Freelancers are less likely to suffer from burnouts than people who work for a boss, even though they often do physically more difficult work, according to a new report by the national statistics office CBS and TNO research institute.

The research, which involved around 1,000 people who are self-employed, found that freelancers feel they have ‘had enough’ seven times a month, half the rate of people in regular employment.

Freelancers also feel fitter and stronger than employees and are more prepared to continue working until they hit at least 67, the survey found.

Some 80% of the self-employed enjoy their work because of its varied nature, compared with just 68% of people with permanent contracts.

Some 1.3 million people in the Netherlands do some sort of freelance work, often alongside a regular job, the national statistics office CBS said in January.

In total, almost 800,000 people rely solely or mainly on income from freelancing, while a further 553,000 rely on another source of income – a part-time job, pension or social security benefits – to make ends meet, the CBS said.