Data: Americans Have Poor a Work-Life Balance

The Dutch, the Danes, and the French have the best work-life balance, according to the OECD Better Life Index. The United States ranks behind these top runners, as well as behind Spain, Belgium, Norway, and Sweden. In fact, America is 30th on the list, beating out only eight other countries in the study. The reason is two-fold: Americans don’t know how to relax, and they work too many hours. The time each day that Americans devote to leisure and personal care, which includes activities like eating, sleeping, and socializing, is nearly two hours less than their counterparts in the Netherlands. And nearly 11 percent of Americans work more than 50 hours a week, about 10 percent more than the Dutch.

Source: OECD Better Life Index  (opens in a new tab)