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Feng Shui Tips for Your
Home Office- Part 2
by Stephanie Roberts
(To read Part I of this article,
click here.)
Part II: Setting up Your Work Space
The furnishings you choose for your
home office - especially your desk and chair - can have a powerful influence
on your ability to succeed and prosper. When setting up a home office,
it can be tempting to use whatever extra furniture is on hand around
the house or to economize with second-hand furnishings. Neither of these
is a very good idea.
Ergonomics - how well the shape,
size, and other design features of your desk, chair, and lighting
work for you - is a very important consideration for any work space.
Sure, using that extra kitchen chair is a lot cheaper than buying
a new "executive-style" office chair, but if it's not comfortable
it is not helping you get your work done. A lamp that's fine on
a bedside table in the bedroom may be woefully inadequate as task
lighting for your workspace. If you are going to work from home,
make sure your home office is working for you by investing in furnishings
that make it easy and comfortable for you to focus on business.
Second-hand office furniture requires
special consideration, as it often has terrible "predecessor chi." Never
buy used furniture from a business that went bankrupt, no matter how
cheap it is - it will fill your home office with the energy of failure,
anxiety, and disappointment. On the other hand, if you absolutely positively
know for sure that the previous user of your second-hand desk chair
made a zillion dollars in a legal and ethical manner and is now living
a life of ease in Acapulco, go ahead and take it! All those good success
vibes will help you prosper as well.
Family furniture hand-me-downs will
have good or bad energy for you depending on the quality of your family
relationships. If you have a great relationship with your Dad, for example,
and consider him a good role model, using his old desk and chair in
your office can help you feel looked after, supported, and inspired.
In general, a large desk provides energetic
room for expansive thinking and growth. However, too much large furniture
in a too-small room will stop chi cold, and you may discover that there's
no new business coming in.
A good desk chair can be adjusted to
the correct height for your body and work-surface, is stable, and provides
good back and arm support. Your desk chair represents your support and
foundation, so make sure it is in good shape for the job.
Remember that the work you do is a form
of self-expression. Although it is important that your office furniture
be ergonomically suited to the work you do, don't feel you have to give
this space an "office" look unless it helps you concentrate on business.
THE VIEW FROM THE TOP
In the corporate world, successful entrepreneurs
are often described as being "visionaries," in reference to their ability
to conceive and implement dramatically new ideas that transform entire
industries. In feng shui, "vision" - both physical eyesight and imaginative
power - is symbolically associated with the Fame gua, with lighting
of any kind, and with the windows in your home or office.
An office that lacks windows - such
as a home office stuffed into a corner of the basement - keeps you out
of sight of others and can lead to feeling isolated and out of touch.
For an entrepreneur working from home, a windowless office implies you
could be out of touch with your clients and that you are unable to foresee
where your entire industry is headed.
If your office has small, high windows
or no view at all, use posters of landscapes with a far horizon to create
the illusion of being able to see into the distance. If you overlook
something unattractive - such as grubby garbage bins -- keep the blinds
closed (it's best if you can use material that will allow light in while
blocking an unattractive view). If you are fortunate in having a beautiful,
inspiring view outside your office windows, a large wall mirror can
reflect the view into the room and fill the room with positive chi.
Be aware that mirrors can be tricky
in a home office. A mirror that reflects your desk can symbolically
double your work. In terms of your income, this could be good. But how
well will you handle the increased workload? Sometimes more work means
more stress, contributes to family problems, and leads to physical or
emotional exhaustion. And unless you keep your desk very tidy, that
mirror will be doubling your mess and clutter as well!
To be in command of your business,
sit in the Command Position: where you have a clear view of door,
but are not directly in line with the door. If you are not in the
Command Position in your office, this can mean that you are not
in control of what's going on in your business, and that new developments
(and problems!) often take you by surprise.
If you can't place your desk in the
Command Position, use a mirror to provide a reflected view of the doorway.
And keep in mind that a desk in the Command Position is only helpful
if you are able to get in and out of your chair with ease, otherwise
you may feel "backed up against the wall" by business situations.
Wherever you sit, make sure that you
look at something inspiring: a photograph of your spouse and/or kids,
a brochure for that exotic vacation you hope to take by the end of the
year, or a mock-up of the "Entrepreneur of the Year" award you intend
to win someday.
Excerpted from “The
Pocket Idiot's Guide to Feng Shui” by Stephanie Roberts (Alpha
Books, 2004)
Copyright © 2004
Stephanie Roberts
STEPHANIE ROBERTS is the author of the popular
Fast Feng Shui book series, available at Amazon.com. Receive FR(EE)
Feng Shui tips in every issue when you subscribe to the Fast Feng
Shui newsletter. Visit http://www.fastfengshui.com
for details.
SEE ALSO:
Article: Clutter's Side Effects:
How the State of Your Home Affects Your Life
Sample Quick Tips: If Your Issue
is Career
Links & Resources: Career
Planning, Job Search, Work
from Home, Home
Office Storage & Organization (Amazon.com)
Products: Feng Shui Water
Fountains
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