Back in the early days of 9-2-3, one of the things we most loved to do was to go out into the world and talk to people. We wanted to gather together the experiences and opinions of everyone we met. And I mean everyone. We'd probe in the queue at the Post Office. We'd canvass at the corner shop. We'd scrutinise at the school gates. Mostly, our proposals for boosting part-time working opportunities were met with enthusiasm. Often, with overwhelming relief. But occasionally, with nervousness. To our surprise, we stumbled upon some anxiety - anxiety that asking to work part-time would suggest that you weren't serious about wanting to build your career, or weren't as committed as your peers. That you in some way lacked ambition.

Thankfully, we've all come a long way since then. These days, most employers know that part-time roles often give them access to the same amount of experience and judgement, and the same number of professional contacts, for a fraction of the price. At the same time, most candidates know that if a company's offering part time roles, then they're quite likely to value skills and business acumen over presenteeism, and to recognise the importance of work-life balance.

But just in case there's any lingering worry that a part-time role might make you appear less dedicated, we thought we'd share with you our favourite part-time roles from history. Buckle up! You'll never look at a part-time job description in the same way again...

Steve Jobs

There's a reasonable chance that you're reading this on a phone, or a laptop, displaying an apple logo. It's one of the best known symbols in the world, no? From Sydney to Singapore, most of us would recognise that picture anywhere. It represents global commercial might. Technical wizardry and innovation. Market leadership.

It also represents the power and drive of someone carrying out a part-time role. Famously, Steve Jobs was working the night shift at Atari when, together with Steve Wozniak, he built the first Apple computer in his garage. That's right: the development and running of Apple, the global giant, started as a part-time venture, alongside another role. That's some side hustle... It just goes to show that working on something for only part of the week doesn't affect the amount of creativity, skill or engagement you bring to it.

Albert Einstein

Einstein's "Miracle Year' of 1905 changed the world of science forever. It's also the case that his research projects were carried out for only a few hours a day, whilst he was also employed as a technical expert in the Swiss Patent Office in Bern. That said, they literally brought about the Theory of Relativity and the realisation that E = mc2 - so he wasn't exactly slacking...

Interestingly, Einstein may also have been an early proponent of the benefits of work-life balance, even if it wasn't a term he'd have used; it's been suggested by some that he used music as a way to untangle knotty scientific problems in his mind. Perhaps he appreciated that some time away from your desk can help you to bring a fresh point of view and renewed energy to your professional interests.

Ernest Hemmingway

Ernest Hemmingway liked to write from just after dawn until noon. Some might see this choice not to work in the afternoons as evidence that Hemmingway was unfocused or idle. Others - including, you know, the committees who awarded him the 1953 Pulitzer Prize and the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature - appear to disagree. In fact, Hemmingway himself believed the opposite - he would only stop writing for the day once he knew what was going to happen next in his stories, and would then wait with eagerness until he could write it down the following morning. Far from wanting to avoid hard work, he said that, "It is the wait until the next day that is hard to get through."

More than 60 years after his death, he's generally considered to be the most famous 20th Century American novelist. Short on kindness? Hmm, yes, possibly. Somewhat lacking in marital fidelity? We couldn't possibly comment. But devoid of drive and passion? Never.

Charles Darwin

Finally, we come to Darwin. That's right - Darwin. You'd think, with all that sailing around the world on HMS Beagle and observing giant tortoises, he'd be working terribly unsociable hours, wouldn't you? But in fact, Darwin generally worked for just four hours a day, in short, intense periods of focus. In particular, he thought that he could write best, and be most productive, when he worked for two 90-minute sessions in the morning, and a further 60 minutes each afternoon. He punctuated this schedule with walks and, crucially, time spent with his family. It turns out that this was the perfect mix needed to become history's most famous biologist and to change the way we see humanity forever.

So when we look at the perfect conditions for fostering inspiration and creativity, balanced with prodigious output and global success, perhaps the traditional 9-5 model isn't so effective after all. It turns out that what we do, and how we think, might be more important than when we do it. Maybe the time we spend away from our desks - in the fresh air, playing music or with our families - is not a concession by employers at all, but is in fact the secret ingredient that sparks innovation and makes us more productive when we return to our workspace. It gives rise to new perspectives we couldn't get elsewhere. It's not lost time. On the contrary, research suggests that it's a vital part of the magic.

At 9-2-3, helping to create that magic gives us a warm glow. If you feel as though you'd like to change your working life, and to bring a touch more enchantment to the world, get in touch. We'd love to hear from you.