Managing work and study with an eye on the future

Abstract

Managing boundaries between roles is critical for healthy functioning and performance. However, little research has examined how working students manage their boundaries between study and work. The current study combined boundary management and future-self constructs to examine the salience of undergraduate students’ future-selves and the influence this has on the management of their roles. Using a mixed-methods approach, interview and questionnaire data from 20 working undergraduate students in Australia (15 women, 5 men; aged 18 to 28 years) were integrated and analysed. The results indicated that students thought often about their future-selves and linked this thinking to the management of their current roles, particularly through the implementation of boundary management strategies. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, with the aim of advancing knowledge on how to assist students with managing their multiple roles while at university.

Keywords

• boundary management
• future-selves
• possible-selves
• role management
• boundary management strategies