{"id":40789,"date":"2020-08-06T01:52:41","date_gmt":"2020-08-05T15:52:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/?p=40789"},"modified":"2020-08-05T19:19:03","modified_gmt":"2020-08-05T09:19:03","slug":"collaboration-connection-and-new-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/collaboration-connection-and-new-opportunities\/","title":{"rendered":"Collaboration, connection and new opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"

FEELING a sense of connection and belonging has never been more important as we face isolation and, for many, working from home alone.
\nWhere we work \u2013 and how that affects our overall wellbeing – is something Happy Spaces<\/a> founder Matty Lawrence is passionate about.
\nMatty is a big believer in the benefits of working close to home, but not in the home, and how it is proven to make people happier.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Matty Lawrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

His thoughtfully designed co-working and event spaces are providing an inspiring environment suited to professionals, entrepreneurs and small businesses wanting to work close to home in coastal settings.
\nThe Torquay space, located in the village hub of Gilbert Street, is set to be fully functional by September or October.
\nMatty says while lockdowns have presented big challenges, more flexibility in how we work is allowing people to put their lifestyle first and cut commute times that eat into their precious time.
\n\u201cIt has been a massive disruption like nothing we would ever have imagined but now we are seeing how we adjust and what comes of that, the challenging and the positive,\u201d Matty says.
\n\u201cOvernight, almost, there is a decentralisation of office spaces where now so many companies are saying \u2018work from home full-time or come in two or three days a week\u2019.
\n\u201cI think that is absolutely incredible because there seemed to be a trust barrier there in corporate landscape where they would question \u2018is the employee going to do their work?
\n\u201cThrough this national prototype of working from home that we have had for administrative businesses everybody has now had the experience whereby a dream has come true really.\u201d
\nMatty sees a \u201creturn to local\u201d being a huge focus, with the Surf Coast offering huge appeal due to its sense of community and natural beauty.
\n\u201cI\u2019ve had a few conversations with real estate companies and the inquiry levels are really high and people are now looking to put their lifestyle first,\u201d he says.
\n\u201cWalking down the street and bumping into people you know is now enticing because we can\u2019t do those things at the moment, particularly in Melbourne.\u201d
\nBut working from home can have downsides which is why Happy Spaces came into existence.
\n\u201cWorking from home for some people has a very short shelf life because of the mental health effects of isolation which can impact your productivity, emotional state and wellbeing,\u201d Matty explains.
\n\u201cThere are so many domestic distractions when you work from home\u2026 the lines are very much blurred which is challenging.
\n\u201cWe are finding people don\u2019t feel like they can be fully present in their work situation or their domestic situation.
\n\u201cThere is a frustration and anxiety around not being able to fully deliver on either but they feel like they are working really long hours.\u201d
\nHappy Spaces creates spaces where people connect, collaborate and find new opportunities beyond working.
\nA survey of members showed 91 per cent had made new friends in the space, 70 per cent had collaborated and 40 per cent generated new business.
\nOn average members had saved 30 business days per year on their previous commute time.
\n\u201cWhen you start to quantify those things it becomes really powerful because it gives people back time and time is what everyone is looking for,\u201d Matty says.
\n\u201cWhat we are seeing from the Torquay members is people actually working less hours and still getting a lot of stuff done.
\n\u201cThey are going surfing together, walking together, mountain bike riding and meeting outside the space which is why we exist from a mutual connection and belonging perspective.\u201d
\nWith a mantra of big things can happen in small spaces, Happy Spaces also focus on locally inspired decor, upcycling and sustainable work practices.
\n\u201cPart of what we\u2019ll be doing at Happy Spaces is really championing that return to local through events and activities dedicated to community wellbeing and sustainability,\u201d Matty says.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s needed more than ever now.\u201d
\nTo discover more about Happy Spaces visit
\nwww.happyspaces.com.au<\/a> or call 03 9521 9278.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

FEELING a sense of connection and belonging has never been more important as we face isolation and, for many, working from home alone. Where we work \u2013 and how that affects our overall wellbeing – is something Happy Spaces founder Matty Lawrence is passionate about. Matty is a big believer in the benefits of working […]<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":165,"featured_media":40790,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-40789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCollaboration, connection and new opportunities - Surf Coast Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/collaboration-connection-and-new-opportunities\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Collaboration, connection and new opportunities - Surf Coast Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"FEELING a sense of connection and belonging has never been more important as we face isolation and, for many, working from home alone. 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