Families´ strategies for mastering time pressure

Other conference contribution, 2005

The extra load of raising children was earlier often handled by mothers working part time. Today a considerable part of mothers work full-time. The share of families where both parents work full-time has increased from 33% to 49% during the last ten years in Sweden. Fathers are today also expected to take active part in their childrens daily lives and do more of the household work. The result of these and many other factors are that two out of three Swedish parents experience time pressure in their everyday life situation. The overall purpose for this research project is to increase the knowledge about strategies for mastering families time pressure. A quantitative study will illustrate how time use patterns are related to time pressure for parents. In the main qualitative study I will investigate what strategies parents use, or consider, in order to master time pressure. I will scrutinize both practical and cognitive strategies and use focus group discussions as well as interviews. I will also analyse relevant structural conditions, e.g. regarding gender and working life conditions. My short paper will be a brief description of previous research and of the studies I am planning to do. I hope to get comments to my approach and literature recommendations.