I'm a rotational player.
To avoid disasters and unwanted drastic changes I have the following settings established:
- full autonomy turned on (so sims take care of needs while I'm busy with other things)
- aging turned off
- neighbourhood stories turned off
- Eco Living NPC voting turned off
- wants and fears turned off
- lifestyles turned off
I don't want to go into a household and suddenly discover they now have 2 babies and 3 toddlers, a new spouse, a new career, hatred towards everyone in the family, half the furniture missing (stolen), granny hiding in her room for fear of death, and the teenager has grown up and moved out (aka nowhere to be found in any worlds).
When I come back to a household, it should be like I never left and can then continue on with MY OWN storyline and direction I want that household to go in.... not some random EA roulette wheel gameplay decision.