Research article

Self-regulation of time management: Mental contrasting with implementation intentions

  1. Gabriele Oettingen1,2,*,
  2. Heather Barry Kappes3,
  3. Katie B. Guttenberg1 and
  4. Peter M. Gollwitzer1,4

Article first published online: 10 MAR 2015

DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2090

Issue

European Journal of Social Psychology

European Journal of Social Psychology

Volume 45, Issue 2, pages 218–229, March 2015


Additional Information

How to Cite

Oettingen, G., Kappes, H. B., Guttenberg, K. B. and Gollwitzer, P. M. (2015), Self-regulation of time management: Mental contrasting with implementation intentions. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol., 45: 218–229. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2090.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Psychology Department, New York University, New York, USA

  2. 2

    Psychology Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

  3. 3

    Department of Management, London School of Economics, London, UK

  4. 4

    Psychology Department, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany

* Correspondence to: Gabriele Oettingen, Psychology Department, New York University, 6 Washington Place, New York, New York 10003, USA.
E-mail: gabriele.oettingen@nyu.edu

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 21 MAR 2015
  2. Article first published online: 10 MAR 2015
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 26 NOV 2014
  4. Manuscript Revised: 20 NOV 2014
  5. Manuscript Received: 9 SEP 2014

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Abstract

Mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) has been found to improve self-regulation across many life domains. The present research investigates whether MCII can benefit time management. In Study 1, we asked students to apply MCII to a pressing academic problem and assessed how they scheduled their time for the upcoming week. MCII participants scheduled more time than control participants who in their thoughts either reflected on similar contents using different cognitive procedures (content-control group) or applied the same cognitive procedures on different contents (format-control group). In Study 2, students were taught MCII as a metacognitive strategy to be used on any upcoming concerns of the subsequent week. As compared with the week prior to the training, students in the MCII (vs. format control) condition improved in self-reported time management. In Study 3, MCII (vs. format control) helped working mothers who enrolled in a vocational business program to attend classes more regularly. The findings suggest that performing MCII on one's everyday concerns improves time management. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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