Spending time with family is important, but it can be tough to find the time. If you feel like you’re always working and never have time for your loved ones, don’t worry -you’re not alone. In fact, many people struggle to balance their work and family life. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to engineer more family time.

Insist on Having Dinner Together

Sharing a meal is a great way to catch up with loved ones and bond. If you’re always on the go, though, it can be tough to make time for bonding with your family in a functional dining room over a delicious meal.

One way to make sure you have family time is to simply insist on having dinner together. Let your boss know that you need to leave work at a certain time so you can be home for dinner.

Then, schedule your appointments and meetings for earlier in the day, so you can leave work on time and have time for family at night.

Next, make sure the rest of the family knows in advance what time dinner is so they can also plan their schedules accordingly.

Lastly, here’s how to plan the meals:

• Try to have at least one night where the family cooks together
• Order in or pick up dinner on nights when cooking would be too time-consuming
• Take advantage of leftovers by eating them for dinner another night
• Remember everyone’s allergies

Organize Family Game Nights

There’s a reason game nights have always been popular- they’re an excellent bonding activity.

Start by picking a day (or two) when everyone’s free, and mark those dates on the calendar.

Then, focus on picking games that will work well for your family. If you have younger kids, look for games that are appropriate for their age group. For older kids and adults, there are tons of challenging games out there.

Here are some games to try:

• Scrabble
• Cards Against Humanity
• Exploding Kittens
• Jenga

Take Family Vacations

Finally, don’t forget that spending time with the people you love doesn’t always have to happen in your own home. In fact, getting away from your everyday surroundings can be a great way to bond with your family better.

One of the best ways to do this is by taking a family vacation. Whether you’re taking a road trip or flying to a new destination, get everyone involved in the planning process and see how much bonding can be achieved.

When it comes to picking a destination, try to choose a place that everyone will enjoy. If you have young kids, look for family-friendly resorts or attractions. If you’re traveling with teenagers or adults, consider going somewhere that has adventurous activities everyone will enjoy.

Whether you’re struggling with balancing work and family commitments or simply looking for ways to spend more quality time with your loved ones, these tips will help you engineer more family time into your busy schedule. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!