If you’re one of the many who has entered into a remote work from home (WFH) lifestyle, you’ve undoubtedly had to face many challenges. And when it comes to a home office (if you have one at all), you may find it difficult to maintain a healthy work to life balance. Without colleagues to lean on, you may also find a sudden lack of social interaction to be isolating and a bit lonely. However, while every remote worker faces these challenges, there are many advantages and benefits of working from home. Luckily, fengshui is here to help! Here is how to fengshui your home office and improve the energy of your WFH situation.
Inspiring Home Accents and Decor
One of the easiest ways to add fengshui to your home office is by incorporating home accents and decor that inspire you. Even if you lack a formal-ish spare-bedroom-turned-office or only a vintage drop-leaf table in the corner of your living room, you can surround yourself with items that bring joy and productivity.
Since you work from home, you have the ability to express your creativity. Set your screen saver image to inspirational artwork with your favorite colors or photographs and decor that bring memories and make you feel appreciated and successful. If you work in a creative field, surround yourself with such. If you work in finance, add a money tree for luck.
Desk Location
In fengshui, the placement of certain furniture is crucial. However, depending on your sudden remote situation, you may need to improvise. As you fengshui your home office, the most important rule is to keep the work area as far from the bedroom as possible. If you are fortunate enough to have a separate entrance to your home office, this is ideal. But for those of us working from studio apartments or sharing a crowded household, place your desk or work area in a location far from the bed or at least a room farthest from the bedroom to create good work energy.
Be Mindful of Desk Position
Once you determine the best space for your home office or work area, be mindful of where you place the desk. Fengshui tradition calls for you fengshuir desk to be in a commanding position, attracting success and energy for your busy days. Ideally, your desk should be situated farthest from doors or entryways and never with your back to the door. Should you need to face a wall, mount a piece of artwork above so the wall “disappears” as you work.
FengShui Orientations
In fengshui, each North, South, East and West orientation invites a particular energy. For home offices, there are three main orientations and directions you need to address.
- South–The southern area is responsible for fame and reputation. To attract this fame, introduce the southern element of fire. This can be merely a candle on your desk! Also, beware of dampening the fire element energy with water-like elements and symbols such as fountains, blue hues and reflective surfaces (like mirrors or metals).
- North–The northern area controls your career path (which is now your life path, too, since you WFH). Opposite of the south, this is where the water elements (and metal) prove useful. A metal-framed artwork or blue accented decor would be the perfect item to add to your home office’s northern area.
- Southeast– The southeastern area symbolizes prosperity and abundance. The southeast colors are green and brown and the element is wood, which makes a potted plant or money tree the perfect addition. Incorporate types of decorative wood or furniture to embrace this element. Also, add imagery or money-related items that invite abundance. Since the element is wood, avoid fire or too much metal.
Air and Light Quality
Wherever you choose your home office or desk to be situated, consider the quality of your air and lighting. Your brain needs oxygen to function properly so don’t sit in a stifling environment that leaves it starving for air. Instead, open windows to invite air flow and make sure filters are replaced. Bring in a few air-purifying plants (in the southeast area, of course) to add more energy, too.
When it comes to lighting, pay attention to both natural and artificial. If possible, situate your desk in a room with ample windows that can emit tons of natural sunlight. Sunlight can elevate your mood and help you enjoy your work more, especially in the winter when Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can make you feel depressed or turn you sluggish. Alternatively, you could invest in full-light spectrum lights to rest on your desk, especially if you need to place your home office in a dark room or basement.
Declutter and Organize
After you decide on a space to designate as your work from home office and a position to keep your desk, declutter and organize! This step is not only a fengshui practice but a practical one, too. Clutter tends to drain our energy and leaves us feeling overwhelmed. Instead, set aside time to clear the surface and start anew.
Keep your desk organized with decorative files, folders and pencil cups–whatever maintains a clutter-free space! Clutter even goes for digital files, too, so it helps to archive old emails and organize folders on your computer or cloud drive. Even set a reminder once a week to do a thorough cleaning job. Once your desk space is open and inviting, you’re guaranteed to have a clearer head and feel more inspired to work.
How Will You FengShui Your Home Office?
Above are just a few tips and tricks to help you improve your home office. Whether you are a work from home mom looking to improve your productivity or were recently requested to work remotely for extra safety measures, these fengshui tips can keep you motivated, inspired and even successful through connections of energy. Once you have your home office in tip-top shape, make sure to check in on the rest of your home–bedrooms, dining area and all!–to ensure a proper work-life balance.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
