Five ways to balance your office with feng shui
Make your work environment more inviting and productive
By Carol M. Olmstead
Hybrid working arrangements are here to stay. Whether you work at home in a separate room, at your dining room table, or in a corner of your bedroom, and whether you visit a workplace daily, occasionally or never, feng shui changes can help bring balance and harmony.
Feng shui (pronounced fung shway) is the art and science of arranging your indoor surroundings in balance and harmony with the natural world. While the roots of feng shui come from ancient China, the underlying principle is the same for contemporary feng shui: when the energy around you is blocked, your prosperity, relationships, health and well-being are affected; when the energy is balanced, good things naturally flow into your life.
In these troubled times, more people are asking how feng shui can help them feel comfortable in our new hybrid workplace. Here are five of my favorite tips to help restore balance, reduce stress and adjust to transition in any home office or workplace situation:
1. Sit (or stand) in “command” position.
Sit facing toward the room entrance door, and avoid sitting with your back to the door. This “command” position assures nothing happens behind your back, whether actually or symbolically. If you can’t move the furniture, place a mirror where you can glance up and see what’s happening behind you so you won’t be caught off guard.
2. Pick the right size desk or workstation.
A desk that’s too small symbolizes not being up to the challenge, while a desk that’s too big makes you feel overwhelmed by your job. Think like Goldilocks and find the size that’s just right for the work you do.
3. Keep work out of your bedroom.
When you work where you sleep, your personal and professional lives are too tightly connected, and that’s not healthy. If you must work in your bedroom, designate the work area using curtains, a floor screen, or décor so you don’t see your work from the bed.
4. Display art that you love.
Choose art that inspires and motivates, and avoid art that feels lonely, dark or depressing. If you don’t love it, don’t display it where you work.
5. Add a living plant.
Choose plants with rounded leaves to represent wealth, and avoid those with thorns or spiky leaves. If you can’t grow plants, use silk. Avoid dried or plastic plants because they represent dead energy.
Carol Olmstead is a feng shui master practitioner, author and speaker. For almost 25 years she has helped clients, students and readers of her books rearrange spaces, shift energy and transform their lives. Learn more about Carol’s practical approach to feng shui at www.FengShuiForRealLife.com.
