The ultimate goal of Feng Shui in the office, as in the home, is inner harmony – an inner harmony in this case that comes from the financial reward and recognition for work well done and the sense of achievement doing work worth doing. This inner harmony is achieved by removing the obstacles, constraints, and distractions in the environment that lead to the emotional mind-body feeling worried, concerned and uptight. Feng Shui provides various approaches to help us analysis how we fit in our environment and the effect the environment has on us. And the first thing to consider in the office is the placement of the desk.
Proper Placement of the Desk – the Command Position
The ideal desk position in any given room is called the Command Position. The Command Position situates the desk to allow you to see the whole room. This includes being able to see the entrance into the room while not being in direct alignment with the entrance doorway either directly ahead or directly to either side of the desk location. An entrance door to either side or directly ahead can be very unsettling, metaphorically like sitting on a railroad track. It is only the Command Position that puts you in the driver’s seat. In the Command Position you can smoothly and effortless handle any situation that might arise.
However, if your desk can not be arranged in the Command Position, than at least put a mirror – even a small vanity mirror – positioned in such a way as to enable you to see what’s going on behind your back. When you have your back to a door, and a larger portion of the room, you will always be wondering what’s going on behind your back. In the Command Position you can be most relaxed, most efficient and therefore most productive.
A Solid Wall
If possible you want to avoid sitting at your desk with a window or a high book shelf behind you. A window is fragile, and unlike a solid wall, does not give us the feeling of being supported. A high book shelf, though fixed securely to the wall, still gives the feeling of “what if it falls”, which can result in chronic neck and shoulders tension. Nor do you want your desk positioned under a beam or at the side of the room where a ceiling slopes down behind you or any other configuration that makes you feel embattled, overwhelmed, or blocked.
Arranging the desk and other office furniture should adhere to basic feng shui principles of how ch’i (energy) flows through a space. Of course poor ventilation, inadequate lighting, and an over crowded office can also contribute to hypertension and inefficiency. So be sure to also take these factors into consideration. Bottom line: how you ‘feel’ sitting at your desk is another indicator not so much as to how successful you will be, but how much you will enjoy the process of becoming , and then being, a success at what you do.
A Solid Desk
The desk in and of itself is a very powerful tool. What you don’t want is a desk that is wobbly and lacking support. Nor do you want a desk that is made of glass or seems flimsy in any way, such as a door propped up by two filing cabinets. If your desk is sturdy, you will feel supported. If your desk is large, you will feel an inner sense of self assurance and have vision and confidence in expanding the playing field. If the desk was owned by a previously successful individual, this good karma will bring great benefit to each successive owner.
Once Again, Clear Your Clutter
It is quite common to see a desk piled high with papers, bills and other unfinished business, or business in process. A cluttered desk is the most unproductive desk imaginable. Even approaching a desk that is piled high can be a daunting experience. A desk piled high is like a mountain that has to be climbed every day, every day and every day with exhaustion and irritation as the inevitable results.
The cure is simple: keep the desk free of clutter, and the first step is to clear the area directly in front of where you sit. Having a desk blotter in front of you may help focus your attention. Then, at the end of the day put uncompleted projects, bills to be paid, or correspondence that needs to be answered to the side of the blotter. Instead of having to attack a mountain of work each day, you can focus on each priority accordingly.
Office Decorations Determine Mood and Motivation
Choose pictures, wall hangings and art pieces that reflect your visions, and which will inspired the achievement of your goals and intentions whether in a private office or a cubicle. The images you choose can be a map of the world, a ship coming in laden with treasure, or nature scenery. Needless to say, a tumultuous sea or a moody landscape will not be very uplifting.
The same image behind you may have a very different effect if in front of you. For example, while a picture of a mountain behind you will feel empowering, the same mountain picture on the wall in front of you will make you feel tired every time you look at it as another mountain to climb. Choose your images wisely as you truly will manifest that which you see before you and that which you feel is behind you.
Following these good feng shui guidelines of uplifting images along with the proper arrangement of office furniture will determine not only your success but the joy and ease of achieving that success. Indeed, the results from applying Feng Shui technique may seem like magic – a magic based on making wise choices by creating a harmonious living and working environment.
