Think you work harder than everyone else? If you own a small business, you're probably right.

More than 30 percent of small-business owners report working an average of at least 10 hours a day, compared with only 19 percent of the general population, according to the monthly Discover Small Business Watch index.

Almost half of small-business owners say they work on holidays, and 15 percent show up seven days a week, more than twice the number of nonbusiness owners.

"Being a small business owner really means being available to your customers 24-7," said Sastry Rachakonda of Discover.

Almost 60 percent define a "day off" as being available for calls and e-mail, working for a few hours or working all day at a remote location, the index reported. That's compared with 32 percent of the general population.

Before you feel too bad for those hardworking stiffs, know that small business owners tend to feel passionate about their work and more in control of their future, Rachakonda said.

Plus, their husbands and wives support their entrepreneurial spirit. More than half of small-business owners reported that their spouse approved of them checking e-mail away from work, compared with 37 percent of nonbusiness owners.

The Discover Small Business Watch is based on a national random survey of 1,000 U.S. small business owners, and measures the relative economic confidence of businesses that employ fewer than five people.

Gaming at work

Coffee breaks and watercooler chitchat are out when it comes to office stress relief. Now, video games are all the rage.

Almost a quarter of white-collar workers play video games at work, and 84 percent say they feel more relaxed after indulging, according to a recently released survey.

Some workers admitted to gaming during business meetings or conference calls, but most played during breaks or intermittently throughout the day, according to the nonscientific survey by video game provider PopCap Games.

"To me, it's akin to doodling," said Garth Chouteau, a company spokesman. "You really don't use all the mental bandwidth you have when you're playing these games."

More than a third of higher-level executives admitted to playing video games at work, compared to 23 percent of other white-collar workers.