10 How to Lay Out Your Office for Good Feng Shui and Productivity, Straight From a Pro
If you work full-time, you’ll spend most of your life in an office, and how you feel in that space can impact your career.
Feng Shui is the traditional Chinese practice of arranging furniture and accessories in harmony with nature. A possible benefit of applying Feng Shui principles to your office is harnessing the energy that brings productivity and abundance to your work.
Here we explain 14 tips for decorating your office according to Feng Shui.
01 Put Your Desk in the Command Position
According to Umali, desk placement probably plays the biggest role in your office’s overall feng shui. It’s best to put him in a command position.
The command position involves placing a table and chair in front of a solid wall.
“It’s the idea of having support behind you, like the support of a mountain, as they say in feng shui,” Umali says.
You also want your table and chairs to be facing the door so you can see people entering, but ideally diagonally.
02 Display Plants Right by Your Desk
According to Feng Shui, trees transmit positive and living energy into a space. Living trees enhance the feng shui element that symbolizes sustainability, creativity and growth.
To invite this energy into your home, place a large houseplant near your desk. You can also place a few sprigs of greenery in vases around your office.
03 Add Artificial Lighting Around Your Workspace
In Feng Shui there is the idea of yin and yang energy. Yin represents rest and reflection, which are important qualities for completing deep work. However, Umali says that the home office is where you really want to be filled with positive energy, which awakens creative and dynamic energy.
Light has a strong influence on positive energy, so you want your workspace to be well lit.
04 Put Just a Few Metal Objects on Your Desk
Feng Shui identifies five factors that affect your mood. One of these is metal, which feng shui practitioners believe promotes mental clarity, concentration and good organization. However, in practice, it is not advisable to have too many metal objects in the office, as this can lead to excessive critical thinking.
05 Work by a Window
Natural light plays a positive role in the feng shui of your office.
“Bringing in nature is always a good idea,” says Umali. “Make sure you can see out the window from your desk and open the curtains to [invite] light.”
06 Hang Inspiring Art Across From Your Desk
When it comes to wall art in front of your desk, hang pictures or images that bring you joy and motivation.
“Having inspiring pieces of art to admire, especially if your office doesn’t have windows, can be very helpful,” says Umali.
07 Close-Off Bedroom Offices
A workspace in the bedroom is not an ideal place from a feng shui point of view. In the bedroom you need more yin energy, and in the office you need more yin energy. If you’re short on space and need to place an office in your bedroom, consider using a closet as a desk space so you can close it when it’s time to relax.
08 Pay Attention to What is Behind Your Chair
As noted earlier, a command position is the ideal way to position your desk. This means that the back of your office chair should not be facing a window or door. However, the back of the chair is also important.
When Umali first visits a new client’s office, she always notices the chair.
“You should have a comfortable chair with a full back that really symbolizes a position of power,” she says. “Highly recommended from a functional standpoint if you want to be successful.”
09 Keep Clutter Away From Your Work Area
According to Feng Shui, clutter leads to stagnation. If you want to move forward and succeed in your career, consider reducing the amount of jewelry you display, especially on your desk.
10 Position Bookshelves Near Your Desk
Books contain many symbols, knowledge and wisdom, so they can contain a lot of feng shui energy. Umali notes that bookshelves can be a great addition to your office, but add mood-lifting books to your collection. Place them near your desk to reap the energy benefits.