I get that question a lot. I am also not surprised that telecommuting has increased 103% in 10 years. After the birth of my first son 14 years ago, I decided to leave my corporate marketing job to start freelancing. I had this unexpected desire to spend more time with him. After my three-month maternity leave, I went back to work full-time for five months. I was miserable and cried every night when I put him to bed. I decided to propose to my employer that I contract some of my job duties and work at home. They accepted my contract and became my first client. That was very progressive thinking on their part for 2002.

Honestly, it has not always been the best financial decision. We gave up one full-time salary at the time. Working from home does not mean my house is clean, nor is dinner on the table at 6 pm. If fact, working from home is hard. You must be discipline and deal with constant distractions, work late into the night or early in the morning. It is nearly impossible to walk away from your work at the end of the day.

However, I still say all the struggles have been well worth the time spent with my now three children. I’ve had the chance to work on a variety of different projects and recently went back to school for my Masters. I love that I have been able to spend more time at home and use my brain at the same time. Most importantly, I thank my husband. He never loved the idea of me saying, “if we have to eat beans, I want to stay at home and work” however, he has always supported my decision.

Years ago, it was hard to find legitimate remote jobs. I am excited to see the variety of opportunities that are now available. I recently read that “50% of people will work remotely by 2020.” If you have ever considered it, I encourage you to take another look.

Photo credit: Flexjobs.com