My aunt recently posted a link to this article on Facebook: Running Away: A Primer for Moms. I’m sure every mom can relate to this (if she’s totally honest). I have long flirted with running away, and believe that the temptation is sometimes even greater in those of us who work from home.

Don’t get me wrong, working at home is great. Ideal, even. Everything you need is right here, you don’t need to take sick days when your kids aren’t well, you can drop by the office on a Sunday to finish something up, and your commute is really, really short.

But the downside is the distractions: those unfolded piles of laundry aren’t left behind when you head to work, they’re staring you in the face from the living room while you eat your lunch. The dirty dishes taunt you from the sink. And when the kids get home from school, forget about finishing that last half hour of work: it’s Pokemon time.

With me, the temptation started early. I remember when my daughter was only a few weeks old. My husband had returned to work and I had spent a few long days and even longer nights on 100% baby duty. One evening he returned home and I handed over the baby and wordlessly left the house. I ventured exactly 17 steps from the front door to check my neglected garden, but I remember the nervous looks he gave me from the kitchen window. He even called out to me a few times, asking what I was doing out there. I think he could sense how intoxicating even that ten minutes of “freedom” felt.

I returned to the house before he completely panicked, but over the years I’ve escaped frequently. Trips to the garden, in particular, recharge my battery and help keep me (literally) grounded and calm about the rest of my life. I’ve decided that it’s not something to be alarmed about, this desire to run away (even if it’s just to the grocery store). Running away can be good for the soul.

What do you think? Do you dream about running away? Where would you go?