|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Is your home office a spare room full of whatever doesn't fit anywhere else? Does your daily commute end with winding your way through a corporate maze to your own crowded cubicle? Do you sit down at your desk and push piles of papers aside to create a little workspace?
If this sounds familiar, and you know that your productivity is suffering, maybe you want to try a little feng shui in your workspace.
Feng shui (pronounced "fung schway") is the ancient art of placement and design that balances and enhances the energy flow in an environment. This can be placement of a home on a piece of property, location of an office building on a city block, orientation of rooms in a house, arrangement of furniture in a room or objects on a desk.
For a complete feng shui evaluation, you need to consult with a professional. It's far too complex to address completely in an article. I'll just give you a few examples of techniques you can try so you can see if feng shui is for you.
In any situation, there will obviously be believers and non-believers, and this is true of co-workers as well as spouses. To effect change in the corporate environment or at home, you have to start with yourself, and realistically this may be all you can accomplish.
At the center of this belief system is a powerful reality that you need to be able to embrace: There is an energy flow that BRINGS abundance to all of life. Using feng shui to attract things to you means removing blockages and enhancing this natural flow. This doesn't mean you only need to move the furniture around and then sit back and wait for the money to arrive; it removes the suffering and struggle and leaves you working from a place of peace at the center of your being.
Clutter is stagnant energy that leaves no room for growth. The tendency to save things because "someday you might need them" indicates a lack of belief in the energy flow that brings abundance to you. Your message to the universe is that you don't trust that it will provide for you. The flow stops.
This energy flow, called ch'i ("chee"), enters through the front door of any building or room and is then dispersed. It also enters through windows. It exits through doors and windows too. During the day, it enters through windows, at night it exits, hence a reason to close curtains. Think of it as air or water flow; it's like that.
If you want more opportunity in your work environment, make sure the path to the door is as wide as the door. This goes for paths, hallways and outer rooms. The easiest way to attract ch'i is to get rid of clutter; no toys scattered on paths to the house, no shoes strewn in the middle of the hallway or piles of boxes between the world and your desk.
If the ch'i entering through your door immediately meets a wall, you can compensate with mirrors. If the ch'i enters and there are windows directly opposite, it enters and leaves again quickly. A partition or some other object, or even curtains, can slow or diffuse the flow.
Next is the orientation of your desk within the office space, and placement of objects in the room and on the desk. When you enter your office, stop and face the interior. Divide your office into 9 equal-sized areas. Each area represents an area of your life, and also relates to a color and an element. The front three, from left to right, are skills/knowledge/wisdom; career/life path; and helpful people/travel. The middle three are family/foundation; health; and creativity/children. The back three are abundance/prosperity; reputation/fame; and relationships/love/marriage.
The idea is to locate your desk, if possible, in the area "where you work". Are you an artist or an teacher? A travel agent or a marriage counselor? A banker or a work at home entrepreneur? A few rules of thumb:
1) Never put your desk directly in front of the door, and don't orient it so your back is to the door. Either face the door directly or so you can see the door without turning.
2) Place things in each section of the room that enhance the meaning of that area of your life. For example, the obvious choice for the knowledge area is books relating to your work. A not so obvious addition would be an empty vessel, symbolizing openness to new knowledge. In the career area might be milestones of your career such as diplomas or awards, or business cards and brochures, etc. Your phone, rolodex, and photo of your mentor might be in the helpful people area.
Family would be photos, or maybe religious objects if your foundation is your faith; the health area stays open and uncluttered; and something you've created is placed in the creativity area.
Water is a universal symbol of abundance, so an aquarium, fountain, or even a picture of a waterfall would be appropriate. The reputation area would contain whatever you would like to be known for. The relationship area would contain momentos of loved ones, or symbols of love. You can put pairs of objects in this area: two roses, two photos or photos of pairs of friends.
3) Do the same with the arrangement of objects on your desk. Use the same areas, but keep it simple. Balance out the presence of electronic equipment with a plant or bouquet.
You can also enhance a particular area with color. There are colors that soothe (blue/greens), stimulate (reds), invite collaboration and social gatherings (oranges and browns), enhance mental activity (yellows), suggest oppulence and abundance (purples, maroons, reds). There is an element and color associated with each area also, but that is way too much to get into here.
Bottom line, though, is that your office has to feel good to YOU. Follow your instincts and you'll create a more productive, abundant space.
Glenn Beach is a poet, writer and home business entrepreneur in Nova Scotia, Canada. Free newsletter, more articles, and business start-up info at: http://www.work-at-home-business-opp ortunity-canada.com
Good Morning! It's the Island outlaw here again. You know... Read More
Hello, Moon.There you hang, a thin white sliver that cradles... Read More
Wouldn't it be great to know that you have something... Read More
Every person's life journey is unique. Figuring out what you... Read More
Have you ever felt paralyzed or crippled by fear? As... Read More
'Have I stopped dreaming?' 'Why am I not as stressed?'... Read More
Many people forget business is a way of service. When... Read More
Who's World Is It?Who's world really is it? Is it... Read More
In my private practice for the past 15 years I... Read More
You are a money magnet. Money is flowing to you... Read More
If you've done any reading on the subject of marketing,... Read More
Peter Murphy recently interviewed communication expert John Barker. John is... Read More
First of all, you have to trust that you are... Read More
Many scientific studies have demonstrated the reality of intuition for... Read More
How would you like to have what you want AND... Read More
Very often in relationships we do not seem to be... Read More
As you already know, the Angels are here; ready to... Read More
Here we continue to discuss a few commonly held beliefs,... Read More
Over half of all adults identify themselves as shy. Shyness... Read More
It's time for that annual ritual of making (and breaking)... Read More
It's been said that character is defined by what you... Read More
One of the first lessons that "Rich Dad, Poor Dad"... Read More
The idea I'm about to share with you can bring... Read More
Many people on the planet are realizing that the key... Read More
Someone recently asked me the question: "How can I have... Read More
How many times have you told yourself "yes!" today? Not... Read More
Character or Reputation. When we see these two words together,... Read More
When I was seven years old I wanted to be... Read More
Do you believe in the idea of "abundance" or do... Read More
I want to warn you: this article can cause some... Read More
Peter Murphy recently interviewed communication expert John Barker. John is... Read More
Buy a computer--any computer--and it comes loaded with software automatically... Read More
If you always do what you've always done, you'll always... Read More
It's been said that character is defined by what you... Read More
Over half of all adults identify themselves as shy. Shyness... Read More
While engaging in conversations with friends and co-workers, how often... Read More
If you are not manifesting success and prosperity or whatever... Read More
Very often in relationships we do not seem to be... Read More
Think for a moment about all the people you know... Read More
Shyness is nothing to be ashamed of and you can... Read More
The joy of living is in loving. No doubt, only... Read More
Someone recently asked me the question: "How can I have... Read More
October is hands down my favorite month. Every year l... Read More
I was reminded once again the other day about how... Read More
"You make a living by what you get. You make... Read More
Each person has her or his own place and purpose.... Read More
Inside each one of us there's a seed of greatness,... Read More
"You cannot step into the same river twice"Hericlitus spoke those... Read More
The art of conversation is a skill shared by most... Read More
Imagine that each person on this planet carried with them... Read More