New Hampshire’s Rank in Nationwide Survey of Work-Life Balance is Very Surprising
Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions, or personal experiences.
I think it's safe to say we are all aiming to live a more balanced life. We all want to feel like we are giving equal efforts to our family, career, friendships, mental health, physical health, all of the things. When we aren't working, we would like to be present and enjoy the time we have with those we love. But depending on your profession, it can be difficult to not take your work home with you.
Since the pandemic, many of our homes and offices are the same dang place. This makes lines even blurrier and boundaries more difficult to establish. You might be in full "chill mode" after work, but all of a sudden a work email comes to your phone and you feel compelled to open it and reply right then and there. And just like that, you're back at work! At least your head is. It's a huge problem that many of us struggle with daily.
A site called Solitaire Bliss recently conducted a nationwide survey to find the states with the best work-life balance. They analyzed factors like hours of sleep, hours of work, hours of leisure, and work to leisure ratio. Our neighbors in Vermont have the best work-life balance in the country. Go off, Green Mountain State! They work an average of seven hours a day, with a little over four-and-a-half hours of leisure time on weekdays. That leaves plenty of time for social activities and to enjoy that fresh mountain air (weather permitting, of course). They also get an average of eight hours of sleep a night. How luxurious!
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it seems that we in New Hampshire have found ourselves on the flip side of this survey. We came in as the ninth worst state for work life balance in the country. Womp Womp. We work an average of nine hours a day, and only allow ourselves two-and-a-half hours of leisure time on weekdays. That ain't right! We deserve better!
I am surprised at how we ranked in this survey. When I think of workaholic states, I think of states with big cities like New York, LA, Boston, etc. It is clear we are working hard and not playing as hard in the Granite State, and we need to fix that.
So what can we do? Try making more fun plans with others. I don't know about you, but if I plan to go on a walk with someone during the week, I am way more likely to actually stick to the plan. Cancelling plans with yourself is so easy, and you can always convince yourself that there is more work to be done. Try giving yourself a hard stop time and sticking to it. Trust me, I know it's easier said than done.
Here's something you can enjoy during your leisure time, BRUNCH! Here are some of our favorite local spots to get our brunch on: