aerial view of a man sitting at is nicely organized tableYou’ve probably heard of feng shui, the ancient Chinese practice of attracting positive energy through the deliberate arrangement of physical objects. It’s based on the premise that everything in our environment affects our mood, productivity, and creativity. Effective feng shui is about balancing your inner life by organizing your external world. Just like your ergonomic furniture and office chairs, the concept is to stay comfortable and focused while you work. You don't have to be a new-age practitioner to enjoy the benefits of feng shui. All you need is an open mind and you can create a happier and more productive office experience. Here are 5 tips for getting started with feng shui today.

1. Orient Your Desk for Success

In feng shui, the success, prosperity, and happiness you experience every day at work can come down to the direction you're oriented toward and the position of your desk. The recommended format is the "command" position, which involves arranging your desk so that you're directly across from the front door of your office. The idea is to give you the widest possible view of the room. According to feng shui, having visual power over your workspace will give you a much better feeling of control over your work life. After all, how often do you see executives sitting with their back to their door?

2. Create Inspiration Points

Try to organize your office so you can look out of the window – a nice view is ideal for reducing stress. If you're nowhere near a window, you'll need to improvise by using either a photo or a piece of art that you can look at when you're feeling overwhelmed. Choose something that makes you feel exhilarated, happy, or uplifted. This will help to replenish your personal energy and stabilize your mood. Keep in mind that color is crucial to your work environment. Research shows that blue boosts creativity and creates calm, while red is empowering. However, too much of any shade can be enough to create stress. Try choosing a neutral overall color, with patches of vibrant art throughout the room.

3. Get Organized

Once you've managed your view, you'll be able to consider the surface of your desk. There's a good chance you're facing some excess clutter, from coffee mugs to assorted documents. Feng shui professionals believe that “chi,” or productive energy, can't flow through all that stuff on your desk. This means it might be time for a quick spring clean. Take everything off your desk, and only put back the items that you use daily. Limit the amount of papers and resources on your desk to enough for one project at a time. You can also organize your entire day by scheduling calendars and folders by order of importance.

4. Discover the Bagua Map

The "bagua map" in feng shui is crucial for analyzing the energy of any space, as it splits your space up into different sections. For instance, the back-left corner represents prosperity and might be the perfect spot for a valuable item that represents wealth to you. On the other hand, the center area of the desk represents health, so it’s best to keep that area free, clear, and ready to attract energy. The items you use to inspire creativity should be on the right-center of your desk. For instance, if you're an artist, then you might place a blank sketchbook here, or a collection of pencils. At the same time, the front-left corner of the desk attracts knowledge, so try placing your reading materials there.

5. Give Yourself Room to Breathe

Air quality is something that's frequently forgotten in business. We're so focused on the task at hand that we neglect the value of fresh, high-quality air. That might be why indoor air is up to 5 times more polluted than the air outside. You might not be able to keep your office window open at all times, but you can purify the air in your space with the right plants. Not only will you reduce the amount of toxins in your office space, but you’ll also ensure a more calming environment.

Finding your Feng Shui

Feng shui might not be an instant answer to office comfort and business prosperity, but it can be a helpful way to spruce up your office if you're looking for inspiration. Feng shui is all about perspective and creating balance in your life, so why not give it a try in your busy workplace? Contact The Back Store today and speak to our knowledgeable team about how you can choose the right furniture for a feng shui-inspired workspace.