The best 5 countries in the world for work-life balance — and the 5 worst

Work-life balance has never been more important to workers than it is today — and where you live can often determine how easy or hard it is to find that equilibrium.

Remitly (RELY), a company that helps immigrants send money back to their home countries more easily, surveyed 4,200 working adults in 22 nations, mostly in Europe and the Americas, to learn more about their work-life balance.

It asked 22 different questions about their quality of work and life — like how long their commute takes, and how many hours a day they typically work. They also asked how long breaks at work tend to last and how satisfied workers are with their jobs. It used that data to create a ranking of countries from most to least-balanced.

Check out which countries made the top five — and bottom five — for work-life balance.

5th Best: New Zealand

At number 5, New Zealand received strong marks for work-life balance thanks to its residents’ somewhat short work days and low commute times.

4th Best: France

France ranked number four, with long breaks for workers and a short work day compared to other countries.

3rd Best: Switzerland

Switzerland has long work days but is still ranked number three thanks to high work quality, generous break time, and well-rested workers.

2nd Best: Denmark

Denmark came in second place, with a short work day, short commute times, and a high overall work quality score.

Best: Finland

Finland took the top slot thanks to residents enjoying short work days, long breaks, and impressive work quality.

5th Worst: Hungary

Hungary was ranked the fifth-worst country for work-life balance, with residents suffering long work days and commutes.

4th Worst: U.S.

The U.S. was ranked fourth-worst, thanks to long days, short breaks, and workers reporting an average sleep time of just 6 hours and 31 minutes.

3rd Worst: Ireland

Ireland took the third worst slot with a low work quality score and workers complaining about long commutes.

2nd Worst: Norway

Norway’s slot in second-to-last might surprise some, but workers reported not getting enough sleep, having low-quality work, and dealing with somewhat long workdays.

Worst: Australia

Australia took last place with long commutes, long work days, and low-quality work.