Impact of Time-Management on Students' Academic Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study

Overview

A cross-sectional survey-based study examining how time management practices affect the academic performance of undergraduate diagnostic radiology technology students at King Abdul-Aziz University (KAU). The study was conducted over six months from September 2020 to February 2021, with a sample of 142 participants (75 females, 67 males).

Methodology

• Study design: Cross-sectional survey with self-designed questionnaire
• Sample size: 142 undergraduate students (response rate ~66%)
• Measurement: 22 Likert-scale questions (1-5) covering self-management, awareness, management, preferences, and performance domains
• Analysis: SPSS v25.0 with Pearson chi-square test (alpha = 0.05)
• Theoretical basis: Existentialism philosophy (learner-centered) and Pickle Jar Theory (Sharma & Waud, 2004) of time management

Key Findings

• 75.4% of students had a GPA between 4.5 - 5.0
• 64.8% of students disagreed that preplanning methods are inefficient, indicating positive perception of preplanning for academic performance
• 92.3% agreed that they meet their deadlines
• 74.6% agreed their time management skills need improvement (self-assessment)
• 36.7% of students with 4.0 - 4.5 GPA strongly believed their academic performance decreased due to misplanning (p = 0.005)
• 69.2% of students with 4.5 - 5.0 GPA strongly agreed that they meet their deadlines (p = 0.005)
• 66.3% of high-GPA students agreed they make to-do lists or use calendars (p = 0.047)

Time Management Behaviors Studied

The questionnaire assessed the following domains:

• Preplanning perceptions: Whether students view preplanning as effective for academic performance
• Short-range planning: Daily and weekly task planning
• Long-range planning: Monthly, quarterly, and yearly goal setting
• Time management practices: To-do lists, calendars, deadline adherence
• Personal factors: Sleep patterns, stress management, flexibility, work-life balance
• Self-assessment: Students' own perception of their time management skill level

Conclusions

• Preplanning was perceived by students as beneficial for academic performance
• No significant relationship was found between short-range and long-range time management behavior and academic achievement
• Students with positive time attitudes who managed time and met deadlines had higher grades
• Maintaining proper sleep patterns is recommended for better time management
• Using digitalized to-do lists and calendars is recommended for improved performance
• A longitudinal study is recommended for more definitive conclusions

Limitations

• Cross-sectional design provides only a snapshot rather than causal relationships
• Self-developed survey may introduce response bias
• Findings specific to radiology students at a single institution
• Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected student sleep patterns and online learning experiences

Recommendations

• Students should maintain consistent sleep patterns
• Digital to-do lists and task calendars should be encouraged
• Longitudinal prospective studies with long-term follow-up across academic years are needed for further validation