Increase Success at Work: Maximize your Office with Feng Shui

Written by Laura Morris.

Your office or work station should be an inspiring space where creativity and productivity is enhanced so you can shine in the boardroom in front of your boss and co-workers.

feng-shui office

First let's start with a quick quiz to see if your office is in need of a little Feng Shui love.

Do you have trouble focusing at work??
Do you sit with your back to the door of the office?
Is your office lit with mostly fluorescent lights?
Are you in an open-concept space (cubicle) with 20 or more people?
Is your office door directly across the hall from someone else's office door?
Is the colour scheme of your office white, grey or light beige?
Are your files all the same colour?
Do you sit near the photocopier?
Does your desk sit between a window and the door?
Does the art (or lack of art) in your office leave you uninspired?

If you answered yes to more than three of the questions above then a little Feng Shui in your office will go a long way. Below are a few changes and assessments that you can do on your own to improve the chi and increase positive energy in your office. The tips and techniques below are great overall cures that can be applied to any work space.

Before you get started adding or implementing any Feng Shui cures you need to do a thorough:

Clean and de-clutter of the office

This includes both on the desk and in the filing cabinet. Feng Shui eyes see all clutter. Clutter and extraneous stuff blocks the flow of chi and can lead to low or stagnant energy. Clear off your desk top leaving just the essentials, do an audit of your files, recycle and shred any old and outdated papers and remove any silly and frivolous knick-knacks.

Review your desk position

Your most powerful position is facing the door with your back against a solid wall. The solid wall will support you like a symbolic mountain ensuring that chi does not flow out and away but instead can circulate around you. Also facing the door, which is the entrance of chi, is simulating and empowering. Things to avoid: back to the door, back to a corner, desk under a window and desk between a window and door. If moving your desk is not an option use a small mirror and place it so when you are working you can see the entrance to your office when your back is turned.

Balance the elements

Often offices are painted in pale and washed out colours with harsh fluorescent lighting. This creates a very yang or over-simulating atmosphere heavy in metal and fire elements. Bring your space into balance by adding missing elements. By bringing in darker and softer versions of earth, wood and water the space will become less frenetic. Try adding these elements with colour: deeper browns and ochre for earth and rich greens for wood, or water with the colour black.

Block those EMFs

The effects of low frequency electromagnetic fields are often debated. Some believe long-term exposure is harmful and that in today's workplace employees are subjected to levels far greater than average. These fields called electromagnetic smog can disturb energy patterns in living things. A simple and beautiful way to clear these fields is by displaying or wearing specific crystals like Turquoise, Amazonite, Fluorite and Smoky Quartz they act as barriers and can absorb harmful EMFs.

Organize your files

A fun way to organize your files is by using the productive element cycle: Fire (red), Earth (yellow), Metal (white), Water (black) and Wood (green). By using these colours you can organize your files according to the elements. For example for high-priority projects use fire (red) and for all files that support that project use Wood (green) files. Wood feeds fire.

Increase positive energy

Try the following quick fixes. Use plants and flowers to bring a little nature to the office - the source of chi. Add some positive photos of you in inspiring settings - like on a mountain or by a lake. When choosing items and artwork to put on display make sure they have a significance tied to success and wealth i.e. awards.

Be inspired

By adding these inspiring awards or positive objects you are displaying your strength and success in the workplace. Another good way to get inspired is to create a vision board for work. In a nice frame display images of places, things and words that you associate with success and prosperity. Place it in a spot where you can see it when you are working away on those less than exciting projects so it can keep you motivated and on-task.

The tips and techniques above are fun, easy and positive ways to bring a little Feng Shui into your office. Make the place you spend most of your waking hours a positive and nourishing environment.

Namaste and blessings.

Laura Morris is a certified Feng Shui consultant morrisfengshui.com.

LexiYoga