Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations University of Queenlsand Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations

Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations Women's Health Australia homepage about the Women's Health Australia project Women's Health Australia staff Women's Health Australia current events Women's Health Australia surveys and data Women's Health Australia substudies information for Women's Health Australia participants University of Newcastle contact Women's Health Australia Women's Health Australia publications and presentations

 
 


Time use

ALSWH findings include associations between women’s health and the way in which they use or manage their time. At Survey 2, employed mid-aged women who were happy with the hours they worked had the highest mental health scores(1). These women worked a range of hours, which suggests that it is satisfaction with hours of work, rather than the hours per se, that is important to health. The issue of control is further highlighted by the fact that those with the lowest mental health scores included women who wanted to work more hours as well as those who wanted to work less. The lowest mental health scores, somewhat counter-intuitively, were among those working the lowest number of hours (under 24 hours), but who wished to work even less. The levels were virtually identical however for those working longer hours (25-40), but who wished to work more, highlighting the importance of satisfaction rather than the hours worked (see figure).

Tiredness is a central issue associated with managing time. In mid-age, fewer women feel ‘worn out’ all or most of the time, than the number who feel ‘tired’. Those who feel worn out ‘none’ or only ‘a little’ of the time ranged between 48% and 54% across the four surveys, while those who feel tired ‘none’ or ‘a little’ of the time ranged from 32% to 36%(2). As the women grow older the level of weariness is diminishing which is consistent with reduced nuclear family commitments.

Mental health (MCS) by satisfaction with hours of paid work, mid-age women, Survey 2.

References
1. Warner-Smith, P. & Mishra, G. ‘Happy hours’: Women’s well-being and their satisfaction with hours of work. Health Sociology Review, 2002; 11(1&2): 39-48.
2. Bryson,L, Warner-Smith, P., Brown, P., Fray, L. Managing the work–life roller-coaster: Private stress or public health issue? Social Science & Medicine, In press.

 

For further information on time use, see our other publications:

Reports

  • Ford J, Lee C, Svensson A & Warner-Smith P. Paid Work, Time use, Demographics and Health: Analyses from the Mid-age Cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Report prepared for the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing. Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, University of Newcastle & University of Queensland. November 2004.


Papers

  • Warner-Smith P & Mishra G. 'Happy Hours': Women’s wellbeing and their satisfaction with hours of paid work. Health Sociology Review, 2002; 11(1 & 2): 39-48.
  • Cartwright S & Warner-Smith P. 'Melt down': Young women's talk of time and its implications for health, well-being and identity in late modernity. Annals of Leisure Research, 2003; 6(4): 319-338.
  • Brown P & Warner-Smith P. The Taylorisation of family time: An effective strategy in the struggle to ‘manage' work and life? Annals of Leisure Research, 2005; 8(2): 75-90.




 
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Last updated: 20th December 2007 by Cath Chojenta © Copyright