The influence of time management behaviours on performance and stress

Abstract

The interest in the study of the influence of time management behaviours has been increasing in organisational behaviour, with the purpose of developing employees in an enterprise. Increasingly, individuals are faced with insufficient time for the fulfilment of professional and personal tasks. However, the problem is not the lack of time, but the way individuals manage their time. By prioritising and organising tasks, individuals manage their time, allowing them to improve their time and achieve their professional and personal goals. This research aimed to analyse and to perceive the influence of time management in performance and stress perception of teachers at the Polytechnic Institute of Cávado and Ave (IPCA), Barcelos, Portugal. A questionnaire was applied with a set of instruments to obtain information regarding the variables under study: time management behaviours, performance, and perceived stress. The research was quantitative in nature, using the questionnaire survey for data collection. A total of 114 teachers were surveyed. The results obtained allowed to conclude that there is no significant relationship between the time management behaviours and the performance of IPCA teachers. However, time management behaviours, such as time management tools and the establishment of objectives and priorities, have a significant effect on the perception of stress, allowing a decrease in perceived distress, and time management tools increased the coping strategies used by teachers. Control over time and preference for disorganisation showed a positive relationship with distress and a negative relationship with coping strategies. These results allow to underline the importance of reflecting on the role of time management behaviours in higher education institutions (HEI). In fact, HEI should promote the adoption of time management behaviours through training, for example, in order to decrease perceived distress and increase perceived coping strategies, thereby improving the mental health of their staff.