Time management instruction: A possible key to successful behavior change

Background: Behavior is inextricably intertwined with health. Often, adopting positive healthy behaviors involves changing behaviors. As part of a general education health course in a midsize regional university, students were asked to plan, track, and summarize the results of a self-selected behavior change. To increase the likelihood that students can successfully change a negative health behavior or simply adopt a positive health behavior it is useful to understand obstacles of behavior change. The Health Belief Model construct of “perceived barriers” has been reported to be the most powerful predictor of preventive health behavior. The purpose of this study is to identify what factors students perceive as barriers to their attempts to complete a successful health behavior change and adopt healthy behaviors. Methods: Randomly selected papers were reviewed from students completing a behavior change project in 2008/2009. Data was organized into themes based on abstracted information on targeted behaviors and potential barriers students cited as standing in their way of reaching their behavior change goal. Results/Conclusions: One hundred and twenty-seven behavior change reports were reviewed (11 students targeted 2 behaviors). Most frequently selected behaviors for change were: Amount of physical activity (n=60), nutrition (n=18), drinking more water (n=17), and smoking cessation (n=16). One barrier to change appeared across behaviors: time management. While factors influencing decisions to undertake or maintain positive health behaviors may be behavior specific, time management may be a common factor in the change process. Study results support including time management strategies in Health Education classes.