Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Background and Problem Statement

Time management is often understood as the ability to plan, organize, and use time

effectively. According to Macan (1994), time management includes behaviors such as setting

goals, prioritizing tasks, and organizing daily activities. These behaviors may influence how

individuals feel about controlling their time. In an academic context, time management can

affect how students arrange their study schedule and deal with academic pressure.

Previous studies have examined the relationship between time management and

academic performance. Britton and Tesser (1991) found that some aspects of time

management, especially time attitudes and short-range planning, were positively related to

students’ GPA. Their study also showed that time management could explain part of

academic performance beyond standardized test scores such as SAT. However, not all

components of time management were related to GPA, which suggests that the relationship

may not be simple. In addition, some studies have explored how working while studying

relates to academic results. Nonis and Hudson (2006) reported that working hours did not

directly reduce GPA. Instead, academic performance depended on the interaction between

ability and study time. This means that external factors such as having a part-time job may

not fully explain differences in academic performance.

At HUFLIT University, many first-year English-majored students have part-time jobs

while completing demanding academic tasks such as presentations, group projects, and

advanced language courses. Even though they study in the same program, their academic

results are different. Therefore, it is necessary to examine whether time management skills

are related to academic performance among this specific group of students.

1.2 Research Gap

Although many studies have investigated time management and academic

performance among university students in general, fewer studies focus on a specific major in

a particular university context. In addition, while some research has examined working

students, limited attention has been given to the role of time management among students

who both study and work.

To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, there has been no study investigating the

relationship between time management skills and academic performance among first-year

English-majored students with part-time jobs at HUFLIT University. Therefore, this study

aims to examine whether a statistically significant relationship exists in this context.

1.3 Research Goal

The goal of this study is to provide a clearer understanding of the relationship

between time management skills and academic performance among first-year English-

majored students with part-time jobs at HUFLIT University, and to offer practical insights

that may help students better balance study and work responsibilities.

1.4 Research Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine whether there is a statistically significant

relationship between time management skills and academic performance among first-year

English-majored students with part-time jobs at HUFLIT University. Specifically, the study

aims to:

1. Identify the level of time management skills among the participants.

2. Describe their academic performance level.

 3. Determine whether a statistically significant relationship exists between time

management skills and academic performance.

1.5 Research Questions

1. What is the level of time management skills among first-year English-majored

students with part-time jobs at HUFLIT University?

2. What is the academic performance level of these students?

3. Is there a statistically significant relationship between time management skills and

academic performance?

1.6 Research Hypotheses

H0: There is no clear relationship between time management skills and academic

performance among first-year English-majored students with part-time jobs at HUFLIT

University.

H1: It is expected that time management skills are related to academic performance

among first-year English-majored students who have part-time jobs at HUFLIT University.

1.7 Organization of the Study

This study is organized into five chapters. Chapter I presents the introduction of the

study, including the background, research gap, research goal, research purpose, research

questions, and research hypotheses. Chapter II reviews relevant literature related to time

management and academic performance. It also discusses the theoretical foundation of the

study. Chapter III describes the research methodology, including research design,

participants, research instruments, data collection procedures, and data analysis procedures.
Chapter IV presents and analyzes the findings of the study. Chapter V summarizes the main

findings, discusses implications, mentions limitations, and provides suggestions for future

research.
 Chapter 2: Literature Review

While the provided sources do not contain specific data regarding first-year English majors at

HUFLIT University, they offer a robust theoretical and empirical foundation for

understanding the relationship between part-time employment, time management, and

academic performance among university students. You may want to independently verify

specific data related to HUFLIT University. This literature review synthesizes domestic and

international research from your sources to build a theoretical framework applicable to your

specific topic.

1. The Impact of Part-Time Employment on Academic Performance

Research indicates that engaging in part-time work does not inherently diminish a student's

Grade Point Average (GPA); rather, its effect is heavily dependent on the time threshold

dedicated to working. An inverted-U relationship is often observed in the literature: working

a "safe threshold" of 10 to 20 hours per week (or less than 10-12 hours in initial stages) can

actually make students more proactive, leading to stable or slightly increased grades due to

positive psychology, better discipline, and increased self-efficacy.

Conversely, crossing the "risk threshold" of over 20-25 hours per week (or roughly 3 hours

per day) results in a noticeable decline in academic performance. Studies from developing

contexts like Chennai (India) and Kathmandu (Nepal) demonstrate that extended working

hours directly cannibalize self-study time, with each additional hour of work reducing self-

study time by 0.5 to 1 hour. Furthermore, excessive work leads to physical exhaustion,

increased psychological stress, and higher absenteeism, particularly for early morning

classes.

2. Time Management as a Moderating Variable

Time management serves as a crucial "moderating variable" or "shock absorber" in the

relationship between working and studying. A classic study by Nonis & Hudson (2006)

emphasizes that the quality of time spent studying is more critical than the sheer volume of

hours.

Interestingly, taking on part-time work can enforce a "compulsory discipline". Busy students

often develop better habits because having limited free time forces them to adopt time-

compression techniques, master multitasking, and prioritize tasks better than their non-

working peers. Quantitative research highlights two critical components of time management:

· Goal Setting: Has the strongest positive correlation with GPA, as students who

know their purpose manage their time more effectively.

· Perceived Control of Time: The feeling of mastering one's schedule significantly

reduces anxiety and indirectly boosts exam performance.

3. The Vietnamese Context and Specific Student Challenges

To apply this to a Vietnamese university context like HUFLIT, it is essential to consider local

studies from institutions like Hanoi University of Industry (HaUI), Academy of Finance

(AOF), and Thuongmai University (TMU). These studies reveal that Vietnamese students

often face specific cultural and behavioral hurdles:

· Planning vs. Execution: While many students intend to plan, only about 20-30%

consistently use tools like notebooks or apps. However, those who maintain daily to-do

lists achieve a 10-15% higher GPA than those who do not. The implementation phase is

often the weakest, as students exhibit an inability to say no to unplanned social activities

and peer pressure.

· Procrastination and Distractions: A major research gap identified by AOF is

"Procrastination"—often exacerbated by the "cramming" mentality (waiting until the last

minute) and massive distractions from short-form social media platforms (TikTok,

Facebook Reels).
 Chapter 3: Methodology

3.1 Research Design

This study used a quantitative correlational design to examine the relationship

between time management skills and academic performance among first-year English-

majored students with part-time jobs at HUFLIT University. A correlational design was

chosen because the study did not aim to change or control any variables. Instead, it focused

on finding out whether there is a statistically significant relationship between time

management skills and GPA. The study does not attempt to prove cause and effect, but only

to examine the association between the two variables. The data were collected during the

regular academic semester through an online questionnaire and later analyzed using statistical

software.

3.2 Participants

The participants were first-year English-majored students at HUFLIT University who

currently have part-time jobs. Convenience sampling was used because of time constraints

and accessibility. In order to participate, students had to meet the following conditions: They

are first-year English majors at HUFLIT who currently have a part-time job, and they agree

to participate voluntarily.

The expected sample size was around 70 to 100 students. After collecting the

responses, incomplete or invalid questionnaires were removed before the final analysis. The

findings of this study are limited to this specific group and are not intended to represent all

university students.

3.3 Instruments
 This study used a structured questionnaire as the main tool to collect data. The

questionnaire consisted of two main parts:

3.3.1 Demographic Information

This section asked about gender, age, average working hours per week, and

cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale. The GPA was self-reported. To encourage honest answers,

the survey was anonymous and did not collect any identifying information.

3.3.2 Time Management Scale

This section included 15 Likert-scale items to measure students’ time management

skills. The items were developed based on common components of time management

discussed in previous studies, especially goal setting, prioritizing, and short-term planning.

Participants responded using a five-point Linkert scale ranging from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to

5 (Strongly Agree). The overall time management score was calculated by taking the average

score of the 15 items.

3.4 Data Collection Procedures

The questionnaire was created using Google Forms because it is simple and easy for

students to access. Before distributing the survey officially, a small pilot test was conducted

with five students to check whether any questions were unclear. Based on their feedback,

some minor changes were made. The survey link was shared through HUFLIT class group

chats and social media platforms. Participation was voluntary. At the beginning of the survey,

students were informed about the purpose of the study and their right to stop at any time.

Data collection lasted about two weeks. After that, the responses were reviewed, and

incomplete or duplicate submissions were removed.

3.5 Data Analysis Procedures

The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS. First, descriptive statistics such as mean

and standard deviation were calculated to describe the level of time management skills and

GPA. Second, Cronbach’s Alpha was calculated to check the internal consistency of the time

management scale. Before running the Pearson correlation analysis, basic assumptions such

as normality and linearity were checked. Finally, Pearson correlation was used to examine

whether there is a statistically significant relationship between time management skills and

GPA. The significance level was set at p < .05.

3.6 Reliability and Validity

3.6.1 Reliability

Reliability was tested using Cronbach’s Alpha. A value of 0.70 or higher was

considered acceptable. The pilot test also helped improve the clarity of the questionnaire and

reduce possible misunderstandings.

3.6.2 Validity

To ensure content validity, the questionnaire items were designed based on theoretical

concepts and previous studies about time management in academic settings. The items were

grouped into aspects such as planning and prioritizing, which are related to academic

performance. In addition, the questionnaire was developed in line with the research questions

to make sure that it measured the intended variables.

 Chapter 4: Findings

Figure 1: Distribution of Students’ Working Hours per Week

Overall, there is a significant variation in working hours among students, with the majority

working part-time. The most popular range: “The '10 – 20 hours' category is the most

common, with 43 students choosing this workload. It represents the largest proportion of the

participants.” The least popular range: “In contrast, only a small minority of students work

intensely, with only 6 people clocking in 'More than 30 hours' per week.” More than 40% of

the surveyed students (43 out of 101) prefer a moderate working schedule of 10 to 20 hours,

which likely allows them to balance work and academic responsibilities. Students working

less than 20 hours (totaling 70 students) significantly outnumber those working more than 20

hours (totaling 31 students).

The results on gender distribution show that female students accounted for the highest

percentage (42.6%), followed by male students (35.6%), while a considerable proportion of

participants (21.8%) chose not to disclose their gender. This suggests that the sample was not

even distributed across gender groups.

This imbalance may reflect the typical characteristics of English Language majors, where

female students are often more represented. As a result, the findings of this study may be

more reflective of female students’ experiences, especially in terms of balancing academic

responsibilities with part-time work.

However, the relatively lower proportion of male students and the high number of

participants who did not report their gender may limit the representativeness of the data. This

may also affect the generalizability of the findings, since different gender groups might have

different approaches to time management and academic performance.

Therefore, future research should consider using a more balanced sample in terms of gender

to provide more comprehensive and reliable conclusions about the relationship between time

management skills and academic performance.

The chart shows that students’ GPAs are distributed within a relatively narrow range, mainly

ranging from approximately 1.6 to nearly 2.0. Most values are concentrated between 1.7 and

1.95, indicating that most students achieved average academic performance, with no major

differences across individuals.

However, some slight variations in GPA can still be observed, as shown by the small

differences between the columns in the chart. This suggests that students’ academic

performance is not completely uniform, even though all values remain within a relatively

close range.

This pattern indicates that the group of participants generally had a stable academic level.

Nevertheless, certain individual differences still exist, which may be influenced by factors

such as learning ability, time investment, or how each student manages the balance between

studying and part-time work.

Overall, the chart shows that students’ GPA is relatively consistent but not identical, with

minor fluctuations across individuals. This provides a useful basis for further examining the

relationship between time management skills and academic performance in the subsequent

analysis.

Figure 4. Mean Score of Time Management Skills

The bar chart presented in Figure 4 illustrates the overall mean score of time management

skills among the participants was 3.44 (SD = 0.42) on a 5-point Likert scale, indicating a
moderate level of time management ability among first-year English-majored students with

part-time jobs at HUFLIT University.

In this part, our group have divided 14 questions in the questionnaire into five main

subscales, including:

Subscale Items M SD

Planning & Q7, Q17 3.65 0.89

Scheduling

Goal Setting & Q8, Q9, Q14, Q19 3.76 0.80

Prioritizing

Organization Q13, Q20 3.78 0.81

Time Control Q11, Q16 2.92 1.05

Balancing & Coping Q10, Q12, Q15, Q18 3.55 0.74

Among the five subscales, Organization recorded the highest mean score (M = 3.78),

followed closely by Goal Setting & Prioritizing (M = 3.76), demonstrating that participants

were relatively capable of keeping their study materials organized and prioritizing their

academic goals. These two groups also scored above the overall mean, showing that students

are generally more confident in organizing their tasks and managing their academic

responsibilities, perhaps as a way of adapting to balancing both coursework and employment

simultaneously. Planning & Scheduling (M = 3.65) and Balancing & Coping (M = 3.55) also

exceeded the overall mean, though by a smaller margin. The modest score in Planning &

Scheduling suggests that while students do proactively plan their study schedule and maintain

routines for both work and study, this practice may not be regularly practiced. Equally, the

Balancing & Coping score demonstrates a reasonable, though not strong, capacity to balance

part-time work commitments and academic obligations, which is consistent with prior
literature suggesting that part-time employment can limit students’ ability to manage multiple

responsibilities successfully.

In contrast, Time Control recorded the lowest mean score among all groups (M =

2.92), falling significantly below the overall mean. This group, which includes negatively

worded items related to perceived control over time use and tendencies to spend time on

unimportant activities, indicates that students frequently struggle with self-regulating their

time. The significantly lower score in this dimension points to a potential vulnerability in

students’ time management behavior, as even when they can plan and organize, they may still

find it difficult to maintain control over how their time is spent in practice.

Overall, the findings show an imbalance in students’ time management profiles,

which show relatively stronger competence in organizational and goal-setting behaviors, yet

encounter significant challenges in exercising actual control over time. This gap between

planning intention and behavioral execution may call for targeted interventions, particularly

those aimed at enhancing self-regulation and reducing time allocated to low-priority

activities.

To examine the relationship between time management skills and grade point average

(GPA), a scatter plot was used (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Scatter plot showing the weak positive correlation between Time Management
Score and GPA (r = 0.343, n = 95).

Figure 5 illustrates the relationship between Time Management Score (TM Score) and GPA

of 95 first-year English-major students with part-time jobs at HUFLIT University. The data

points are relatively scattered, mostly concentrated in the GPA range of 2.5 to 3.5 and TM
Score range of 3.0 to 4.0. The linear trendline has a positive direction, indicating that students

with higher time management scores tend to achieve higher GPAs. The correlation

coefficient r = 0.343 indicates a weak to moderate positive relationship. This suggests that

time management skills are related to academic performance, but the relationship is not

particularly strong, meaning that GPA is also influenced by many others.

 Chapter 5: Discussion

5.1. Level of Time Management Skills and Academic Performance

The findings of this study indicate that first-year English-majored students at HUFLIT

University possess a moderate level of time management skills, with an overall mean score of

3.44. This result is consistent with the theoretical framework suggesting that university

students, especially those balancing work and study, develop a "compulsory discipline"

(Nonis & Hudson, 2006).

Specifically, the high scores in Organization (M = 3.78) and Goal Setting & Prioritizing (M =

3.76) reflect that students are proactive in arranging their study materials and identifying

academic priorities. This aligns with the "safe threshold" theory mentioned in the literature

review, where students working 10–20 hours (the majority in this sample) become more

disciplined to maintain their stability. However, the significantly lower score in Time Control

(M = 2.92) reveals a critical gap: while students are good at "planning," they struggle with

"execution" and "self-regulation." This supports the local Vietnamese context findings from

HaUI and AOF, which noted that students often succumb to unplanned social activities and

distractions like social media, leading to a "cramming" mentality.

Regarding academic performance, the GPA distribution (concentrated around 1.6 to 2.0 on a

4.0 scale, as per the findings) suggests an average academic standing. Although most students

maintain a moderate workload (10–20 hours), their GPA does not reach the "high" excellence

tier, indicating that while they are managing to "pass," the quality of their learning might be

capped by their external commitments.

5.2. The Relationship Between Time Management and Academic Performance

The core objective of this study was to examine the correlation between time management

and GPA. The results showed a weak to moderate positive correlation ($r = 0.343$).

· Consistency with Previous Research: This finding supports the study by Britton

and Tesser (1991), which argued that time management can explain academic

performance beyond standardized test scores. The positive direction of the

trendline confirms that as time management skills improve, GPA tends to rise.

· The Complexity of the Relationship: However, the "weak" nature of this

correlation (r = 0.343) suggests that time management is not the sole determinant

of success. As noted by Nonis and Hudson (2006), academic performance

depends on the interaction between ability and study time. For HUFLIT students,

other factors—such as the nature of the English major (which requires high

interaction and practice), individual learning abilities, and the physical exhaustion

from part-time jobs—likely play significant roles.

5.3. The Impact of Part-Time Work and Gender Factors

The data reveals that 42.6% of participants work 10–20 hours per week, which falls within

the "safe threshold" identified in the literature. This explains why most students can maintain

a stable, albeit average, GPA. Only a small minority (6 students) work more than 30 hours,

avoiding the "risk threshold" where academic performance typically collapses due to

"cannibalized" study time.

Furthermore, the demographic imbalance (predominantly female) is a typical characteristic of

language departments. The findings suggest that female English majors at HUFLIT may be

more inclined toward organized behaviors, but the high percentage of "unspecified" gender
responses suggests a need for caution in generalizing these management styles across the

entire student body.

5.4. Practical Implications

The "gap" between planning (high score) and actual time control (low score) suggests that

HUFLIT students do not need more "planners" or "calendars"; rather, they need self-

regulation strategies.

1. For Students: Focus should be shifted from merely setting goals to resisting

"short-form media distractions" (TikTok, Reels) and unplanned social peer

pressure.

2. For the University: Workshops should focus on "Behavioral Execution" and

"Stress Management" specifically for students working part-time, helping them

bridge the gap between their intentions and their actions.