The best countries to live in in 2023 for better work-life balance

We all know what it’s like to feel out of balance, despite the popularity of the four-day work week and a shift.

Overworking is a common problem. It’s not surprising that many people struggle to find the right balance with 44% feeling stressed, and 60% emotionally disconnected from work in 2022. New research shows that there are still countries with a better approach to living and working.

We looked at the average weekly hours, paid time, average annual income, paid maternity, paternity, work satisfaction, and average life satisfaction in 197 countries to identify them.

If you are looking for a new environment to improve your work-life balance, these places may be a good choice.

Denmark offers the best work-life balance.

Danes are proud of their work-life balance and discourage overworking. Denmark has a 34-hour work week and office hours that end at 4pm. This gives people more time for family and personal time.

Reports also indicate that 72% of Danish women are employed, which is a significant increase from the global average 59%. It has one of Europe’s lowest levels of burnout and highest work-life balance satisfaction scores.

Austrians have the lowest average weekly hours

Austrian workers have one of the best work-life balances in Europe. The work week is only 34 hours long and there are many paid holidays. To promote gender equality at work, the country offers affordable and high-quality child care for working parents.

Low burnout rates in the country are also lower than those in the UK, which average 5%.

Finland has the highest work-life balance satisfaction scores

Finland offers one of the most flexible work schedules in Europe. The Working Hours Act in Finland gives people the ability to change their work hours by three hours. This allows people to make work more flexible to suit their lives.

It helps, too, that Finland ranks first in the UN Happiness Report five consecutive times.

The best work-life balance, ranked

Rank	Country	Average weekly hours	Paid Leave (Days)	Avg. Avg.	Paid maternity leaves (weeks)	Paid paternity leaves (weeks)	Satisfaction: Work-life balance	Satisfaction – General life

1	Denmark	34	36	PS68,110	18	2	9	8
2	Austria	34	38	PS52,210	16	4	8	7
3	Finland	36	36	PS53,660	18	3	9	7
3	Luxembourg	37	37	PS81,110	20	2	8	7
5	Ireland	36	30	PS74,520	26	2	8	7
6	Netherlands	32	28	PS56,370	16	6	8	7
7	Spain	37	36	PS29,740	16	16	8	6
7	Estonia	37	39	PS37,009	20	4	8	6
9	United Kingdom	36	28	PS45,380	39	2	8	7
10	France	36	36	PS43,880	16	2	8	6

These are the countries that have the worst work-life balance.

Sudan
Gambia
Samoa
Lesotho
Thailand
Eritrea
Papua New Guinea
Palau
Maldives
Bangladesh

Improve your relationship with work

More than 6 million people in the UK plan to leave their jobs by 2023. 24% of them are looking for better work-life balance.

You don’t need to wait until you have a better work-life balance. You can help right away by doing these things.

Make and follow a schedule

A schedule is one of the best things you can do to improve your work/life balance. Make sure to stick to it. You will be better able to manage your time if you plan ahead. It will be easier for your loved ones to hold you responsible if you tell them.

Set boundaries

You must establish boundaries between your personal life and professional life if you desire to maintain a healthy work-life harmony. You can mark the transition between work and home by taking the dogs for a walk or dressing up in different clothes. You can also work from home with a coworking space or shared office. This allows you to leave work behind.