Do you want to boost your energy at work or make your day more purposeful and lively? Optimise your office space for good health and flowing energy with these simple but powerful feng shui adjustments.
Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of designing and adjusting buildings and their contents to allow humans to flourish. According to feng shui, a room or building can be harmonious and support your personal energy or it might not. (Think of how uncomfortable it feels in a tiny, cluttered and dusty office!) The effects of an environment are even more pronounced in those areas where you spend the most time, so it makes sense to have a harmonious, energetically uplifting working space. Here are some simple adjustments for a healthy office.
Power Desk.
No doubt you’ve had the surprise of someone coming up behind you and giving you a playful scare. This is not an ideal situation to have while you are working and you can keep your nervous system calm by positioning your desk so your back is facing the wall where possible. Aim to have the door in easy view. Ideally you want to be in the corner furthest away from the entrance so you have a clear view of people that may enter the room. This way, you feel safe while opening yourself up to the world around you. If you are in a shared office, then you may need to be creative in how you position yourself and also if there are windows to contend with or more than one entrance. If your back is to the door and nothing can be done about it, then a mirror or other reflective surface such as a computer screen or whiteboard can be used on your desk or wall in front of you so that you can detect any movement behind you.
De-clutter all areas.
Clutter anywhere in your office is the energetic equivalent of having blocked arteries and prevents energy flowing easily around your space. Dust and microbes can accumulate in cupboards and stagnant corners causing an unhealthy atmosphere. It’s important to keep only essentials nearby and store away or discard unused paperwork, books and brochures. Extra items can be stored in other areas when not in use such as an external storeroom. Consider scanning copies of any important documents and information to reduce the amount of paper living in your office. De-cluttering is a great activity to bring into your end of week routine, in preparation for the week ahead. It requires some effort and a little discipline to keep on top of belongings but try to ensure that your desk is clean and spotless at the end of each working week. It will be worth it!
Keep surfaces clear.
Always try to keep your desk as clear as possible and give yourself plenty of legroom underneath- it’s not storage space! Horizontal surfaces carry the quality of still water, representing calmness in Feng Shui. Contracted cleaners don’t always have enough allocated time to do a thorough job so you may need to supplement their work with a few minutes of your own. A spray bottle of water with a few drops of lavender essential oil is a cost effective and pleasant way to finish off a tidied surface.
Natural light.
Natural light is always best in an office environment. Try to avoid harsh, artificial light if you can. Task lighting rather than glaring overhead lights are preferred. According to Feng Shui principles, if windows have a pleasant vista, this can uplift your energy even further. Harmonious and elementally balanced views benefit your health by helping to sustain your energy levels during the day. It’s good feng shui – and good feng shui is said to promote a long, healthy life.
Add a water feature.
The gentle sound of trickling water in your office can activate energy (chi) and help to balance the elements such as ‘putting out’ the fiery energy of screens, electronic devices and bright interior lights. The best position for a water feature is in the back left corner from the doorway to enhance prosperity and abundance. The water should flow ‘into’ the room, rather than away from it. Be sure to keep your water feature in tip top condition, and don’t forget to turn it on when you are working there!
Go green.
It’s no secret that plants can improve the air quality of an office by increasing oxygen levels and removing pollutants. They help to bring balance to urban areas and recent studies have shown that productivity is improved in offices that utilise plants in their design. Healthy, rounder-leafed varieties are ideal- showcase spiky plants in outdoor areas away from walkways. If real plants cannot be used, choose high quality artificial varieties. Pictures, photographs or other artwork can also be used to bring the ‘wood’ element into your office space to help in its overall balance.
Bagua secrets for health
One of the mystical elements that adds a special dimension to feng shui is the use of an ancient map of energy called the bagua. Using this map, which is a 3 X 3 grid that is placed over a desk, room, building or even land plots or cities, you can fine tune your health enhancements. To find the health area on your desk, imagine you are sitting at your desk. Draw an imaginary grid on the top, stretching it out to the sides. Locate the health area in the left middle third of the grid.
Enhance your health by making sure this area in particular is clutter-free and clean. The wood element corresponds to this area, so you might like to place your office plant here.
Enhancing the health area has other beneficial effects such as anchoring the energy of business networks your team of staff business growth the ability to discard the old for new development.
Co-edited by Annie from House of Amarah
