After-work demands are taking over our lives. And it needs to end now.

You know the message. It reads something like, “Hey, can you do this quick thing for me? It’s urgent.” Before you know it, your dinner’s cold and it’s 10 pm.

You’re not alone in your frustration. A whopping 76 percent regularly do work outside traditional work hours.

The average salaried or self-employed worker in Canada spends seven hours a week doing work related tasks outside of work hours, according to new research by Leger Marketing commissioned by French wine brand Félix & Lucie. Work demands are slowly encroaching on our lives outside of work, possibly a consequence of our increased digital connectivity.

Receiving Slacks during far-off vacations are not unheard of today, and these workplace instant messaging platforms create further opportunities to always be connected to work. Some workers (34 percent) have cancelled plans that were in place for weeks to meet work obligations, while 43 percent believe this extra effort is required to get ahead at work.

Clearly, the system is broken. So, Félix & Lucie has designated May 15 as a ‘Day to Disconnect’ where Canadian workers are asked to leave work behind at the end of their day and reclaim the hour to connect with the people and things that matter to them.

Go ahead and leave the message on read. Whatever is urgent can wait. There’s always time to get back to it in the morning.