Melt down' : young women's talk of time and its implications for health, well-being and identity in late modernity

There is considerable evidence that increased levels of consumption, 'time-pressure' and transitory employment in post-industrial or 'late modern' society have implications for health, well-being and leisure. In this paper we focus on the leisure experiences of young women living in non-metropolitan areas, paying specific attention to issues that link women's leisure, identity, health and well-being in the context of late modernity. Data are drawn from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. In focus group discussions with young women aged 18–23 years, in considering the quantity and quality of leisure, narratives emerged about time fragmentation, stress and illness and the importance of locating 'the balance' in young women's lives. Such narratives call into question existing perceptions of young women's time-use and the implications for health and well-being.