‘ There’s no clear on/ off switch’

Harry Parslow, a partner at Caldwell Partners, says longer working weeks are the norm at a certain level and the U.S. results only have limited relevance to Canadians. “ There is no longer a clear on/ off switch for when your week starts and finishes. Thanks to wireless technology, you can’t disconnect from the office as easily. This even applies on holidays,” he says.

Until recently, holidays were a novel concept for Mr. McQuaig, who was likely to bring his laptop or company reports on a vacation. While he still found time to attend key recitals and sports meets for his four daughters, he admits he worked nearly every weekend for 25 years. As he and his company aged, he found some of the factors that made it so easy to take work home also facilitated his focus shift.

“ Technology makes communication processes much more efficient, so I’ve put an emphasis on developing a strong team and surrounding myself with top-drawer people. They can grow into some of the space I was occupying,” he says.

Mr. McQuaig continues to work the 50 hours a week Mr. Parslow contends is the minimum for full- time executives. But in keeping with other executives his age, he is actively making time for family activities and leisure pursuits. He routinely plays golf with one daughter, is taking an investment class with another, and makes a point of getting up to his farm regularly to horseback ride. He brings his laptop home every day, but, some nights, may choose not to open it. Ms. Rotundo speculates some executives are scaling back to ease into retirement, but that’s not true of Mr. McQuaig, who loves his job and finds it hard to stop working. But his adjustment to changing circumstances has made a better balance possible.