Time Crunch and the Perception of Control over Time from a Gendered Perspective: The Dutch Case

Abstract

The belief that “role overload” contributed to an objective decline in leisure time and a loss of control over time has been questioned in the ongoing debate on “time crunch”. This article examines the relationships between different factors affecting “time crunch” in the context of gender differences. The analyses reported in this article are based on data collected as part of the 1995 Dutch time-use survey, and focus on married and cohabiting men and women, housekeepers as well as wage earners, aged 25–44. The main findings of the article suggest that the amounts of time spent in paid work and leisure affect the sense of “time crunch” significantly. Women were found to experience less control over time than men. Women's considerable household responsibilities are identified as part of the explanation for this difference. The structure of time use is an important factor explaining the subjective sense of time pressure. Women's time appears to be more fragmented than men's due to child care requirements. The number of children in the household affects both men's and women's control over time.