoy the whole process of cooking and learn some life skills. Before you know, your kitchen will be full of the aroma of freshly baked goodies, the laughter of your kids, and the warmth of baking as a family.

10. Take Up A New Hobby Together

Spending family time together can become more enjoyable when you take up a new hobby together. It can be painting, gardening, arts and crafts, or photography. You can even take turns to accomplish tasks in your hobby. For instance, if you have taken up gardening as a hobby, your spouse can prepare the soil and pots while your kids can water the plants and make sure they get enough sunlight.

The base of a happy family depends on the partnership of the couple. Therefore, it is important to spend quality family time with your spouse. Here’s what makes family time important for couples.

Importance Of Family Time For Couples

Strengthens Your Bond

Having your partner around for some time daily, undistracted by professional issues, can work wonders for your relationship. It can help develop a sense of security and strengthen your marital bond. You will be able to count on each other for support. Seeing you as a happy couple will also make your kids feel happy and secured.

• Helps Grow With Each Other

No one is absolutely perfect in a marriage. There are bound to be moments when you both may not agree on something. But by spending quality time together, you will be able to understand why each one of you is thinking differently. Even if you fail to arrive at a common ground, you will be able to disagree agreeably.

• Revives Your Energy And Mood

Maintaining the pressures of work and home is never easy. When you feel tired and exhausted, look forward to reviving your energy and mood during the family hour. It will help you draw strength and pass your day without feeling miserable.

Family time is equally important for the children. Let us look at how family time can be helpful for children.

Importance Of Family Time For Children

Develops A Sense Of Security

Kids are more sensitive than grown-ups. When you spend time as a family, it gives them a sense of security and helps in promoting well-being. They love the comfortable atmosphere created by the immediate family members. This helps kids open up about their issues faced at schools, such as bullying or peer pressure.

• Keeps Negative Influence In Check

As kids grow up, they become exposed to good and bad influences. With a solid base at home, they will be able to distinguish the good from the bad. Even if you notice changes in their behavior, talk with them regarding any issue they may be facing.

• Helps Build Confidence

When children have a happy environment at home, they often grow up to be confident individuals. Improving communication skills at home helps them create friends outside. Such children are also likely to have a positive view of life.

How Much Time Should You Spend With Your Family?

The duration is not as important as the quality of time with your family. You may spend just 30 minutes of family time daily. But if you can connect with your family and everybody is happy at the end of these 30 minutes, it is enough.

What matters is everyone should be able to participate in the activities without compromising on their daily routine. You can also increase your family time over the weekends for a couple of hours each day.

Busy life and hectic schedules are among the main reasons behind parents not getting enough time to spend with their children. But such a situation can lead to many adverse effects.

What Would Happen If You Are Not Spending Time With Your Child?

Emotional Turmoil

As children grow up, their psychological and emotional needs start to grow. If parents do not find time to meet these needs, the children may suffer from emotional turmoil and feel isolated.

• Enhanced Dependence On Technology

Children are attracted to the online world and the latest gadgets. When they do not get enough time and attention from their parents, they may spend their time in the virtual platform and become detached from the original world.

• Poor Academic Performance

If children face any emotional distress at home, it is bound to impact their academic performance. Also, when parents are unable to guide them in their studies, it can become difficult for them to cope with their lessons at school.

Are you spending enough time with your family? Although most of us would love to answer in the affirmative, the truth may not be so. Check out the following signs that indicate you may not be spending enough family time.

What Are The Warning Signs I Am Not Spending Enough Time With Family?

• You are so involved in your professional life that your kids and spouse are almost always asleep when you reach home. You may have subconsciously detached yourself from the daily activities of your kids. You are not aware of your children’s favorite things, be it their games, food, toys, or cartoons. On top of that, you have no clue who their friends are.
• You forgot when was the last time you went on a family holiday and had fun together.
• It is not you but your parents or another family member who knows your kid better than you.
• Your child seems to be more comfortable in the company of their caregiver or nanny than you.

There is nothing more precious than time. While it is vital to build a career and provide a comfortable life to your family, make sure that you do not do so at the cost of their happiness. Your family will be happy to have you around, even if it is for a little while. So, take out some time for your family and cherish the big and small joys of life in their company.

Infographic: 4 Amazing Ways To Spend Quality Time With Your Family

Despite your busy schedule, spending time with your family has a ton of benefits. It not only strengthens your bonds but also is a great stress reliever. This is why we have listed down the 4 best ways for you to bring together your family members belonging to different age groups and enjoy your time together. Check out the infographic below for more details.

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Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can a family lead a happy life?

A family can lead a happy life through open communication, playing activities together, showing appreciation and commitment, and balancing work-home life efficiently.

Why do families influence you the most?

Families influence a positive development and growth in you. Your family influences your decisions on any religion, value, emotional learning, and important life choices such as education.

What brings a family together?

A strong connection and good communication among members can bring a family closer together.

Is family necessary for happiness?

Yes, a family or familial group of friends is necessary to have. A supportive family can help you get rid of unnecessary stress and anxiety. You have people to share your accomplishments and celebrate with. However, if you have a negative family, they can tear you down and it is better to find a trustworthy family in your friends instead.

Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

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Learn the significance of cherishing moments with your loved ones from this enlightening video that highlights the importance of allocating time for family. Watch it now!

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Dr. Chloe CarmichaelLicensed Clinical Psychologist

     

Dr. Chloe Carmichael is a licensed clinical psychologist with 10 years of experience. She specializes in stress management, relationship issues, self-esteem, and coaching. She earned her BA in Psychology from Columbia University and has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University. She has also served as adjunct faculty at the City University of New York and instructed undergraduate...more

Sneha TeteBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

Sneha has a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad, a professional Relationship Coach diploma, and over four years of experience in writing. She writes about relationships and lifestyle. Sneha began her career as an instructional designer, shifted to freelance technical and research writing, and self-published a novella on the theme of adolescent mental health. She also...more

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