Youth, leisure and free time management: a training need in Melilla

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7179/PSRI_2026.48.09

Keywords:

Time management, youth, leisure, self-regulation, qualitative research

Abstract

Time management is an essential skill for everyone, especially young people, who often face the pressure of balancing studies, work, social life, and other responsibilities. However, formal education on how to effectively organize time is not always provided. While it is possible to learn independently, receiving guidance on how to better allocate time, distinguish between urgent and important tasks, and understand the fundamentals of the process can make a significant difference in terms of productivity and personal well-being.

Based on this premise, the present article aims to analyze the importance that young people from Melilla attribute to time management and to explore the significance they place on acquiring self-regulation skills. This study is based on qualitative research in which data was collected through interviews conducted with 97 participants, all of whom were young residents of the city of Melilla, aged between 18 and 35 years, selected incidentally. The results highlight the need for engaging in leisure activities during free time to achieve personal, physical, and psychological well-being, as well as learning how to manage, organize, and plan their time effectively to achieve goals and increase productivity. Finally, the findings emphasize the relevance and usefulness of teaching time management, both formally and informally.

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Author Biographies

María García-Pérez Calabuig, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia

Graduated in Pedagogy and holds a Diploma in Social Education. PhD in Pedagogy from the National Distance Education University (UNED). She carries out her professional and research activities in the Department of Theory of Education and Social Pedagogy at UNED. Her research focuses on how technology and digital environments can support educational inclusion and socio-educational intervention aimed at vulnerable groups.

Margarita Vasco-González, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) https://gestion2.urjc.es/pdi/ver/margarita.vasco

Graduated in Teaching from Camilo José Cela University and holding a Master's in Educational Intervention in Social Contexts within the field of youth in social difficulty, she completed her academic journey by earning a Cum Laude doctorate in Education from the National Distance Education University (UNED). Her professional career has been closely linked to education from the very beginning, starting as an early childhood education teacher and progressing through all educational levels until reaching university teaching, where she has lectured in various undergraduate and master's programs at the Faculty of Education. PhD in Education and expert in qualitative analysis. Researcher in the field of Youth, Social Difficulty, and Technologies Applied to Education. She teaches, among other subjects, in the Master's program in Technologies Applied to Education and in the Bachelor's programs in Early Childhood and Primary Education.

Rosa María Goig-Martínez, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED

PhD in Pedagogy. Tenured Professor in the Department of Research Methods and Educational Diagnosis I at the Faculty of Education of the National Distance Education University (UNED). She is currently the Director of the MIDE I department. She is a member of the UNED Research Group (GI17) on Socio-Educational Intervention. Her research focuses primarily on studying and intervening in issues related to Attention to Diversity, Youth in Social Exclusion, and their Transition to Adulthood.

Francisco Javier García-Castilla, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, UNED

PhD in Sociology from the Exclusion and Social Policy Program at Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid. He holds a degree in Sociology and a diploma in Social Work from the same university. He is a Tenured Professor in the Department of Social Work at the Faculty of Law of the National Distance Education University (UNED). He has taught in the Social Work diploma program at UNED and currently teaches various subjects in the Bachelor's degree in Social Work, as well as participating as a lecturer in three master's programs related to intervention strategies with young people. He has supervised over 140 undergraduate dissertations (TFG), 27 master's theses (TFM), one completed doctoral dissertation, and several ongoing PhD dissertations. Additionally, he has participated as a researcher in more than ten projects, including four R&D&I projects, two European projects, and various initiatives within the Public Administration and social organizations.

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Published

2025-12-19

How to Cite

García-Pérez Calabuig, M., Vasco-González, M., Goig-Martínez, R. M., & García-Castilla, F. J. (2025). Youth, leisure and free time management: a training need in Melilla. Pedagogia Social Revista Interuniversitaria, (48), 151–164. https://doi.org/10.7179/PSRI_2026.48.09

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