Feng shui is a centuries old tradition that has surprising relevancy today—and in our industry!
Pronounced “fung shway”, it’s the ancient Chinese way of finding harmony within your environment. It’s a series of checks and balances that affect the invisible forces that supposedly influence the entire universe, including your personal life. In a practical sense, it provides a way of arranging the physical items around you to draw positive energy into your life.
Once this energy (also known as chi) starts flowing so too will positivity, creativity, and productivity. While there are no scientific findings that back up these claims, common sense suggests that feng shui isn’t such a sham. Rearranging your living and working space to make you feel comfortable does have a positive effect on your mood; when your work space is tidy and organized, you’ll spend less time struggling against mess and more time solving problems.
Chances are you’re already practicing some form of feng shui in your living spaces, even if it’s subconsciously. After all, you want to feel comfortable in your home. On the other hand, many of us often forget about our working spaces and let bad lighting, poorly arranged desks, and uncomfortable chairs disrupt the flow of chi. It can be hard to know how to arrange your office when you have to fit in with company-wide specifications, so we’ve compiled a few helpful hints on how to successfully harness the benefits of feng shui in your office.
Organize & Position Your Desk
Make sure your desk is oriented so that you can face the door when sitting at it. This position represents your ability to see new and favourable opportunities in the future. It will also put your back to a wall or window, from which you can draw strength and support. Your desk itself should also be tidied to remove any clutter that could distract you. Only keep those files that you absolutely need for your job, and make sure to organize them in a way that makes it easy to work around.
Use Plants
Plants are natural air purifiers and having a few around your office can improve the quality of air you breathe. According to the principles of feng shui, they can also disrupt the flow of bad energy, encouraging positive chi to flow through your space. You should arrange them so that they cover any room irregularities, like strange corners, cramped spaces, or jutting columns that may interrupt the circulation of air and chi.
Improve Your Lighting
Offices are renowned for their bad lighting, as fluorescent bulbs are a cheaper, more efficient way to light rooms. Unfortunately, it has a negative impact on your productivity, as their harsh light can be a strain on your eyes. To encourage the flow of chi, you’re going to want as much natural light as possible. Natural light has also been proven to improve levels of productivity, regardless of its effects on chi.
If it’s been a long time since your office had window treatments installed, then your blinds might not open the way they should. Don’t let old, malfunctioning blinds disrupt your chi. Give a quick call to our offices and we’ll help you re-establish chi in your office by brightening your space. Our expertly installed window treatments will provide excellent covering when you need privacy and will retract smoothly when you need natural light.
With a bright, fresh, and organized office, you’ll find yourself a lot more comfortable while at work. Try these helpful hints and see if the harmonizing effects of feng shui improve your productivity and creativity between the hours of 9 and 5.