Work-life balance in 2016 is a far cry from what it has been in the past couple of years. Flexible working is becoming an increasingly admirable option for many workers across the UK, as it allows a person to work as and when is best for them.
In fact, recent research from Vodafone shows that 83 per cent of workers believe that adopting a flexible working routine improves productivity. It also widely recognised that those who work for themselves with a routine catered to their capabilities are, in general, happier than those with traditional nine-to-five jobs.
With more than 1.6 million contractors in the UK, it is not surprising that flexible workers make up some ten per cent of the population.
Earlier this month, it was also revealed that women with flexible work arrangements, such as contracting, are more likely to succeed and enjoy client demand.
Flexibility is one of the main perks of working as a limited company contractor, as it allows you to work at your peak productivity times and around the other important events that life throws at us.
As a contractor, a successful work-life balance is not only good for your health, but it can also boost creativity and productivity, especially at a time when competition among workers is more fierce than ever before.
Flexible working isn't the only benefit of contracting, as it also means that you could potentially earn more than what you would in a permanent employment role.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that IT contractors specifically are on a daily rate twice the sum of their counterparts with annual salaries in equivalent jobs.
IT contractors in the banking and financial services industries seemed to be pulling in the best pay rates, earning a daily rate of £650, compared to a full-time daily rate of £300, as their special skills help banks improve their digital systems.
Contractors should utilise the increased flexibility they get with working in this way to their best advantage; to get a good work-life balance, or using it to spend additional time working on multiple contracts.