The study measured annual working hours, paid vacation days, work-life balance, stress levels, anger levels and life satisfaction index to find the countries most in need of a bit of relaxation.
These factors were weighted and then combined into a “Relaxation Need Score” on a scale of 0-100, revealing which countries most need to unwind.
“Our research shows that high workloads and minimal recovery time are fueling a culture where stress is the default state,” Oliver Bennett, a spokesperson from Grounding Well said.
“The clear difference between the most stressed and most relaxed nations highlights how national approaches to work-life balance directly impact well-being and quality of life.” Bennett added.
Countries that need relaxation the most
Country
Work-Life Balance Index
% of population experiencing anger
Life satisfaction Index
% of stressed population
Relaxation Need Score
Israel
47.29
36%
7.7
62%
100
Mexico
42.97
8%
3.6
39%
82
United States
31.82
18%
7.2
51%
78
South Africa
47.88
17%
0.3
36%
71
South Korea
46.62
18%
3.1
39%
70
Israel tops the list of countries most in need of relaxation, scoring 100 on the index. Despite its moderate annual working hours and reasonable life satisfaction ratings, Israel reports the highest percentages of stressed (62%) and angry (36%) residents among all countries analysed.
South Africa also featured in the top five, ranking fourth with the second highest working hours and only 15 vacation days annually. The country reports the lowest life satisfaction score. Combined with its poor work-life balance and 36% of residents experiencing stress, South Africa demonstrates a notable need for relaxation.
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