The Art of Feng Shui: A Horoscope for your Home Office



Feng shui can be used on the scale of a city, a building, a room, or even a desk. In a study done on Taiwanese companies, 70% of them said that they thought it was important to implement feng shui in their offices. This suggests that understanding some basic principles of feng shui and how to introduce them into your home and office may help improve your productivity.

Those who love hearing about the zodiacs will love the concepts behind feng shui, as it's practically a horoscope for homes! But if you don’t believe in the flow of energy, feng shui can still help you create a calming space propitious to a good work environment… Think of how you feel when you walk into a decluttered and clean space - definitely lighter and more comfortable, right? Well, these feelings are comparable to what feng shui aims to achieve. Even if you don't rearrange a whole room according to an energy map, you’ll still find many ideas in feng shui that may inspire you!

Feng shui in your home office space

Feng shui practices can be brought to home and work office spaces, with small changes that can make a big difference to your productivity and motivation.

The Desk:

Let’s begin with the main feature of any home office, the desk. You should ideally have a big desk that's comfortable to work on; the more sturdy it is, the more stability it’ll bring to your career. Feng shui practices advise avoiding glass desks as our ideas can energetically fall through and get lost.

You should place your desk in the commanding position if your space allows. This should be where you can see the entrance, but that's not directly in line with the door. This is so that you can see what is coming, both literally and figuratively. An outdoor view is also a bonus. If it's not possible to see both the entrance and outside in the room you're working with, you could strategically place a mirror in front of you to have a view of either.

And finally, to create a feeling of protection and support, have your desk by a wall, or use a chair with a high back.

Make a clear path to the desk:

To improve the flow of the home office, remove any items or furnishings that are blocking you from getting to your desk with ease. A blocked path to the desk could signal that you are unnecessarily making things difficult for yourself.



Keep an eye out for where clutter builds up:

Get into the habit of keeping your office as decluttered as possible. Having a clutter-free office gives you the physical and mental space to be at the peak of your productivity. But do take note of where clutter naturally builds up…

The bagua Map, directly translating to ‘eight areas’, is an energy map that can help us understand what blocks we are currently facing.

The bagua is often depicted as an octagon, with each section focusing on a different area of life. So, if you are to lay out a bagua map over a room or desk and inspect where clutter most accumulates - for example, if it’s in the centre right, connected to creativity, you might be experiencing a creative block.

Decorate with intent:

Hanging artwork, photography or inspirational quotes to do with your work can inspire and motivate you and make the space nicer. Plants are another great addition, keeping the air clean and providing natural greenery.

The colour palette for an office space should not be overwhelming. Pale yellows, oranges and greens are a good choice. You should also aim for the room to have as much natural light as possible, but if not, choose yellow-tone lighting. White light is harsh and brings on fatigue.

Consider adding a small water feature or wind chimes to soften harsh background noises. You can also add an essential oil diffuser to sharpen your concentration - specifically with peppermint, clary sage and rosemary oils. These additions contribute to creating a positive atmosphere which improves your mood and the fluidity of chi.

BOX COPY: Utilise the wealth corner and attract financial good fortune by placing a money plant or wealth-attracting crystals like green jade, malachite or pyrite in the far left corner of your room or desk, as seen on the bagua map.

If you plan to make some aesthetic changes to your home office, give some of these suggestions and see if they make a difference for you. Though some things may be hard for some to believe, approaching feng shui with an open mind may improve your mindset around work and your home life in general.

References:

1. 70% Taiwanese companies: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298506096_FENG_SHUI_AND_ITS_ROLE_IN_CORPORATE_IMAGE_AND_REPUTATION_A_REVIEW_FROM_BUSINESS_AND_CULTURAL_PERSPECTIVES

2. Feng shui bagua:

https://www.thespruce.com/your-feng-shui-bagua-guide-1275056

3. Analysis of the Application of Traditional ‘Feng Shui’:

https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.850.1179&rep=rep1&type=pdf

4. What is Feng Shui: A Brief Guide: https://studycli.org/chinese-culture/what-is-feng-shui/; Carol Olmstead, ‘Feng Shui Quick Guide for Home and Office’, https://books.google.fr/books?hl=en&lr=&id=RTbNi9TnsJwC&oi=fnd&pg=PR19&dq=feng+shui+home+and+office&ots=D6JHDAHDjP&sig=PnEAnl4cdIPoyoRgMXgQI2AVDXU&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

If you have been thinking about redecorating your home office, you may want to consider applying a few feng shui concepts to your redesign. Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice that balances energies known as Chi in our home to attract prosperity and positivity into our lives.

Feng shui can be applied to every room in your house to bring about different positive aspects. So, as your home office is the hub of your productivity and creativity, you can use feng shui practices to enhance the atmosphere and make you feel more inspired and motivated.