FENG SHUI FOR THE HOME OFFICE

by Anita Adrain

Have you ever felt overwhelmed or frustrated with the amount of unfinished projects that occupy your home office? One of the challenges of having a home office is the very fact that it's your HOME. The place where you are allowed to be yourself, the place that reflects your personality and holds all the memories of treasured possessions and loved ones. The room in your home that you call your home office needs to portray characteristics of an office. Often the spare bedroom, sewing room or weight room share their possessions with that of the home office computer, desk and filing cabinets. Appling Feng Shui principles to your home office can help you stay more focused on the tasks at hand, increase productivity and ultimately increase the bottom line, allowing you to spend more time with family and friends.

Feng Shui is recognizing the natural influences of our environment and harnessing those energies to support a harmonious balanced life; an environment that embodies the spirit of the soul and strengthens the person within. "Everything in the Universe is Energy" At the "Quantum" level, the human body is a conductor of electrical energy. Consciously arranging ones environment to create a healthy, peaceful and dynamic flow of energy relaxes the nervous system, inspires the mind and calms the emotions.

If you're home office is filled with boxes and stacks of paper it's a reminder of all the PAST projects including successes and failures.In this environment it is very difficult to move forward and take on new responsibilities. Those seemingly harmless, unfinished projects that you often close the door on, weigh heavily on the mind creating stress on the body. As a result you may develop poor eating habits, get less sleep, increase stress levels and become short tempered. Confusion and procrastination are the unseen forces that result from an office that is filled with clutter and chaos.

The first step in Feng Shui'ing any environment is to clear out the clutter….keeping only the possessions that will serve and support you in your home office. When the clutter is clear and the space is organized you become a POWERHOUSE! You will have more personal energy to complete projects with success. You will feel fresh and ready to take on the world with more clarity, focus and creativity. All of this means less stress, better sleeps, respected relationships with clients, and overall improved vitality and health. Increased productivity with a happy disposition will attract more of the same and likely improve the bottom line as well.

Once you have de-cluttered, it's time to take a good look at the possessions that live in your home office. Your possessions are "saying" a lot more than you currently think!

Take a close look at the pictures or plaques on the wall, to the ornament on your desk, what story are they telling you? Perhaps the wall plaque is telling you that once you were the top salesperson in an organization long ago? Surrounding yourself with positive, uplifting stories will enhance and support your present, personal goals and aspirations.

When organizing your possessions within your home office according to Feng Shui Principles you will want to take in the following considerations.

What functions do the rooms have that are viewed by you in your home office? If your office is directly across from the bathroom, the positive energy (chi) that resides in the office may go down the drain, giving new meaning to the saying "I may as well have flushed my money down the drain". If your view from the office is one of the active rooms of the home, such as the kitchen or living room. You may be constantly enticed to having another snack or possibly catching 15 minutes of your favorite TV show, instead of focusing on office work.

Positioning of furniture within the office is just as important.

The largest piece of furniture is usually the desk. It should be placed so that when seated behind it you have a view of the door, but not directly facing the door, a peripheral view is best. This allows you to work uninterrupted with no one sneaking up behind you and looking over your shoulder. The office chair is the next important piece of furniture and should be comfortable and give support to the full back. When performing tasks for extended periods of time, e.g. sitting at a desk, any form of discomfort will drain your energy and take you off task. In Feng Shui, it is recommended to have a solid supporting wall behind the office chair, hence giving the occupant solid support in all aspects of their life. Filing cabinets and book shelves should be functional and well organized and accessible from either side of the desk. If your home office used to function as a bedroom, you may want to consider increasing the light bulb wattage or adding additional lighting. Up-lighting is recommended for dark rooms and basement rooms, encouraging and lifting the chi (energy) of the occupants.

There are many recommendations and Feng Shui cures that can be applied to any environment and each one requires special consideration. Just as we are all individuals, so too is the environment we occupy. The study and application of Feng Shui is over 2000 years old and encompasses more than I have expressed today. There are many books on the subject of Feng Shui as well as qualified consultants that can evaluate your home office and recommend enhancements to achieve amazing personal results.

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