Brendt Sheen is the CEO of Code Heroes, a software development agency based in Queensland

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To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I’m the Founder and CEO of Code Heroes, a software development agency based in Queensland, Australia. My background and career stem from my passion for software development. 

What does a day in your life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

At Code Heroes, we hit the ground running each morning at 9am.

To kick off 2023, rather than spending my first day (or week) getting “back into the swing” of it, I instead completed the following on my first day back at work:

• – Onboarded a new employee to the team
• – Discussed, decided and communicated to the team a new test automation process that incorporates our new team members’ experience
• – Determined priorities for a new internal project which uses ChatGPT by OpenAI

And this is just the work I was involved in. The list of completed works across the Code Heroes team for Jan 3rd 2023 would raise some eyebrows in disbelief.

What does work-life balance mean to you, and how do you work to achieve that goal?

Personally, I prefer the term ‘life balance’. Work is a part of life – and for most people, a very significant one. At Code Heroes, we enjoy a 6-hour work day as a reward for kicking goals for the company. It’s win-win as it promotes life balance, while also increasing productivity.

In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?

Ask any business owner what they do daily, and they’ll tell you they wear many hats. The reality is that business owners are often covering the roles of multiple jobs and many people. 2022 saw me hand over various functions to others in the organisation. This resulted in the work I handed over being completed in a more timely manner and allowed me to enjoy a shorter, more focused work day.

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Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?

I’d highly recommend Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott. Amazingly insightful book from a uniquely experienced individual. 

If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?

Kim Scott as her book helped me to become the leader I am today – she states that leaders who care personally and challenge directly are more effective.

I care for the wellbeing of my team. Helping them attain better life balance helps frame the tough conversations, particularly when deadlines approach and a crunch is required to deliver on time.

Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

Leaders should have the courage to experiment with work day and week configurations. It’s a challenging endeavour, but the benefits of getting it right for both employers and employees are worth it. My team is given the authority flexibility  they need, and as a result, are highly engaged and motivated to deliver their best. 

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