Taking the lead: How to strike the perfect work-life balance

Retaining a healthy work-life balance has certainly been brought to the forefront of employees’ and employers’ minds as a result of COVID-19. Starting your own business could be a way of taking back control

The pandemic brought with it more than a few unwelcome side effects. Voluntary redundancy and furlough became common buzzwords that we hoped would never be in the conversation, but the harsh reality for many has been that they have lost control of having a healthy work-life balance as a result of matters out of everyone’s hands. Now that offices are reopening, and life is going back to normal, the concept of taking back control and being the master of your own work-life balance has never been more important.

And for many, the thought of becoming a franchisee and running a business has never been more attractive. This has been the key inspiration for many Code Ninjas franchisees who have been able to strike a work-life balance that works perfectly for them.

Retaining a healthy work-life balance has certainly been brought to the forefront of employees’ and employers’ minds as a result of COVID-19. According to a recent Working Families survey, 97 per cent of employees want their workplace to retain flexible working after the pandemic. Meanwhile, in the same survey, 86 per cent of parents reported wanting to work flexibly, but only one in five jobs advertise such benefits. Code Ninjas allows franchisees the chance to be as involved in the day-to-day operations of the business as they see fit. By being well equipped to either manage the business from a distance or take a more hands-on role in the operations, striking the perfect work-life balance has never been so available to prospective business owners. 

One such franchisee, James Miller (pictured), who owns Code Ninjas Surbiton, decided that Code Ninjas was the ideal investment for the very reason of striking a work-life balance. “I was looking to invest in a business before COVID hit and was originally considering the fitness sector,” he says.

“But then I discovered Code Ninjas! Having the opportunity to make a real impact on children’s educational experiences while also taking control of my own fate resonated with me. My boys are nine- and 11-years-old and are obsessed with gaming, so choosing a business like this that will positively impact their love of technology in the future aligned with my own ambitions and desire to make the right decisions for their lives as well as my own. Additionally, being given the opportunity to spend more time with my boys in and outside of the dojo has been ideal, and I feel that, although it’s been a difficult period for all businesses, there have been so many silver linings with what Code Ninjas has given me on a personal level.”

Justin Nihiser, CEO of Code Ninjas, explains why franchising is the ideal opportunity to focus on your own wellbeing. He says: “Ask yourself, is your employer giving you the flexibility you need to get the most from your job and personal life? Have you spent enough time on yourself recently? How satisfied are you with the work-life balance in your immediate future? If you are dissatisfied with any of the thoughts you have about your own work-life balance, then you may need to consider how to make your situation work for you again. Making small, practical changes can drastically improve the situation that you’re in. Equally, if you’ve had that one ‘big idea’ at the back of your mind for a while now, why not take the risk?”

“I never would have thought taking on more responsibilities by investing in a business would have helped me strike a healthier work-life balance. Code Ninjas has opened so many doors for me. Not just as an entrepreneur, but as a parent. It’s so important to take back control now we are on the other side of the pandemic, and I can honestly say investing in Code Ninjas was the best way for me to achieve that,” adds James.