title: Achieving work-life balance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I setting, part II: perspectives from head athletic trainers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Work-life balance has been examined at the collegiate level from multiple perspectives except for the athletic trainer (AT) serving in a managerial or leadership role.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate challenges and strategies used in achieving work-life balance from the perspective of the head AT at a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I university.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Web-based management system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 18 head ATs (13 men, 5 women; age = 44 ± 8 years, athletic training experience = 22 ± 7 years) volunteered.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants journaled their thoughts and experiences in response to a series of questions. To establish data credibility, we included multiple-analyst triangulation, stakeholder checks, and peer review. We used a general inductive approach to analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two higher-order themes emerged from our analysis of the data: organizational challenges and work-life balance strategies. The organizational challenges theme contained 2 lower-order themes: lack of autonomy and role demands. The work-life balance strategies theme contained 3 lower-order themes: prioritization of commitments, strategic boundary setting, and work-family integration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Head ATs are susceptible to experiencing work-life imbalance just as ATs in nonsupervisory roles are. Although not avoidable, the causes are manageable. Head ATs are encouraged to prioritize their personal time, make efforts to spend time away from their demanding positions, and reduce the number of additional responsibilities that can impede time available to spend away from work.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Exercise Science, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC;
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mazerolle
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Pitney
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003625:Data Collection; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D013177:Sports / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: quality of life; retention; supervisory role
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