Issue 11 - May, 2007
How to create your perfect Feng Shui Office at Home in ten easy steps.
If you work at home (as so many of us do these days) it's vital to your productivity and success that you have a space that is energizing and that you enjoy being in. You've probably had to work in rooms or offices that are dark and uncomfortable before, right? How much work did you get accomplished while you were in there? Probably not a whole lot. And your day probably wasn't a whole lot of fun, either.
Having a home office that you feel comfortable in and like will not only allow you to get more work done, but by using Feng Shui principles you can also improve your chances of success and prosperity in whatever you do.
Interested? You should be! By implementing the
following Feng Shui techniques for the office you can really change the energy and start down a road of positive change.
So, let's get started.
1) Acquire Work-Life Balance
Firstly, it's important to realize that if you work at home
then this energy needs to be kept separate from your "home energy". If you do not have a separate room you use for an office, then take steps to visually divide the space you are using from the rest of your home. Put up screens around your workspace or use plants to demarcate the space.
Always remember to close the door of your home office at the end of the day and tidy up your desk. This will enable you to leave work at "work" and keep your office space contained in one area. If you are constantly reminded of your work by overflowing desks and scattered files left around the living room then you'll never be able to shut off and take a break.
Let's face it, we are all striving for work life balance
these days, aren't we?
Equally, don't hide away in the basement. A home
office located at the front of the house will welcome in
fresh, yang energy (that brings new opportunities with it). Ideally, you want energy to flow easily from the front door or mouth of chi to your home office feeding your office with increased creativity, productivity and prosperity.
2) Clear Existing Clutter to welcome in new opportunities
Secondly, to create your perfect Feng Shui office, you'll
need to get rid of any existing clutter. Yes, I know the
old clutter issue raises it's ugly head again! Look
around your office. If you have piles of papers that you
never look at, past bank statements dating back to 1990, books and reports you never read and trash overflowing the litter bin then you have office clutter.
You'll need to get rid of the stuff you really don't need
anymore. Make sure you shred important documents and recycle the rest. I always archive past accounts (that need to be kept for tax purposes) to the loft. Any books you no longer read could be donated to your local library or a charity.
If you have lots of "knick knacks" on your desktop, take a look at what really needs to be there. Knick Knacks are just one more thing to dust around, and they take up valuable space. Keep only items that are truly special to you, and relocate or trash the rest.
Listen folks! Don't be afraid to clear the decks. In letting go of your clutter you'll literally create the space for new work and opportunities to enter in. Plus, you'll
be able to focus better on the job in hand. Only have
out on your desktop the necessary tools and reference materials that enable you to get the task done.
The same goes for your PC. We have an inordinate amount of spam mail sent to us these days. Make sure these don't clog up your inbox. Take time to clear spam and old mails from your PC and see what happens. The same goes for your hard drive. Ensure it's not crowded out with past files that are now redundant. Every time I tidy up my PC the phone rings with an offer of new work.
3) Take Command of your Space!
Once your office is clear of clutter, you are ready for
the next step which is desk placement. If possible, you'll
want to relocate your desk to what's called the Command Position which is diagonal from the door with your back to the wall.
The reason you want to make sure you can see the doorway is so that you can see anyone who enters your office. If your back is to the door you will be subconsciously jumpy or always surprised because you can't see who is coming. If you must sit with your back to the door, hang a mirror in front of you so you can see what's behind you, and make sure you don't put your desk directly in line with the door.
4) Ba gua your office so that you know what to place where
If you stand with your back to the door looking into your
office you'll be able to lay out the ba gua.
You'll then know where to place your desk, PC,
accounts, reference material etc.
For example, place your PC in wealth (4 area of the
ba gua or top left hand side of office) if you use it to
generate income. The same goes for your accounts, invoices and receipts. These should ideally be situated in wealth.
Any reports or reference materials including books should
ideally be situated in study, knowledge and meditation (8 area of the ba gua or the bottom left hand corner of the
office).
Degree certificates and professional qualifications should
ideally be placed in fame and aspirations (9 area of the ba gua). And, if you are aspiring to a new line of business then place a picture of what you'd like to aspire to here.
A water fountain or aquarium is ideally placed in career
(1 area of the ba gua). Feng Shui has traditionally used
moving water to stimulate chi and therefore prosperity in the workplace. It doesn't have to be a huge water
fountain just a small feature (of moving water not stagnant) that literally gets things moving.
If you can, think about where you place your desk. For
example, if you work in PR, media and communications
you may want to place your desk in career (1 area of the ba gua) associated with these qualities.
Alternatively, if you are a fashion designer, interior decorator or work with children, place your desk in creativity and children (7 area of the ba gua). Think about each area of the ba gua and what qualities are associated with it before deciding what to place there.
For a past issue on how to lay out the ba gua and its
associated qualities, please click on the following link
or copy and paste it into your browser:
http://www.easy-feng-shui.com/feng_shui_bagua.html
I always like to lay out the ba gua plan over the desktop so that I know what to place where to achieve maximum success. My desktop PC usually sits in wealth (top left hand corner of desk) although as I write I notice my husband has moved it to fame and aspirations. I'll have to move it back. In fact, I need to send this newsletter to him as he's the world's worst for office clutter.
5) Pay attention to your office furniture
You'll also want to pay attention to what
kind of furniture you're using in your office. If you
picked up second-hand furniture somewhere because it was a good deal then be aware that your furniture may be harbouring bad chi from the previous owner. Of course, it can work the other way too. We once picked up a load of second-hand furniture from a company that moved to bigger premises. A few years later we were making a similar move.
Remember, look for items that are comfortable and make you feel good. You spend all day in your office so may sure the things you have in there reflect who you are and where you want to go in life.
6) Eliminate sharp corners or 'sha chi'.
Take stock of the shape of your office. Do you have any sharp corners that jut out at right angles from the wall? If so, place a plant there or cover it with a piece of fabric.
Remember, sharp corners confuse energy and disrupt the flow in your office.
7) Colour your feng shui office to perfection
Now take a minute to look at the color of your home office. How does it make you feel? Colors, as you know, can impact your energy and emotions in very powerfuls ways, so repainting your office according to feng shui principles will be a huge step in turning this into a welcoming space.
Different colors affect us in different ways, so spend time thinking about how you'd like to feel in here. Do you need energy or a vibrant boost during the day?
Then a bright yellow would be a great choice. Do you need a calm environment to cut down on stress and a hectic schedule? Then go with a soothing light green color.
Red is a power color, so if you're making deals or trying to get sales this color might help you be more assertive during the day. I like to sit on a chair covered in red fabric to give myself a boost. Again, consider your line of work here. Purple, for example, is a great choice if your work involves spirit or connecting with the higher self.
8) Take a look at the images surrounding you
Now let's look at the artwork you have in your office. Does it reflect what you do or what you're striving for? Having pictures that inspire you to work for your goals is a way to visualize what you want and prompt you to move forward and get it.
If you're working in order to pursue your dream of travel, then hang pictures of places you'd like to visit. If you're working to provide food and comfort for your family, then make sure you have a picture of them easily visible. Whatever it is that drives you through your day, make sure there are images surrounding you that reflect that.
9) Use Plant Power to purify the air
Another tip for a Feng Shui friendly office is to place plants here. Plants purify the air and bring wonderful chi into any space. Lush, green plants are a symbol of life and vitality which are always useful elements to work with.
For a past issue on what plants to pick for your home office, please click on the following link or copy and paste it into your browser:
http://www.easy-feng-shui.com/feng_shui_plants.html
10) A note of Caution
Many home offices (due to a lack of space) are located in a spare bedroom. Not so bad if you have a pull-out bed that can be folded away when not in use. However, I would try to avoid working opposite a bed during the daytime as there is a conflict of energy here.
At nighttime, the energy needs to be largely passive,
inwardly focused or yin in order for you to recharge
your batteries and feel refreshed for the day ahead.
However, yang or active energy needs to be present in a home office in order to achieve the success you are looking for.
As you can see there is a conflict of interest here so if you do combine the two make sure you turn off all office equipement at night and cover your desk with fabric so that your sleep won't be disturbed with thoughts of work.
Using Feng Shui for the office can ensure that you are
productive and successful during the day. A few simple changes can work wonders and are well worth the minimal effort involved.
Please keep me posted of any changes that occur at:
clare@easy-feng-shui.com
Here's wishing you the very best Feng Shui for the office!
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