Feng Shui has been, for a very long time, a state of mind that many people wanted to achieve. Every time someone brought a new decoration or item in their seemingly simple office or home, they would say it helps with their feng shui.
However, not many companies allow employees to heavily modify their working spaces. As such, people can’t always enjoy a Feng Shui environment. But something has changed!
Nowadays, we are free to work remotely – depending on the job, of course – and have our own home office. Given this, it goes without saying that we should create a Feng Shui atmosphere in it, as it will certainly improve our workflow and well-being!
Therefore, let’s take a look at what you should do and what to avoid while applying Feng Shui to your home or in-company office!
Feng Shui – the Main Elements
Feng Shui is, as you may know, an ancient Chinese concept – often seen as an art – based on complete harmony with the surrounding space and environment. Its name is translated to wind and water, as both of these elements flow in full harmony.
However, these are not the things that create Feng Shui as we know it. The main elements are:
- Wood – the first element promotes growth, as well as creativity.
- Fire – often considered the most powerful of the five, fire is the source of energy, expansion, and the will to transform oneself.
- Water – water, on the other hand, provides people with inspiration, as well as with emotion and empathy, if we may say so.
- Earth – a solid element, earth is the source of strength and stability.
- Metal – last but not least, metal is present in Feng Shui to unite all the mentioned elements. It gives them a certain order while providing the person enjoying the Feng Shui a feeling of focus.
These elements can be showcased via various colors or items that relate to the element itself. For example, the color red symbolizes fire while brown items relate to the earth element. In short, you are not forced to bring a mini-waterfall in your office for it to be Feng Shui!
Feng Shui – What to Do
Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, it’s time to take a look at what exactly one should do to transform their office into a Feng Shui office. Keep in mind that it’s not as easy as buying a plant.
- Proper Chair
There’s a good reason why every traditional Feng Shui office comes with an ergonomic office chair. Even those with hardwood floors or a lot of traditional/vintage items have such a chair in them. Why?
Because Feng Shui implies that a chair with a tall back provides the user with the protection and support that they need every single day while working. For example, the Ergomeister FAEZ8ERG is a durable and comfortable chair that has a tall back as well. Apart from complying with the guidelines of Feng Shui – solid metal (steel) build that unites all the surrounding elements -, you get to treat your back well/properly too.
The chair is extremely important in a Feng Shui office as it supports the individual in their journey to harmony and peace of mind!
- Strong, Powerful Backing
The chair must be fit for a Feng Shui approach – the same applies to its backing! Its protection is rendered useless if there’s nothing behind it.
As such, it is recommended to have a solid element behind the chair or even a wall. However, if you have a large window behind it, green and lush plants can provide the chair with the same powerful backing as a wall.
- Power Position
Feng Shui is all about harmony, as we mentioned above. But, for someone to feel in harmony, they must also feel in power. Therefore, the desk of the office should be placed in the room’s power position.
Namely, have the desk placed as far away from the door as possible – but with a clear view of the entrance as well.
- Natural Elements
The common natural elements used in Feng Shui are moving water – most of the time – and lush plants. Although they are not mandatory, Feng Shui experts state that such elements are vital when it comes to providing people with positive and creative energy.
Try to introduce live plants into your office and, if you’re not willing to invest in an automated waterfall, a small, hand-made pond will do the trick as well.
- The Color Palette
If you want to approach Feng Shui, you may have to give up on some of your favorite colors. You’ll have to work more with white, pale gold, soft yellow, blue-green, sandstone, pale orange, and pale green.
Last but not least, all the above should bathe in as much natural lighting as possible. If that’s not a possibility, then you should try equipping the office with incandescent bulbs, as they work against fatigue.
Feng Shui – What to Avoid
From the get-go, it looks like Feng Shui implies bringing a lot of new things into the office and changing only a couple of them. However, for the true Feng Shui experience, one does have to let some things go or change them.
- Clutter – you have to be organized if you want your office to be Feng Shui. This means tucking away all of those clippers that some of us leave on their desk for months and making it look as tidy as possible.
- Sharp is Bad – sharp angles are a no-no in Feng Shui. Because it is based on nature, this concept implies the use of natural, round forms only. However, if you don’t have a choice, then make sure that the sharp angles are not pointing your way.
- Too Much Color – the palette we mentioned earlier must not be taken to an extreme. For example, pale gold and blue-green shouldn’t be too bright or too vivid as they may create an unwelcoming atmosphere.
- Don’t Exaggerate – just as with the colors, you shouldn’t exaggerate with items or with anything else that is related to Feng Shui. One fancy waterfall is enough – but three will probably make your office look laughable. Keep it simple.
The Bottom Line
So, what should you do for a Feng Shui experience in your office?
Well, first of all, make sure you have all the main elements incorporated in the room – in any shape, color, or texture you may find them. As we mentioned a couple of times, a single waterfall does not make Feng Shui.
We often see people claiming to have a Feng Shui office while boasting a small plant and an extremely cluttered office.
In short, it’s the little things that make a space look and feel Feng Shui.