I used to think that when it came to time spent with friends and family that quality trumped quantity, but since having kids and losing more discretionary time I’m changed my mind.

Quality moments are hidden in time spent together. Little, daily routines like taking the kids to school or a trip to the supermarket sometimes create fresh memories. Maybe it’s a fire engine rushing past on the way to school drop off, or sharing a joke in the check out queue with my mom. The same principle applies to friends. Don’t wait for the right moment to hang out like a special dinner or a birthday celebration. Pick up the phone and pop in for a catch-up. ‘Popping in’ is underrated in the US, partly because people have walled themselves off in suburbia. Break out of the trance and start spending time with each other again.

Over time many small moments will be like the mortar between the bricks of a well-built house.