Is location independence really a thing?

People don’t actually work from anywhere, right? Many of my friends and family members have never heard the term “Location Independent”. Have you? Similarly, people who can work from anywhere are often referred to as “digital nomads”. Those who have heard of either often conjure up a picture in their head of someone lounging on the beach with a mojito in one hand and laptop the other. Doesn’t it sound wonderful? That is the glamourous side of it. One of the possibilities. But there are many other sides to consider, so you have to try not to romanticize it too much.

The term “digital nomads” has been around the longest, but many associate this only with techy people who code or build websites, or perhaps creative minds focused on writing or editing. Alternatively, “location independent” was coined in 2007 by Lea Woodward when she created the website with the same name. Lea and her husband, Jonathan, didn’t agree with the term “nomadic”, so created their own term to better explain the way they wanted to live life – running their business online wherever they were travelling.

The popularity of both terms has grown exponentially over the years. The world is slowly changing, allowing for even more opportunities to earn a living remotely, from entrepreneurial options to e-commerce to simply working remotely within a typical brick and mortar company.  The trick is finding the right one for you. And me.

Remote work is becoming more common. One of my previous employers was somewhat skeptical of working remotely. They didn’t quite trust that work would actually get done as efficiently. But then Hurricane Sandy hit. And the buildings were closed for weeks. Somehow, when the dust settled, we came out okay. Because people had successfully worked remotely. Light bulb moment. Now, as real estate becomes more expensive, working from home is a way for companies to SAVE money. I predict that remote work arrangements will only continue to grow more popular in the future.

I’ve done the typical 9-5 (or more), working in an office every day, but also have experience working remotely. It’s not necessarily easy to work alone, but the pros can often outweigh the cons, especially with the rise of co-working spaces around the globe allowing you to work in an office with other people. It’s not for everyone, but it is well-suited to people who can self-motivate and don’t need to be surrounded by teammates to thrive.

What do you think? Would your company ever let you work remotely? Would you ever want to?