When you first take the leap and become self-employed or freelance, working from home seems like a no-brainer. After all, you don’t have to go into an office anymore (yay!), so why wouldn’t you work from the comfort of your couch in your PJs? But while some people can manage to be happy and productive working a la casa, it’s certainly not a long-term option for everyone. Some people find it becomes difficult to have any separation between work, life and home, while others struggle with the lack of structure or crave social interaction with someone other than their cat.
It’s for this reason that so many freelancers, entrepreneurs and small business owners end up searching for a co-working space after a couple of months. Working in a shared office environment improves your mood, productivity and work/life balance—and there’s research to prove it!
Melbourne co-working space The Commons recently surveyed their members and found that that 64% reported their overall wellbeing has definitely improved as a result of working in a shared space. The survey also revealed that majority of members claimed their business had improved dramatically from being a part of a vibrant office community, with benefits including an increase in clients and sales. A staggering 93% of members also reported they look forward to coming to work more since being in a shared office environment and couldn’t imagine going back to a traditional office.
Are you a Melbournite and are ready to join the co-working club? Check out the coolest co-working spaces in Melbourne, below.
The Commons
The Commons currently has two spacious Melbourne locations, with one more in Cremorne on the way. From the spin studio, library and 3 outdoor terraces in their South Melbourne space to the open-air garden and photography studio at the Collingwood location, every feature is designed to promote creativity and collaboration. Yep, it’s not hard to see why its members are so happy!
Check out The Commons here.
Creative Cubes
Creative Cubes is well known for its uber cool co-working space in Richmond and they recently just expanded with another in Hawthorne. Their new location is even more impressive than the first, boasting wellness-boosting features like an on-site healthy cafe, yoga and mindfulness studio and an Orange Theory Fitness to help you do your best work.
Check out Creative Cubes here.
South Hive
Easily one of Melbourne’s chicest boutique office spaces, South Hive offers a range of flexible co-working options, including hotdesking, private suites and team areas. Located in the heart of South Melbourne, it’s mere footsteps away from the market, so a delicious bite to eat is never too far away.
Check out South Hive here.
WeWork
With locations across Australia, Asia, the US and Europe, WeWork is globally known for its stylish, modern co-working spaces—and their Melbourne offices are no exception. Both their Elizabeth St and William St locations offer multiple floors of hotdesking and co-working areas, as well as comfy lounge areas and outdoor spaces for when you want to socialise and chill.
Check out WeWork Melbourne here.
Space & Co
You’d be hard-pressed to find a co-working office in Melbourne that boasts a better view than Space&Co. We can totally imagine ourselves getting distracted staring at that skyline, but luckily there are plenty of open-plan spaces for doing your best work—as well as an in-house cafe, luxury changeroom facilities and a concierge service that will book your appointments for you!
Space&Co has four locations in Melbourne. You can check them out here.
