When I first read a recent report about the hardest-working states in the U.S., the findings felt very unfair to our home state of California.

We did badly on almost every criterion that they measured, which surprised me.

Granted, throughout history, it’s undeniable that America has long fostered a culture of hard work, with people working longer hours than those who live in other developed countries.

We the people most often leave vacation time on the table, not taking time off even when it’s due.

Working hard is commendable, but those hardest-working folks in some states just might want to consider taking a break once in a while.

Who says?

I do, based on my own observations and that report published by the World Economic Forum and WalletHub’s 2025 “Hardest-Working States in Americ

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