How do you make your game more fun/engaging?

I give my sims likes, dislikes and preferences but I haven't noticed that they influence gameplay that much. I give traits and lot traits that sometimes help them, sometimes are a bit of hindrance. The sim working to be a chef won't necessarily have the foodie trait and the music lover doesn't have to play instruments. I like to develop my sim's story going from their environment, where they are located and asking myself how would they live and what job would they have. I like to keep things pretty realistic so there are no cow farms in penthouses in my game, nor every skill object present on the lot. They don't fish if there isn't a body of water near their lot, and canal fish is only for mounting. Sims living in apartments don't garden on their balconies. Sims living in Sulani don't grow holly and those in Glimmerbrook don't grow coconuts. I give them hobbies that fit with their lifestyle and interests, and often they earn money with their hobbies. They buy things they don't have, like a Halloween pumpkin, or fresh fish, or a new bathing suit, or use the library or an internet cafe if they don't have a computer. I fulfil whims, but not always, and sometimes a character's story gets influenced by something that happens in the game, like a sim who got yoga as a hobby because the game drafted him to be a yoga instructor at the spa. Holidays are always interesting as not all sims will be able to fulfill them all on their own lot so you need to plan and travel somewhere.