The phrase "a hard time gaining" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing difficulty in achieving or obtaining something.
Example: "She had a hard time gaining the trust of her colleagues after the incident."
Alternatives: "struggling to obtain" or "difficulty in acquiring".
"We had a hard time gaining yards.
But The Journal has had a hard time gaining traction.
But the law, which will have a hard time gaining parliamentary approval, has already been watered down by the government.
While both ideas enjoy some support from Democrats, they would have a hard time gaining broad support in the Senate.
Being foreigners, migrants and refugees have always had a hard time gaining access to outside complaint mechanisms and advocacy institutions.
More recently, the rare tourist who was curious about the cemetery had a hard time gaining access to it.
It argued that as computer technology becomes more standardized, businesses will have a harder time gaining a competitive edge over their rivals through technology investments.
Women had a harder time gaining entry to prestigious training programs, and they were given less time to study for mandatory tests than their male colleagues were.
When an employee looks unkempt or wears revealing clothing, they may have a harder time gaining their colleagues' or customers' respect.
Yet in a nation highly sensitive to any echoes of the Nazis — and where the nationalists have had a harder time gaining a foothold than in many other European nations — the use of such terms still risks a powerful backlash.
Conversely, it means that the Obama administration's plan to raise new revenue by closing corporate tax loopholes will have a harder time gaining traction, because much of the burden will fall on those with low incomes.
