TORONTO, Sept. 2 /CNW/ -- As the nation prepares to celebrate Labour Day - a holiday instituted to remind us of work/life balance - a recent Everest College Labour Day Poll conducted by Harris/Decima reveals that many Canadians lack balance in their lives. While an astounding 78 per cent of Canadians say it's more important to work less and have more time for yourself, friends and family, that doesn't seem to be the reality. The fact is, more than one-third of Canadians, 34 per cent, say that work dominates their life. The economic climate seems to be taking its toll, with nearly a third of respondents, 31 per cent, saying they are expected to work longer hours for the same or less pay.

The survey, conducted in July on behalf of Everest College - Ontario's leading career college - also found that almost a quarter of Canadians anticipate working during the Labour Day weekend, and almost 25 per cent of Canadians are working more than one job to make ends meet. Whether working long hours at one job, holding down multiple jobs, or still searching for an ideal career, the premise of Labour Day - celebrating eight hours of work; eight hours of play; and eight hours of rest - appears to be out of the question for many Canadians.

Despite the desire for balance, Canadians generally remain true to their employers. Only 11 per cent of respondents say they fake illness when they feel like some "me time" away from work. The most popular "excuse" is "not feeling well" at 31 per cent, followed by "have a cold/the flu" at 12 per cent, and "headache" at 10 per cent.

Economic Pressure
-----------------

"We believe our survey results show the incredible pressure people are feeling in this challenging economy," says Don Thibert, Director of Academic Affairs, Everest College of Business, Technology and Health Care. "Last year, we asked respondents to choose from a number of statements to best describe their work/life balance, and only 12 per cent indicated that work dominates their life. In 2009, we asked respondents point blank if work dominates their life and 34 per cent agreed. That translates into a lot of Canadians who are consumed by work."

"But there is hope for those wanting to improve their work/life balance, and it begins with education," continues Mr. Thibert. "Our poll shows that those who have only a high school education or less are more likely to have worked more than one job in the past year than those with post-secondary education. They have to work long hours to achieve even Canada's median annual income, which is less than $26,000.