Between work, school, and even parental responsibilities, it can be difficult to find time to get together with friends and family. Quality time can look different to everyone, but we can all agree that regardless of the time spent or activity done, simply bonding with those closest to you is all that matters.

Our team knows a thing or two about the importance of creating memories and storing them. That’s why we set out to find which activities Americans consider quality time, the people they wish they connected with more often, which reasons prevent them from making plans, and more. Read on to see our findings.

Key Takeaways

When it comes to Americans in relationships, 86% wish they spent more quality time with their partner.
According to 1 in 3 Americans, sharing social media posts while in the same room qualifies as quality time.
When it comes to napping, 1 in 4 Americans say napping together qualifies as quality time.
For 1 in 3 Americans, being in the same room while you and/or your partner work from home is quality time.
Among Americans in a relationship, 54% say the only time they have to spend quality time with their partner is when they are texting each other.
Nearly 3 in 4 Americans say they think their generation spends less quality time together than previous generations.

Americans’ Favorite Quality Time Activities

Everybody has their favorite way to pass the time, but whether that activity qualifies as quality time is up for debate. For most Americans, it comes down to the actual time you spend. A majority say 35 minutes is about the minimum amount of time they need to spend together for something to count as quality time. Most Americans (4 in 5) also think quality time is best spent one-on-one.

Most people have memories of a special family dinner at a restaurant, watching cartoons or movies with a friend growing up, or enjoying a stroll in the park with a loved one, and our results agree. According to our survey, the top three quality time activities Americans enjoy are going out to eat, watching TV/movies, and going for a walk.

But the experiences named in our survey aren’t all that you might expect. Many respondents find meaningful moments in the minutiae of everyday life. For example, 1 in 5 Americans consider cleaning quality time when it’s done together, and 2 in 5 say the same for running errands.

When you’re taking care of your family or leading a demanding career — or both — having quality time together can mean finding pockets of peace in a hectic and busy life. Our survey respondents say things like getting ready together in the morning (50%), being in the same room as a partner while working from home (30%), and even napping (25%) can all count as quality time, as long as you’re spending it with someone you care about.

Technology also influences how we spend time together. While devices like smartphones can sometimes make us feel less engaged with others (especially if they’re glued to a screen), they also make it easier than ever to connect with our loved ones and preserve memories. For example, 2 in 5 Americans count texting throughout the day as quality time — a way to spend time together even when you’re physically apart.

How we spend quality time can vary, depending on factors like generation and personal preferences. Gen Zers (30%) enjoy sharing social media posts while in the same room as someone (30%). A large majority (70%) of respondents like to play board or card games with a loved one (70%) and quite a few enjoy watching their partner play a video game (40%).

Ultimately, it’s not really about what you do with the time, but who you spend it with.

Who Do Americans Wish They Spent More Quality Time With?

What sets quality time apart is who we spend it with. That’s why most Americans count such a broad range of activities as quality time, including some that aren’t necessarily fun. When you love or care about someone, you can have a great time doing almost anything with them.

It’s clear Americans value their quality time with loved ones, with 93% saying it’s essential to the happiness of any relationship. But, sometimes, our lives can get in the way of what’s most important to us. Of our respondents, 6 in 10 say they don’t spend enough quality time with the people closest to them. Whether that’s just their perception, or a true limitation they’re dealing with in their lives, it seems like many of us spend less time together than we want to.

On top of that, nearly 9 in 10 Americans in a relationship say they wish they spent more quality time with their partner, and 7 in 10 parents say they wish they spent more quality time with their kids.

It isn’t always easy to find the time — but it’s important to keep in mind just how precious these moments are. Especially among our older survey respondents, 3 in 4 Americans say they wish they would have spent more quality time with someone in their life before they passed.

Remember, almost anything can be a meaningful experience when you’re with someone you love. Taking a moment out of your day to be with a loved one — to eat a meal together, have a conversation, or even do something as small as sharing a joke — can create a fond memory to last a lifetime, something you can hold in your heart long after they’re gone.

Inhibitors of Americans’ Quality Time

Two of the biggest factors cutting into our quality time are work and a lack of energy. Of course, they go hand in hand — work keeps us busy, limiting the time we have to spend, and who isn’t exhausted by the end of a long workday? It’s likely part of why 7 in 10 Americans say we’re sometimes too tired to be with the people we love, even when we want to.

Other examples of life getting in the way include financial hardship (40%) and health problems, especially with mental health (40%).

It can be really difficult to work up the energy to see someone when you’re exhausted, sick, or struggling. But keep in mind that we all have our problems, every one of us. Spending time together isn’t about being or seeming perfect — it’s about enjoying what’s most important to us in life. And doing that requires making the most of what you have.

Carving out even as little as 15 minutes to spend with a loved one (or that “minimum” of 35) can make all the difference. While it may seem brief, it’s more than enough time to make a memory.

Cherished Memories Can Live On

Quality time is important with the ones you love, but the memories don’t have to end when you say goodbye. Simply snap a photo and you can look back on the good times whenever you’re too busy to make plans.

At Mixbook, we provide you with the creative freedom to relive your favorite memories your way. Whether you are creating a photo book to commemorate a vacation or picking your most treasured photos to turn into canvas prints or posters, we have you covered!

Methodology

In this study, we surveyed Americans on their perceptions of quality time. We asked a variety of questions from what activities qualify as quality time to which people they wish they spent more quality time with.