Around the Clock: Time and Precarity in Family Life
Around the Clock: Time and Precarity in Family Life

Summary/Abstract: This article is based on a qualitative study of middle-class Lithuanian women and men’s experiences of precarity related to time deficit. Drawing on the theoretical framework of time as an indicator of precarity, we analyze 39 biographical interviews with middle-class individuals of the specific birth cohort of 1970-1985. Three aspects of their precarious lives, such as 1) long working hours and unsocial work schedules; 2) the lack of quality time with children; and 3) their attitudes towards time deficit and coping mechanisms, are examined. Our analysis suggests that Lithuanian middle-class families have fully adopted the family model promoted by neoliberal economies by privatizing all risks and assuming all responsibilities for their welfare. To adjust to the culture of individualized risks and maintain acceptable living standards related to children’s education, leisure and holidays, these families invent efficient time management strategies that often turn into tiresome jobs.

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