By John Arenas | December 11, 2013

How to Stay Sane in the Home Office: Do’s and Don’ts

Workplace Wednesday: Your workspace is a mirror of your internal state. Place it in the context of one’s home, and this magnifies twofold.

Every space — whether it’s sprawling or slight, sunlit or enclosed — is a potential sanctuary for creativity and productivity to flow unbound and an escape from the rest of the home. On the other hand, if a space is crowded, cluttered, and cast-off as an after-thought, that will express itself in the occupant’s work

Dwell compiled seven home offices designed for productivity.

Here’s why they work:

First and foremost, one’s workspace must be a place that people want to spend time in. The Malibu canyon home for its sweeping vistas, the Japanese retreat in Norway for its serene natural hideaway-feel – these have obvious appeal for their proximity to awe-inspiring natural elements.

On the other end of the spectrum, the inhabitant of the Upper West Side apartment – which does not have much of a view and is working with very minimal space – is able to divide his apartment into separate zones for work and rest with a blue desk-and-wall unit that also acts as an accent wall. The shade of blue is both energizing and brightens up the space.

At the family home in Belgium, a stark white workspace feels bright and neat – but not too neat. The artwork pinned up on the wall surrounding the space mimics a vision board that can serve as a daily inspiration and a reminder of one’s dearest passions and greatest goals. What better a way to get ready to dive into a day’s work?