How being your own boss can boost your health and happiness

Franchising can help women’s well-being as it promotes a positive and productive environment, according to Encouraging Women into Franchising

Have you found the challenge of balancing life’s demands difficult over the last 12 months? Working from home, living with reduced income, celebrating life successes and birthdays and homeschooling - not to mention those who are also dealing with health issues or who’ve put life goals on hold. We’ve all been impacted, one way or another.

Which is why we’re exploring whether franchising could help women’s mental health, as it promotes a positive and productive environment in the face of adversity.

Perceived helplessness

According to Florence Thibaut and Patricia JM van Wijngaarden- Cremers’ study of Women’s Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic: ‘Women reported significantly more ‘perceived helplessness’ compared to men.’ They also found: ‘Even if the fatality rate has been twice higher for men than for women, COVID-19 affected women more than men, both as frontline workers and at home.’

There are many contributing factors as to why the pandemic has had such a detrimental effect on women’s mental health.

‘COVID-19 affected women profoundly in several areas,’ write Florence and Patricia, ‘both in the workplace (especially for those in the health and social sector) and at home, with an increased workload due to lockdown and quarantine measures.’

Career change

However, throughout the crisis Encouraging Women into Franchising has seen a significant increase in the number of women wanting to change career. Women who were looking for flexibility, understanding the right work-life balance is crucial for better quality of life and a healthy mind. As well as those who had, unfortunately, been made redundant.

During the pandemic, the franchise industry provided opportunities and a number of franchises expanded in spite of the restrictions. This is because franchising meets the desire for flexible working and with proven opportunities in most sectors is a reduced-risk route to business ownership.

It also creates a safe peer network for women, offering a place to openly discuss life’s challenges and successes via female focused franchise networks like EWiF. Many women find that being part of these groups enables them to maintain a healthy mind, as there’s always someone to talk to.

Social benefits

Beyond the pandemic, joining a franchise also offers social benefits, as franchisors run events, conferences and awards ceremonies throughout the year. This helps franchisees focus their time and energy on pursuing and achieving those larger goals, while making valuable connections.

We’re not saying running your own franchise is the answer to all mental health struggles. However, it does offer the benefit of having somewhere to turn when you feel alone.

So if you’re wondering how changing your career will benefit your well-being, why not join the rising numbers of women taking the plunge. See what running your own franchise could do for you.

At a glance Encouraging Women Into Franchising

Visit ewif.org and thebfa.org for your first step in finding a new career.