If you have a hard time stepping away from work when you are on vacation, you are not alone.

A new study by ELVTR suggests an “alarming” lack of work-life balance among North Americans.

The U.S.-based online education platform recently surveyed 1,800 U.S. residents and 500 Canadians.

Nearly half of North Americans said they struggle to switch off from work while on vacation. Gen Z finds it a little easier to ignore their inboxes.

More than two-thirds admitted to answering the odd inquiry or checking an important document while they are supposed to be relaxing.

The big reasons were having no one to delegate tasks to and a need to be in control of everything.

Almost one in five said they are often or sometimes asked to check their emails while they are away, while 35 per cent said they feel an expectation to work during a vacation.

Three-quarters of workers reported feeling guilty when working on vacations while 41 per cent said they feel guilty if they do not work.

Over half of North Americans said they get anxious if they do not check their work emails or messaging apps while on vacation.

Roughly three-in-five workers said they have been bothered by colleagues while on vacation, with email and text messages being the most common annoyance. One in four workers has admitted to disrupting co-workers during their vacations.

The survey also found more than half of workers are taking less time off or ditching vacation entirely due to the economic downturn.

One in five workers said they will not be able to take a vacation this year due to understaffing following company layoffs.

You can find the full survey results by clicking here.