In today's fast-paced, stress-filled world, achieving a healthy work-life balance is more critical than ever as 72% believe a healthy work-life balance is crucial for overall well-being and job satisfaction. However, many individuals struggle to find this balance, whether it's the pressure of a demanding job or the blurred lines between work and personal life.
By better understanding your career options—whether traditional employment or business ownership such as franchising – you can decide which offers the most advantageous work-life options for you.
What is Work-Life Balance?
Work-life balance means finding a healthy and sustainable medium between your job and your personal life. Unfortunately, 60% of U.S. workers say they don’t have adequate boundaries between work and life responsibilities. It's not just about splitting time evenly but also ensuring that neither your work nor your personal life suffers due to the other.
This lack of separation can lead to increased stress and ultimately burnout. In the U.S., burnout is one of the reasons employees leave their jobs, surpassing all other factors. Finding a job that pays well and allows you to enjoy life outside of work can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Do Entrepreneurs Have a Good Work-Life Balance?
Many individuals seek job satisfaction by starting their own businesses, which enables them to be their own bosses and create their own schedules, only to learn that they end up spending more time on the job than being a business owner. The dream of achieving a perfect work-life balance can quickly become a daunting reality as entrepreneurs juggle countless responsibilities—from finance and marketing to customer service and staffing. This can lead to exhaustion, negating the reasons they started their businesses in the first place.
While anything truly meaningful requires work, franchising can potentially offer an elegant solution that more effectively bridges the gap between energy expelled while doing the work and the satisfaction (and potential rewards) gained for the effort.
Franchising: The Ultimate Professional Path for Work-Life Balance
With established practices, systems, and franchisor support, franchising allows owners to pursue a rewarding profession while maintaining a fulfilling personal life. One prime example of a franchise network that prioritizes work-life balance is Neighborly®, who offers a variety of home service franchises catering to a wide variety of interests and skills, from plumbing and electrical services to landscaping and cleaning.
Here are the top three areas where Neighborly franchises prioritize work-life balance:
Home-Based Business
Home-based job operations are how some Neighborly franchise owners get started. This can significantly contribute to work-life balance by eliminating the need for a physical office space initially. Franchise owners can operate their businesses directly from home or a mobile unit, minimizing commuting time and costs.
This setup not only creates a comfortable and productive work environment tailored to your preferences but also fosters a greater sense of autonomy and control over your daily routine.
For example, a Neighborly franchise owner can handle administrative tasks in the morning and still have time to volunteer at their child's school in the afternoon.
Comprehensive Training
Neighborly franchises provide robust training programs designed to equip franchise owners for success—regardless of their prior technical or business experience. These comprehensive training programs cover a broad range of essential areas such as asset and organizational management, customer service, marketing, and sales tactics, empowering franchise owners to run their businesses effectively from day one and throughout the business ownership journey.
The skills learned during training not only prepare franchise owners for operational success but also help them get off on the right foot with the use of the established systems and processes that contribute to a more balanced work-life dynamic. Being able to depend on first-class education, insights, and leadership training from people who have excelled in their industry enables you to not only thrive in your business but also have time to enjoy your family and hobbies.
Flexible Work and Scheduling
79% of people believe flexible working options would contribute to a better work-life balance.
With Neighborly, whether you invest in a lawn care, home repair, or electrical services franchise, having the ability to schedule your appointments around personal commitments is invaluable. This flexibility allows franchise owners to take their kids to school, attend evening events, or enjoy time for themselves.
Neighborly’s centralized scheduling system enables franchise owners to select their preferred time slots for appointments, which are managed by a dedicated call center. This streamlined approach simplifies the booking process, allowing you to focus on growing your business while more effectively managing your time. This adaptability ensures that franchise owners can maintain a healthy work-life balance without sacrificing the success of their franchise.
Best Franchises for Work-Life Balance
Finding a career that prioritizes flexibility, support, and training can significantly enhance your quality of life. Franchising can be the best career path for work-life balance, especially for those looking to combine entrepreneurship with a more manageable lifestyle. The degree of balance in any endeavor depends on one’s goals, but Neighborly’s model for franchises—some of which make it possible to operate as a home-based job—provides the flexibility, support, and training needed to reach career goals while avoiding some of the stresses of business ownership.
Are you curious about which Neighborly brand might be the best fit for you?
Take our quiz today to find out which franchise aligns with your passions and lifestyle and make the move toward a highly fulfilling career that allows you to maintain a healthy work-life balance.