Countries With the Worst Work-Life Balance

Colombians are among those struggling most with their work-life balance, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Mexicans' lives aren't really in balance either. The United States and the United Kingdom also perform pretty poorly, coming in 11th and 12th out of all 35 OECD member countries (plus Russia, Brazil and South Africa) covered in the Better Life Index for 2019.

The most important aspect for a healthy work-life balance is the amount of time people spend (not) at work. The index also takes into account leisure and personal time, the employment rate of mothers and other factors. The authors of the Better Life Index note that "evidence suggests that long work hours may impair personal health, jeopardise safety and increase stress." The Dutch are the people who enjoy the best work-life balance.