Time for Each Other: Work and Family Constraints Among Couples

Abstract

Little is known about couples’ shared time and how actual time spent together is associated with well-being. In this study, the authors investigated how work and family demands are related to couples’ shared time (total and exclusive) and individual well-being (happiness, meaningfulness, and stress) when with one's spouse. They used individual-level data from the 2003–2010 American Time Use Survey (N = 46,883), including the 2010 Well-Being Module. The results indicated that individuals in full-time working dual-earner couples spend similar amounts of time together as individuals in traditional breadwinner–homemaker arrangements on weekdays after accounting for daily work demands. The findings also show that parents share significantly less total and exclusive spousal time together than nonparents, though there is considerable variation among parents by age of the youngest child. Of significance is that individuals experience greater happiness and meaning and less stress during time spent with a spouse opposed to time spent apart.

Family time of couples with children: shortening gender differences in parenting?

“…Sharing time with close relatives is considered positive and a sign of well-being in society (Hellberg and Klevmarken 2003; Flood and Genadek 2013; Bitman and Wajcman 2000; Voorspostel et al 2009). Time with the spouse is considered a sign of good marital quality (Glorieux et al 2011).…”

“…Therefore, in general, family time is considered a good value for the individuals concerned (Daly 2001), although sometimes, it will be a source of moments of conflict, discussions and tension (Hochschild 1997). Although the interpretation of time together differs between men and women, with men declaring more time together (Gager and Sanchez 2003; Bernard 1982; Flood and Genadek 2013), both men and women want to spend more time together. However, men demand a higher quantity of time together, whereas women want a higher quality of time together (Roxburgh 2006).…”

“…Some authors have found that time alone with the spouse has decreased in recent decades, especially among dual-earner couples (Dew 2009), whereas other authors have found that time with the spouse has not decreased in recent decades and may have even slightly increased (Voorspostel et al 2009). Dual-earner couples must combine two working schedules and the desire to spend more time with their children, which gives them less time to spend alone with their partners (Flood and Genadek 2013, Barnet-Verzat et al 2009). Couples prefer to spend time together and seek to maximize this time when they try to synchronize their schedules, but they are forced to desynchronize their schedules to minimize paid childcare (Hammermesh 2002).…”

“…The presence of children reduces joint leisure time for couples and even more when the children are young (Barnet-Verzat et al 2009). The reduction is greater in weekdays, and couples try to compensate with designated time during weekends and non-working days (Flood and Genadek 2013, Glorieux et al 2011, Dew 2009). …”

“…Thus, they must coordinate their schedules because they want to have time for their partner and children (Sullivan 1996). The main pattern observed in dual-earner couples is that they spend more time with their children, but they have less time with their spouse (Flood and Genadek 2013, Glorieux et al 2011).…”