Whether you’re setting up a new workspace or looking for a refresh for your existing space, here are some feng shui tips for optimizing your home office.
Make Sure You Have a Desk
First, make sure you have a dedicated desk, which represents a stable career. If you can put your desk in a separate room that’s used only for work, that’s ideal. However, that isn’t always possible. If you do need to put your desk in a multifunctional space, try to choose a room other than the bedroom. Having your desk in your bedroom can be a distraction when you are trying to work, and can also make it harder to wind down at night. If a desk in the bedroom is the only option, do what you can to separate the space with a room divider, bookcase, or curtain, and be sure to put away your work supplies at the end of each day.
Position Your Desk for Success
You’ll also want to make sure that your desk is in the command or commanding position. This means that you can see the door to the room while you’re sitting at your desk, without being directly in line with the door. This allows you to feel more in control of your life and career, because you are able to see anything that might be approaching. The command position works on a subconscious level, too, even if you aren’t expecting guests in your home office. If you can’t set up your desk in this way, you can place a mirror so that you are looking at the reflection of the door while sitting at your desk. Moving your desk is best, though, so do that if you can!
Create Good Flow
Pay attention to the flow in your home office. Is there enough space around your desk? Are there any obstacles that prevent you from getting to your desk chair easily? This could represent blocks, and could mean that you are making things unnecessarily challenging for yourself. If you do notice any physical blocks or obstacles, see if you can remove or rearrange them. You want to be able to approach your desk and your career with ease, and have room around you to grow.
Choose the Best Desk
When it comes to choosing a desk, it’s best to have one that is solid and sturdy, which will help you create more stability in your career. Make sure it’s also big enough for you to work on comfortably. Ideally, you’ll want to avoid desks with a glass work surface, because ideas and projects can energetically fall through and get lost.
Desk Blotter
You may also want to add a desk blotter to bring in more earth element qualities like groundedness and stability. Choose a color you’re drawn to, or pick one according to the element that you want to invite in:
Water element: Black for intuition, wisdom, and social connectionsWood element: Green or blue for growth, new beginnings, and rejuvenationEarth element: Yellow or brown for nourishment, boundaries, and supportMetal element: White for precision, organization, and beautyFire element: Red for inspiration, passion, and recognition
Choose a Supportive Chair
Look for a chair with a high back, which will provide more support in your work life. Make sure it’s also something that is comfortable to sit in! If you want, you can also consider the five element colors above, and choose a chair that embodies an element you’d like to invite into your work.
Use the Bagua on Your Desk
You may be familiar with the feng shui bagua, which is a mandala consisting of eight areas around a center. It’s often laid over homes or rooms, but it can also be applied to a desk. Laying the bagua on your desk can give you clues as to what might be happening in different areas of your career. One thing you can look at is where clutter tends to accumulate. For example, do things often pile up in the wealth and abundance corner in the top left? This might mean that your wealth may be tied up. Do you usually have clutter in the top right corner, which is connected to relationships? This might symbolize a block in your relationships or partnerships. Or, is the far center area the most cluttered? That area is the fame and recognition area. This might mean you are not being seen or recognized for the work you are doing.
Activate the Wealth Corner
One of the areas of the feng shui bagua is the wealth and abundance corner, called Xun in Chinese. This area is very popular, and activating it can invite more wealth and prosperity to flow to you. To find the wealth corner of your office, stand in the doorway facing in and locate the left corner furthest from you. You can also locate the wealth corner of your desk in the same way; this will be especially helpful if your workspace is a desk in a shared or multifunctional room. To activate the wealth corner, try placing an amethyst or citrine crystal here with intention.
Boost the Fame Area
The fame and recognition area, called Li in Chinese, is related to how you are seen and recognized by others. To find it, imagine a three-by-three grid overlaid on your office space or desktop. The fame area is the center section along the far side when you are looking into your office or sitting at your desk. If you feel like you are sometimes overlooked at work and want to be recognized more for what you do, or if you are working on a business that could use more visibility and recognition, this can be a helpful area to activate. You can do this by adding something red to this part of your desk or office, or by adding a houseplant.
