Germany's hardworking reputation: Myth or reality?

"No pain, no gain." "Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today." Germans are known for being hardworking and disciplined, but do they indeed live up to this reputation?

There is evidence to suggest otherwise. For instance, studies show Germans don't work that much compared to the rest of the world and work less over time. And on average, Germans take more than 30 vacation days per year.

By the same token, they work almost 40 years on average before retiring, considerably longer than the European average. And 60% of Germans have admitted to working while on vacation.

So, is Germany's hardworking reputation a myth or reality?