Here Are the Hardest Working States in America in 2018

Hard work has always been a big part of the American identity. The belief that any person can pick themselves up and go from rags-to-riches, has been a cornerstone ideal for generations of Americans who want to improve their lot in life. 

In fact, Americans put in an average of around 1,783 hours per year at their job according to the World Economic Forum. That's about 300 hours more per year than Germans work. Many Americans even take work with them while on vacation and up to 52 percent of Americans didn't use all their available vacation days in 2017. 

Why do we work so hard? Some people say it's because they're worried their boss will judge them if they take a lunch break, or that they might fall behind on an important project. But, whatever the reason, people have always known that hard work is the key to success - and some states understand that a little more than others. 

WalletHub compared all 50 state across 10 key indicators to help narrow down which American state works the hardest. Among some of the factors the finance site looked at included; the average amount of workweek hours, to the share of workers who had multiple jobs. 

Coming in at number one were workers in Alaska who had the highest average number of work week hours. North Dakota, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Nebraska rounded out the top ten. 

On the other hand, of the top five laziest states, no one works harder to not work than folks in Michigan. Residents in Rhode Island, West Virginia, New Mexico and Oregon put in the fewest hours at work as compared to the rest of the nation. 

Experts say working hard might get easier thanks to automation according to Kent Jones, a professor of economics at Babson College. 

"Automation tends to increase labor productivity, which typically applies to workers with the education and training needed to work with the more technologically intensive equipment. So more computers increases the productivity of workers who are adept at using computers," Jones said. "More robots increase the productivity of those who can operate the robots and program the computer, write the software and design the robots." 

Jones says the key for Americans to make money in the modern economy will be more education and training as technology continues to disrupt industries. 

"At the same time, automation tends to reduce the demand for unskilled or “under-skilled” workers. This is why creating new job opportunities with good wages for the largest number of workers in a high-tech economy requires the appropriate education and training, beginning with public schools and extending through community colleges, universities and on-the-job training," Jones said. 

Of course, all that hard work isn't always that great for you. One study revealed that the harder a person worked, the more likely they would be to make mistakes.