Whether you work in an office, work from home or work anywhere freelancing, the same old can negatively impact your motivation, productivity and wellbeing. Office life can be distracting at best, home is often lonesome or sedentary, and finding a location to work productively that isn't costly but comfortable can be time-consuming. Being geographically dispersed and not often able to work in a single location, we've compiled our picks of the best places to work when you need to get away from the desk.

1) Cafes

By far the most popular location to work when not confined to a desk is the wifi-enabled cafe. For most Europeans, this is easy. Buy a coffee and work as long as you like. For the rest of us, you need to hear through the grapevine (or any number of apps now) which cafes don't hassle you for your next order before Gmail is even open. Alternatively, timing your cafe work session outside of peak times shouldn't be a problem.

2) Coworking spaces

The second location of choice for many freelancers or startups is the co-working space. The perks are numerous with some featuring all the bells and whistles you wish for your own blossoming startup one day, but even a casual hot desk can be pricey (~$30-60/day, albeit with free coffee of varying quality) and you still have interpersonal distractions, if not more, from budding entrepreneurs looking to network or just nose around. A coworking space may or may not be for you, but they can provide positive company and serve as a source of inspiration or advice when you really need it.

3) Serviced offices

The next best thing to a coworking space is the serviced office, which can be found in most towns and cities around the world with worldwide membership benefits for when you're out of town. If you're consulting or starting your own firm, they're as good as a full-blown office. As a freelancer or work-from-home employee, cheaper monthly or day visit options give you access to common facilities, including wifi, coffee and usually a dedicated desk in a room of running businesses, which means fewer questions.

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4) A hot desk or spare room, wherever you are

The most convenient solution to changing up your scenery is to simply move to a different desk or table. At home, this could be the kitchen bench, dining table or any other room where there's a table to work at. Use the balcony or backyard for fresh air and some rays. Moving to any of these temporary work spots will instantly provide a clutter-free space to clear your head and focus.

At work, try a spare desk or meeting room that's not being used. If this works, you could suggest making this a permanent ‘hot desk' or space for the team or department and manage it using a calendar or booking system - or a simple paper form with dates on the door - allowing up to one or two-hour blocks per person per day.

5) Lap desks

Lap desks can easily be found online, in large stationery stores and IKEA. Depending on your needs, they can include a cup holder, phone or tablet stand, mouse pad or a light. In a nutshell, you'll reduce neck pain and lower your risk of a future as a hunchback if you often work on the couch or in bed.

6) Walking meeting

Get out of your chair and get in some much needed movement during the day by scheduling your next meeting outdoors. Not ideal for a meeting between more than two or three people and it's important to ask in advance!

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... the same old can negatively impact motivation, productivity and wellbeing ...

7) Libraries

Libraries usually offer free wifi and speeds tend to be more than acceptable. Local or state libraries are obvious choices, but don't discount a university library because you're not a student. Most university libraries are open to the public, but you may have to sign-in or pay a small annual fee to use wifi and borrow books. The upside is libraries commonly have a nearby cafe or coffee stand, private rooms if you need to take a call or drown out all distractions, and most importantly, they're filled with other people getting stuff done, keeping you motivated and focused.

8) Parks

Depending on the time of year, you can soak in some vitamin D, breathe fresh air, people-watch, keep some distance between you and the next person if you like, relax or take a walk when you need a break, and you can be sure you'll find a spot to work. The downsides are sunburn, lack of coffee and potential back pain if you stay too long.

9) Hotel lobbies

A personal favorite, hotel lobbies are sure to have a cafe, bar or lounge, noise level is generally a low buzz of suitcase wheels and short chats about where to go, you have the choice of sofa (the greater the stars, the greater the plushness) or table, restrooms are cleaned frequently, and you can hold a meeting there if you have clients. The only downsides might be wifi access and snack prices.

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10) Airports

Besides the hassle of going through security, airports offer the same perks and anonymity as a hotel lobby with the added benefit of having a lot of walking space and sitting options. Depending where you live, airports sometimes house special eateries not yet available in your local city, hard to find magazines, and no one is going to ask if you'd like another coffee.

11) Train stations

Large train stations, particularly in Europe, are centers of food, people watching and of course, free wifi. Like airports, you'll be left alone to do what you need to do without spending much more than loose change on a coffee. Plus, the hustle and bustle makes for good background noise.

12) Pubs

Pubs, at least by day, shouldn't be restricted to drinking copious amounts of alcoholic beverages. Look for pubs that are less trendy but frequented by locals. They may not have wifi, but you can sit forever and when you're feeling peckish you can choose from a light snack or a hearty, value for money meal.