How to improve family life: 7 tips and useful habits

Living with family is sometimes not easy. There are different factors that explain these disputes that can appear in the family context: the age of their members, the degree of intimacy, spaces, the degree of kinship, internal conflicts, personality types, etc

In this article we will propose various guidelines on how to improve family life, especially within the home. As we will see, these will focus on spending quality time with the family, establishing norms and promoting healthy communication, among other things.

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Family life

As we know, family relationships are not always easy. Although we can be very comfortable with our family, exchange experiences, share good moments... Sometimes in the family context disputes, arguments, conflicts and misunderstandings arise naturally..

Sometimes this is influenced by the fact of living (in the same home) or not with family members. That is to say, it is not the same to have a relationship with a distant cousin (whom we hardly even see), than to live with a brother. The small "touches" of day to day, living together, housework, shared spaces, the personality of each one, etc., can generate certain problematic situations. But how to improve family life?

How to improve family life?

In this article we explain some guidelines on how to improve family life. Each of them, if applicable, must be adapted to each specific case., since "every family is a world".

1. Find moments to talk

A first guideline that we propose is to look for spaces of the day to talk with the other members of the family. The ideal is to propose an hour a day, for example at night, after dinner, where the family gets together and discuss how the day has gone, something that has happened to them, small worries, etc.

The idea is that you can talk informally with your children, with your father, mother, etc., and that there be a small space for each one to express how they feel. Communication is an essential tool for creating well-being in groups, which increases trust and allows the bond between members to be strengthened.

2. share hobbies

Another guideline that we propose on how to improve family life is look for those interests or hobbies that we may have in common with another family member. The ideal is to look for common ground, especially with those family members with whom we we get along worse, or with those with whom we have had more moments of tension lately, a certain degree of distance, etc.

It can be, for example, between a mother and her son. The hobby in question can be done inside or outside the home (for example, going for a walk, going to the movies, doing puzzles…), and it may also be a good option to find a “fixed” day of the week to carry out said activity. Logically, it has to be an activity that both parties really like and that is done for pleasure, not "out of obligation."

3. set standards

Another guideline that tries to respond to how to improve family life consists of set certain rules, especially within the home. This guideline can be useful especially if you have young children or teenagers.

The rules can be agreed upon by the whole family (always taking into account the age of the children and/or level of development). These rules may include, for example: arrival times at home (especially for adolescents), distribution of household tasks, other types of schedules, things that can be done inside the home and things no, etc.

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4. Distribution of household chores

In relation to the previous guideline, we suggest another related one; the distribution of household chores. This can be a good way to give children responsibilities, to gain autonomy, that they are clear about what things they should do and when (especially to avoid disputes and discussions), etc.

How to improve family life through the distribution of tasks? Through the assignment of specific roles and hours of tasks, through prior agreement between family members, etc.

If each member of the family is clear about what tasks they must perform and when, this can facilitate coexistence, because you work as a team and having responsibilities (especially among the little ones) is always beneficial for personal autonomy.

5. Foster healthy communication

It seems obvious, but many times, especially when we have been living with someone for a long time, we can maintain inappropriate communicative interactions. This means: speaking badly to the other person (sometimes without realizing it), not listening to them, not showing interest in what they explain to us, etc.

This may be due to fatigue from day to day, to own discomfort for other reasons (bad mood), etc. If we learn to communicate correctly, to listen and to be attentive to what is explained to us, all this can improve family life, since the atmosphere will be more relaxed and more respectful among family members.

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6. Share lunches/dinners

Another guideline on how to improve family life has to do with time shared at home. It is not necessary to have lunch and dinner every day all together, but it can be a beneficial option agree at least one or two days a week to have lunch or dinner as a family.

In addition, for this shared time to be quality time, a piece of advice is to put mobile phones in a box before starting lunch or dinner (and not to use them while you are at the table).

7. Spend quality time

As we can see, if we want to know how to improve family life, it is necessary to know how to dedicate quality time to the other members of the family. In addition, it should be noted that it is not only important to dedicate time to the family, but that this time must be quality time. This guideline somewhat encompasses the previous ones, and is intended to be a global guideline that guides family dynamics.

In this way, quality time is one where family members listen to each other, look into each other's eyes, pay attention to what others explain, show interest in othersThey are not thinking about other things or doing other activities beyond the fact of sharing that specific moment with the family, etc. These moments include all of the above (hobbies, meals, relaxation…), and ideally they should be maintained over time.

Bibliographic references:

• Lledias, E. (2001). Diagnosis on elements that facilitate and inhibit coexistence in the family, in communes 13, 14, 15 and 21 of the city of Cali. Municipality of Santiago de Cali.
• Rentería, E., Lledias, E., and Luz, A. (2008). Family life: an approximate reading from elements of social psychology. Diversitas: Perspectives in Psychology, 4(2): 427-441.