Abstract
This paper attempts to connect the 'sociology of time' with work-life balance research, which mainly deals with the work and childcare balance. Social time, which has been dealt with in the 'sociology of time', posits time in the interaction between adults. At work, they synchronise each other through certainty and planning, based on the assumption that they have a socially ' 'organised' time-consciousness' (Hassard 1991) . On the other hand, child-rearing time is a mutual act between adults and children, where the former have a socially organised time-consciousness, while the latter live time based on their individual biological rhythms. In other words, child-rearing is a mutual act between those with different time-consciousnesses and it is an uncertain and inflexible time, as it depends on the biological rhythms of the child. This child-rearing time has been overlooked in the 'sociology of time'. In order to situate this child-rearing time and the balance between work and childcare in the 'sociology of time', it is important to focus on 'institution-specific time'. Work is conducted in the institution of the market and childcare is conducted in the institution of the family, and both institutions have different time characteristics. Work-life balance research that includes multiple institutions in its perspective contributes to a clearer picture of 'institution-specific time' and depicts the contradictions between institutions. By connecting 'sociology of time' with work-life balance research, this research shows the possibility of capturing the 'social construction of time' (Iida 2024).
