Quality time is an expression referring to how an individual
proactively interacts with another while they are together, regardless of the duration.
Overview
Sometimes abbreviated QT, it is an informal reference to time spent with close family,
partners or
friend
Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between people. It is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an "acquaintance" or an "association", such as a classmate, neighbor, coworker, or colleague.
In some cultures, the concept of ...
s that is in some way important, special, productive or profitable to one or everyone involved. It is time that is set aside for paying full and undivided attention to the person or matter at hand. It may also refer to time spent performing some favorite activity.
Relationship counselor
Gary Chapman suggests that quality time is one of
five "languages" which are used (more or less, preferentially, by a given individual) to express love and articulate their feelings and emotions.
History
Its use as a noun expression ("quality time") began in the 1970s. One of the earliest records of this phrase in print was in the
Annapolis newspaper ''
The Capital
''The Capital'' (also known as ''Capital Gazette'' as its online nameplate and informally), the Sunday edition is called ''The Sunday Capital'', is a daily newspaper published by Capital Gazette Communications in Annapolis, Maryland, to serve ...
'', January 1973, in the article "How To Be Liberated":
''
The Time Bind'', a 1997 book,
Google Print
/ref> was mentioned in Newsweek's multi-page feature about ''Quality Time''.[ The same issue of ''Newsweek'' had a full page review][ which had as a major point flaws in most people's "ability to separate faulty perception of time use from reality."][
]
See also
* Double burden
A double burden (also called double day, second shift, and double duty) is the workload of people who work to earn money, but who are also responsible for significant amounts of unpaid domestic labor. This phenomenon is also known as the Seco ...
* Gemütlichkeit
* Kids' club
* Work–family balance in the United States
* Work–family conflict
Work–family conflict occurs when an individual experiences incompatible demands between work and family roles, causing participation in both roles to become more difficult. This imbalance creates conflict at the work-life interface.
It is impor ...
* Work–life balance
References
External links
The Idioms
{{DEFAULTSORT:Quality Time
Family
Interpersonal relationships
Personal life
Sociological terminology
1970s neologisms