Tallying up work-life balance

Planning to take work along on your winter getaway? If so, you’re in the minority, according to a first-ever study on CAs’ work-life balance by the Ontario institute.

Only 25% of more than 2,400 Ontario CAs who responded to the online poll work during their vacation, but more than 70% bring work home on evenings and weekends. Overall, 73% are satisfied or “neutral” with their work-life balance.

While traditionally thought of as a women’s issue, the work-life survey resonated with both men (56%) and women (44%), with 1,000 responses in the first three hours of its release. Two-thirds were between the ages of 30 and 49 and most were in public practice (44%) or industry (42%).

So, how do you compare on managing the dual demands of work and home life? Here are some of the findings:

• 49% work 41 to 50 hours a week, 32% work up to 60 hours or more and 15% work less than 40 hours.
• 71% work from home at least some of the time; 17% do on a regular, frequent or permanent basis.
• 28% spend five to 10 hours a week on hobbies; 34% spend two to five hours.
• 39% spend 10 to 20 hours a week with their children; another 22% spend more than 20 hours with their kids.
• 69% say it’s not difficult to take time off work to care for a sick child or relative.
• 49% are satisfied with the amount of vacation they receive, 51% are not.
• 16% take two weeks’ annual vacation; 35% three weeks; 29% four weeks and 7% five weeks.
• 75% are occasionally or frequently overwhelmed by stress; 85% have not sought professional help for work stress.
• 81% say career advancement is significantly or moderately affected by striving for work-life balance.