All of us have “off days” when at work. Sometimes, we didn’t get enough sleep the night before or might be fighting a cold. Whatever it is, trying to keep motivated throughout the day can feel like a real struggle.
It might come as a surprise that these feelings might be less about you and more about the environment you’re trying to work in.
Designing a calming working space that supports a more productive attitude is essential for all business environments. Incorporating Feng Shui design principles can be a great way to achieve this.
Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice that works on the philosophy that your surroundings have an ongoing impact on your mood and ability to work productively. This is why you’ll often hear the term associated with calming settings like therapy offices, counseling centers, or yoga studios.
However, by applying various Feng Shui design concepts to your working space, you’ll be able to create a more inviting place to work that minimizes distractions and helps you accomplish your goals.
Get a Commanding View of Your Surroundings
When reviewing Feng Shui design principles, you’ll come across the “command position.” Referring to optimal office layouts, command positioning is all about situating your desk and chair in a location that increases focus and puts you in “control” of your surroundings.
Working in a more secure position has subconscious benefits that help lower your anxiety levels throughout the day. To achieve this, your ideal working position should be with your back toward a solid wall or barrier and your front facing the entryway. Sitting in this position creates feelings of stability and more awareness throughout the day.
If a visitor enters your working space, you’ll be less likely to be startled and distracted from what you’re doing. Mirrors can also be useful if you can’t position yourself against a wall or barrier. By placing mirrors strategically, you’ll increase your field of vision around your desk, which can help you achieve the same level of security.
Eliminate Office Clutter
No one likes to be surrounded by clutter when working, but it happens occasionally. However, in Feng Shui, clutter disrupts positive energy flow – known as “Chi.” If Chi cannot move freely in your workplace, it can put you on edge and make you unable to focus.
Eliminating office clutter isn’t difficult. You just need a good routine to manage it. Start by assessing your workspace and pinpointing problem areas. Consider what you “need” to complete your work and keep those items visible. Everything else should find its way into accessible storage areas.
Think about the balance between your workspace’s functional and aesthetic features. If your space is more decorative than serving a real purpose, it’s time to re-evaluate.
Use the Bagua to Guide Your Design Choices
Every design choice you make in your office can impact your productivity level. In Feng Shui, this is represented by the “Bagua” map.
Bagua divides spaces into distinctive zones. Each zone represents a different area of life, including career, health, knowledge, wealth, and prosperity. All zones have their own corresponding colors and natural elements that represent them.
For example, a water element in your office – like a small fountain or oceanic artwork – denotes an improved focus on your career. Incorporating more earthy tones represents grounding and a focus on taking in more knowledge.
Bagua maps are commonly used when designing modern buildings or working spaces. By understanding the significance of certain color choices and other design elements, the space can become much more functional and have a positive influence on overall productivity.
Bring Nature Indoors
Natural elements deeply influence Chinese culture. So, it’s no surprise that Feng Shui design principles often refer to its importance. Bringing the restorative energy that being outdoors provides inside the office promotes more balance and improved well-being.
The first thing you should consider about your office space is lighting. Unfortunately, most artificial lighting is harsh on our eyes over time. Using as much natural light as possible is a better solution for an office environment. Think about positioning your work area near windows or underneath a skylight.
If your office has limited natural light sources, there are other options you can try. Switching your office lighting to LED bulbs with temperature control settings can also work. This will let you customize your lighting to match natural sunlight more closely.
Another way to bring nature indoors is with your decoration choices. Adding a plant or small fountain in your office helps purify the air and creates a more peaceful working environment. They also incorporate positive energy flow into the space, helping to improve your mood throughout the day.
Create the Right Ambiance
The ambiance your workspace has is another subconscious driver of how efficiently you accomplish your work. Poor aesthetics can make you feel out of place and bring your motivation levels down.
However, while creating a calming atmosphere is helpful in many cases, you want to avoid feeling too relaxed. You’ll also want a healthy amount of stimulation to balance more calming energies. You want to feel alert and engaged rather than drowsy or restless.
Besides color and lighting choices, consider incorporating natural scents using an oil diffuser. Different scents promote different feelings. Lavender, for example, promotes relaxation, while lemon, orange, and other citrus scents promote more focus and energy. If you’re in a home office, you could also use candles to provide softer natural light to your space – of course, not overdoing it to avoid fire safety issues.
Create a More Enjoyable Environment to Work
Creating a workspace that keeps you motivated is essential for performing the way you hope. By incorporating Feng Shui principles, you can make subtle yet impactful changes to your environment, resulting in increased productivity, improved mood, and more enjoyment in your work.
Author Bio:
Visionary and healthcare entrepreneur by passion, Licensed Psychologist by training, Dr. Hannah Yang loves creating new possibilities in the world of mental health and wellness. Dr. Yang established Balanced Awakening in 2015 as a niche psychotherapy practice for women. As Balanced Awakening flourishes in Chicago, and soon Miami, she also loves to tap into her passion for design and Feng Shui to create fabulous environments for herself, her team, and clients.