Canadians Increasingly Feeling Pressed For Time
Posted June 15, 2010 9:06 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Feeling crunched for time as you try to juggle keeping your career and home in order while caring for children, an elderly parent, or both at the same time?
A recent report by the Canadian Index for Wellbeing suggests you’re not alone. Many Canadians simply don’t have enough downtime, are always connected to the office and many don’t sit down to a meal every day with their family.
The study, released Monday, indicates the number of Canadians that feel pressure of time increased to 19.6 per cent in 2005 from 16.4 per cent in 1992 and the feeling of a time crunch is reported by more women than men (23 per cent vs. 17 per cent).
Women more often tend to be responsible for providing care for elderly parents. One in four working Canadians is responsible for caring for a senior. One in five is responsible for looking after an elderly dependent and children.
These statistics were reported alongside other figures that indicate fewer Canadians are working longer hours, but about a quarter of us have unconventional work schedules, punching the clock on evenings and weekends.
While gadgets promise convenience smart phones and laptops mean many Canadians now find themselves on-call during off-hours and are squeezing in work correspondence while officially off the clock, reshaping our ideas of leisure time.
The report also showed in 2005 only 35 per cent of teens between the ages of 15 and 17 sat down to a meal with their parents every day, down from 64 per cent in 1992.
“I think sometimes we suffer from the notion that the more hours we work, the more productive the company really is or the business or the individual is and the reality is that’s not the case,” former Saskatchewan premier and CIW advisory board chair Roy Romanow said.
“We’re human beings, we’re not machines, and if you don’t have leisure time and recuperation and refreshment, you’re going to be less effective.”
