In this hectic world, keeping a family close together is getting harder and harder. One obvious answer to family unity is quality time. As with most things, it’s easier said than done. Use these 3 tips to make quality time a reality for your family:

Eat meals as a family often. It’s the perfect time to set aside distractions and just talk about your day and what’s going on in your life. Through conversation we build and make connections. And frequent conversations help keep those connections alive.

Need proof this is worth it? According to a recent study, eating meals together as a family is a strong deterrent to teen smoking, drinking, and substance abuse.

Next, plan screen-free time. Power off your smartphone, shut down your computer, and turn off the television. Electronic devices are a distraction that can too often prove a disappointment when someone close to you needs both your eyes and your ears.

Set aside an hour or more each night where every device in the home is turned off so you can interact with the people right next to you. Disconnect with your electronics to reconnect with your family. You will notice a difference right away.

Schedule a “family night” and stick to it. Mormons call this a “Family Home Evening.” The idea is to gather your family together on predetermined day and time when you know everyone can be available. Sounds simple, right? But with the busy schedules and lives we all lead if you don’t nail down a schedule for this it will be overlooked.

Some ideas of great activities to do together on your family night could be:

• Pray together.
• Sing a song or two.
• Have a family member share their thoughts on a timely topic.
• Play games.

For parents, use Jesus Christ as your example of how to teach and interact with your kids during this quality time. Take for instance the story of the “Widows Mite.” Jesus was observant and praised the Widow while using her example to teach the others around Him. Find the qualities in your children, use them as examples to teach from while giving praise.

Whatever you do, the key is to spend time focusing on each other, not homework or e-mail or social media.

The fruit of togetherness is understanding and understanding creates unity. What is sweeter in life than unity in the home?

Read more great articles like this on the Mormon.org blog.