Applying good home office feng shui can make you more successful and productive. This is according to notable experts like Katie Weber of Red Lotus Letter, skilled in the ancient art of Feng Shui.
What is Feng Shui?
Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art and science of harnessing energy forces to create a harmonious and auspicious environment. The practice dates back more than 3,500 years and practitioners focus on achieving the most beneficial flow of chi, which loosely translates to ‘cosmic breath’ or life force, through a place.
Feng Shui literally means wind and water. And the cosmic current or Chi follows the same patterns as wind and water. Harnessing this energy is said to improve wealth, happiness, longevity, health and success.
The key concept here is that of flow. To encourage energy to freely circulate in a space to bring good fortune.
Celebrities Who Use Feng Shui
Many celebrities and millionaire business owners follow the precepts on feng shui. They include notable names like Bill Gates, Sir Richard Branson and Anita Roddick – founder of The Body Shop.
Then there’s Oprah Winfrey, David & Victoria Beckham, Madonna, George Clooney, Meghan Markle, Deepak Chopra, Steven Spielberg and Dolly Parton. Sophia Loren, Cher and Jerry Hall also follow feng shui, as do Johnny Depp, Tommy Hilfiger, Gwyneth Paltrow and Sting.
It is accepted practice in many Asian countries and has gained popularity in the West in recent years. William Doyle, a former Chase Manhattan Bank Executive stated that “You just do it in Hong Kong; it’s like an engineering survey.”
Why Is Home Office Feng Shui Important?
Home office feng shui promotes harmony and the flow of universal energy for prosperity and abundance. Everything is energy. And The law of attraction works on positive energy and feeling good.
According to feng shui, your home office should be located in a place that is most auspicious for you. This will help you stay focused and motivated in your work and will promote success and wealth.
The inverse is also true. If your office isn’t set up for optimal energy flow, you could suffer from lack of recognition, sluggish sales and a career that is heading nowhere slowly.
With this in mind, let’s look at some of the practical ways you can incorporate feng shui in your home office.
Clear Out The Clutter
I sound like Marie Kondo, Margaret Magnusson and your mom when I say this, but honestly – clutter is a state of mind. Clearing out clutter, frees up space and gets energy flowing but it also frees up mental bandwidth. It shows us the benefit inherent in letting things go and clearing out the mental clutter which is restricting our growth.
Get rid of stuff that looks old and tired. Especially dried flowers – these are a feng shui no no and an energy drain.
Keep It Clean
This is something that doesn’t require a budget – and there really are no excuses. Keep your home office space clean. According to home office feng shui, when dirt, dust and grime accumulates, so too does sluggish negative energy. It’s important to keep your office clean. Wipe your desk, phones and your computer keyboard or laptop. Regularly dust your office and be sure to empty waste paper baskets and dustbins.
This is something we sometimes let slide, but ensuring your windows are clean, clear and streak free is important.
Light & Airy
While not all living things require light to thrive, you are not a mushroom. So you require natural light and good ventilation to perform optimally. Open your drapes, open your blinds and allow natural light to flood in. Open your window and get air circulating. A small fan also allows for air to circulate and gets energy flowing.
If it’s Broken – Fix It
If there is anything in your office space that is broken, loose or creaky (except your knees) – either throw it out or repair it. This goes for door handles, cupboard handles, shelves, wheels, light bulbs, furniture, technology – the works. And I don’t mean an unsightly ‘temporary fix.
Throw out the old creaky chair and invest in a new one that provides you with adequate support, like an adjustable height chair.
Touch up paint and clean or paint over scuff marks.
Home Office Feng Shui: Where to Place Your Desk for Success
Possibly one of the most impactful home office feng shui aspects is where to place your desk. The cardinal rule here is to have a solid wall behind you. No windows or doors behind you. No bookshelves. A solid wall.
This is known as the ‘command position‘ in feng shui -and it is a position of power. A solid wall behind you is symbolic of the support that you’ll enjoy.
The corner diagonal to the door, which faces the door and has a solid wall is known as the lucky corner. This is the best area to place your desk in terms of energy. Be sure to never place your desk up against a wall as this is a sure fire way to ensure nothing but obstacles ahead of you that block success.
Desk Size Matters
Pay attention to the size of your desk as it affects career growth and earning potential. A small desk = low earning potential. The ideal size desk, provided you have the space for it, is an ‘Executive Desk’ which is roughly 6 feet wide and 3 feet deep.
Best Material for a Desk According to Home Office Feng Shui?
In terms of aesthetics, glass desks are sleek, modern and look great, but according to feng shui they are possibly the worst choice. Glass desks equate with a lack of support, unpopularity and users will find that deals and sales fall through with alarming regularity.
Wood is by far the best option and promotes healthy growth.
The Shape of It
Arc shaped desks are terrible feng shui and should be avoided, whereas rectangular desks get the feng shui stamp of approval.
Another aspect to consider is the provenance of the desk. A new desk is ideal and so is a desk from a successful person. Because we are not always aware of the provenance of an item of furniture, feng shui dictates wiping it down with salt water and a cloth. This is due to hardwood absorbing personal chi, and salt water cleansing it. It is important to wipe down the desk in its entirety, including the inside of the drawers.
Clear & Open Space
Don’t arrange visitor chairs in front of your desk. Rather keep the space in front of your desk open. This allows for more opportunities to be directed your way.
This Will Encourage Your Ship To Come In
In feng shui, ships are powerful career enhancers and are representative of good luck and wealth arriving. Place an image of a ship in your office, close to the door. But make sure the ship is ‘coming in’ rather than pointing out the door.
Also, make sure the image of the boat is a sturdy luxurious model and that it’s not battling rough seas or out of water as this will have the opposite effect intended.
Recognition Luck
Hang letters of commendation, testimonials, awards and pictures of success on the south wall of your home office. These are also great career enhancers and activators.
Plants for Growth
Place a few healthy plants in the east area of your home office to promote continued growth. And by choosing lucky plants for office desks, like the Rubber Plant and the Peace Lily, they will double up duty and purify the air too.
These suggestions merely scrape the surface of the fascinating subject of home office feng shui and feng shui in general. But it all comes down to energy.
Time Is Energy
Implementing feng shui changes will change your home office space. You’ll feel different and are likely to enjoy the time you spend in your office a whole lot more.
Time is energy and time is money. As a busy entrepreneur, how are you managing your time? Are you doing what makes you happy? Because, when we do have the time to focus on the things we do really well, everything else falls into place.
Book a discovery call with MYVA360 today. We’ll talk you through all the ways in which we can free up your time.
