Ever wonder why the surf-lineup is always full? Or, why rush hour begins at 2:30 p.m.? How about San Diegans bailing work at noon on Fridays? Turns out, it’s a work-life balance thing.
Mobile access tech company Kisi just released a study examining which cities around the country boast the most holistic work-life balance and San Diego tops the list (followed by Portland and San Francisco.) On the flipside, the most overworked cities in the U.S. study, include Washington D.C., Houston, and Atlanta.
Using data relating to work intensity, social well-being, and livability to analyze the interplay between work and life, San Diegans have it nailed.
More specifically, the 2019 Best Cities for Work-Life Balance looked at our average time of arrival to work, average vacation days taken, commuting time, access to mental healthcare, maternity leave, gender equality, air pollutants and outdoor recreation.
Photo Credit: Stone Brewing
While a fun lil’ nod to San Diego, in the big picture of life and longevity, the findings are pretty significant.
“Workplace stress contributes to at least 120,000 deaths a year, costing up to an estimated $190 billion in the U.S., according to a study by researchers at Harvard and Stanford . Altogether, this proves that we need to prioritize our understanding on the role of workplace intensity in healthcare and well-being,” states Bernhard Mehl, CEO of Kisi.
Important to note, the index is not designed to be a city livability index, nor is it intended to highlight the best cities to work in or move to. After all, San Diego is full.
Instead, the study aims to be a guideline for cities to benchmark their ability to support the fulfillment of residents’ lives by improving the aspects of life that help relieve work-related stress and intensity. With an ever-increasing burnout rate worldwide, self-care and time management is becoming more and more important.
See yew at yoga!
