Time management strategy, job satisfaction, research productivity, and life satisfaction of university faculty

Abstract

<p>The major purposes of this study were to examine the factors affecting time management strategies used by faculty and to investigate the relationships between use of time management strategies and job satisfaction, research productivity, and life satisfaction. A stratified random sample of 275 faculty at Iowa State University were mailed questionnaires assessing time management behaviors, life and job satisfaction, demographic and family information, and work performance. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, factor analyses, Pearson product moment correlation analyses, canonical correlation analyses, and stepwise multiple regression analyses;Results of the study indicated that the time management strategies used by faculty members at work were being on time, prioritizing/scheduling, goal setting, and implementing. At home faculty members tended to more often use such time management strategies as implementing, compromising, and planning family activities. The results of the time conflict among work roles, an academic appointment that includes time for research, and the age of the faculty member were significant predictors of time management strategies used at work. The uses of time management strategies at home were affected by the sex of the faculty member and perceived time conflicts among family roles and between work and family roles;The use of implementing as a strategy at work and getting support from colleagues and/or employer were significant predictors of faculty job satisfaction. Significant predictors of the composite life satisfaction variable were use of the planning family activities, goal setting, and changing standards strategies at home. The results of Pearson product moment correlation analyses indicated that several time management strategies including prioritizing/scheduling job tasks, goal setting, and reducing responsibility were related to the some of the research productivity variables.</p>