(Sponsored Content -- ) Drivers who work for ride-hailing companies often come from a variety of lifestyles, backgrounds and life circumstances, yet all have chosen their gigs for the same reason: flexibility.

In a report by The Hamilton Project, as the post-Great Recession market continues to recover, on-demand gig work benefits both workers and the economy through job growth and personal income. Today's gig economy offers flexibility, minimal training costs and low barriers to entering the workforce, which allows workers to supplement their incomes as needed.

"Yes, my schedule is so flexible," said Darnell Tillett, an Uber driver from northern New Jersey. "I can do anything that my kids are doing. My youngest son plays football, and so I catch all of his games. I picked him up from practice. I get him home, and if I decide to go out .. then I go."

A 2018 poll from Gallup found that independent gig workers typically experience higher levels of work-life balance, flexibility, autonomy, meaningful feedback and creative freedom, scoring much higher on all these factors when compared with traditional workers and other types of gig work.

"Well, my schedule is pretty flexible, I work from 9-4 every day, and so I'm off on every weekend, so when I get out, this is right around dinnertime," Tillett said. "[I] only do UberEats now, so I'm able to pick up a lot of business with people not wanting to go out or just, you know, too tired to go out until it's convenient for them. But it’s also convenient for me."

A report by Edison research found that of 1,044 gig workers, 44% work in the gig economy as their primary source of income, and 53% between ages 18-34 used gig economy work as a secondary source of income. It also found that 38% of gig workers were ages 18-34, 25% were 35-55, and 11% were 55 or older. According to the report, 31% were Hispanic, 27% were African-American and 21% were white or other. 

Despite the varying ages and demographics, one thing is certain: flexibility is a huge draw of gig work.