Good morning and Happy Monday! To those who celebrate, we wish you an easy fast, and beautiful evening spent with loved ones. With the holiday in the air and the cozy nights on the horizon, we thought today would be a perfect time to remind everyone of the importance of quality time – non-distracted, unplugged, truly meaningful memories created around the people most important to us. So, how can you schedule some quality time today or this week? Keep reading to find out!

Creating Quality Time

Unplug and Tune In: You may be sick of hearing us say this by now, but we truly believe that in order to be fully engaged with family and friends, it’s time to shut down the phone. By directing half of your attention (or more!) toward a screen, you’ll miss out on key moments that happen in real life and in person. Remember, it’s also super important to create boundaries at work so that you aren’t viewed as someone who is accessible at all hours of the day, but instead, someone who ‘works to live’, and when you’re offline, you’re truly offline. If you get antsy at the thought of being unable to access your work apps this week, then try setting yourself up for success by instead implementing goals around increments of time dedicated to checking. For example, can you allot 15 minutes each night to a quick email scan instead of having your phone by your side or in your pocket for the entire night? Minimizing temptation and distraction is a key component of unplugging!
Planning Ahead and Activities: We all know the all-too-familiar feeling of attending events with friends or family when there isn’t much to do besides sit around and talk. In these moments, it’s also easy for us to fall into the comfort of our screens, pulling out our phones and becoming removed from the conversations out of habit. So, if you’re hosting family time, a holiday party, or otherwise gathering a group of friends, be mindful of creating activities and guiding the vibe of the event! Is there a new trivia game you can try? Do you have a tradition of carving pumpkins, decorating table settings, or otherwise crafting together? Is there a nearby apple orchard, zoo, or even a schoolyard/field in which you could arrange a sporting event? Getting together through a shared activity is not only a great way to bond but also a great way to ‘force’ unplugging from screens by focusing on the activity at hand.
Include Everyone in Prep: On the same note as the above, we encourage you to bring friends and family members into your ‘preparation process’ wherever possible. Take Thanksgiving for example, you may be so swept up in cooking that you forget about the rest of the household – did everyone sneak back into their bedrooms to ‘doom scroll’ as a result? Is everyone separated by their own activities and scattered around your home? Rally everyone together by inviting children, spouses, siblings, friends, partners, and anyone else into the kitchen with you! Can you offload the potato mashing to someone else? Is there an opportunity to assign ‘ingredient’ collecting to someone else while you assemble your dish? Thinking of small tasks that require partnership is another great way to begin sharing traditions with younger family members and ensuring they know that they’re valued, included participants.

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