A multifactorial approach to assessment of the time management skill: A cross-sectional study among MBBS students

Abstract Context: Time management skills (TMS) are essential for medical students to cope with the intensive demands of the MBBS curriculum. While prior studies often examined academic motivation, anxiety, and procrastination in isolation, there is limited evidence on how these factors collectively shape TMS. Aims: This study aimed to assess the TMS of MBBS students and analyze the influence of academic motivation, anxiety, and procrastination. Settings and Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 395 MBBS students of a tertiary care hospital in Kolkata. Materials and Methods: The 29-item structured, self-administered questionnaire assessed TMS, procrastination, academic motivation, and anxiety. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Statistics version 26. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression were used to determine relationships and predictors. Results: Among participants, 80.76% exhibited moderate TMS, 11.65% poor TMS, and only 7.59% good TMS. Procrastination showed a significant negative correlation with TMS ( r = –0.572), whereas academic motivation demonstrated a positive correlation ( r = 0.479). Anxiety had a weaker but significant negative correlation ( r = –0.313). Regression analysis revealed procrastination ( β = –0.345, P < 0.001) as the strongest negative predictor of TMS, whereas academic motivation positively predicted TMS ( β = 0.323, P < 0.001). Collectively, these variables explained 41.7% of the variance in TMS. Conclusions: The study underscores the multifactorial nature of TMS among medical students, with procrastination and anxiety undermining, and academic motivation enhancing effective time use. Most students demonstrated moderate TMS, reflecting challenges in long-term planning despite awareness of prioritization.