When evaluating an office space, much of the same principles apply to a singular room as they do an entire house or building. Each room in a business is a miniature version of the whole business. Because of the size and function of a room, there is usually a limit to what can be done. If a person sits at a desk with a computer off to the side, file cabinets and any other pieces of furniture, there realistically may only be one or two ways that the furniture in the room can be placed. If it is a fairly large room, then there is more leeway. Sometimes clients have been able to shift their desk a few feet in another direction and thereby place themselves in a better location within the room. Also, if they can possibly sit in a good direction for them personally, based on their birth date, then every little bit helps.

WHY DO PEOPLE WANT FENG SHUI ADVICE FOR AN OFFICE?

Many people spend a significant portion of their lives in their office. Second only to the bedroom, it is the place where your energy is either supported or undermined. People want a winning edge in the work field and having balance in your office can translate to a number of benefits including: higher productivity, more creativity, better concentration, better communication with others, reduction of features which can cause health problems, just to name a few.

When a person occupies an office, I usually consider where that room is within the floor plan of the whole business. If that person is renting out the room and has nothing to do with the business surrounding them, then their room could be viewed as its own separate space (much like a studio apartment in a building.) More often, the person is a part of a company and their office takes up part of a bigger section of the whole floor plan. They may only need one remedy for the whole room. Perhaps there is another office within the business that would be better suited for them.

YOU CAN'T FENG SHUI A CUBICLE. I have been asked a number of times to look at someone's work space, only to discover that they had a desk out in a lobby, a cubicle in a hallway, or a desk out in a big showroom. Aside from being very exposed and not having any privacy, these desks have to be looked at in terms of where they are within the building. An entire work pool may need one predominant element for everyone's benefit. Generally, if the feng shui of the whole business or building is good, then everyone inside can prosper. Then on a smaller scale, there will be areas within the office that are more desirable for accounting, marketing, conference, and storage. The head of the company should sit in the most positive room in the whole office.

GENERAL OFFICE TIPS:

1. Don't sit under a beam. (Can cause headaches, lack of concentration.)

2. Don't sit with your back aligned with a corner structural column (like an arrow pointing at you: can cause back pain.)

3. Try not to sit with your back to the room's entrance. It is psychically vulnerable, hard to concentrate. A "rear-view" mirror may compensate.

4. Don't carpet the entire office with a really strong color like maroon or hunter green. It may be good for some locations within the office, but never good for the whole space.

5. For offices that are sealed up with no fresh air, get air purifiers.

6. If colors are dull or depressing, choose cheerful tasteful alternatives. (I had a client once who had dark wood paneling in a little room and he was stunned at how much better he felt when he removed the paneling.)

7. Get the help of a professional organizer if you have chronic clutter and disorganization.

8. Make sure your office gets enough light, but not a glare.

9. To know what elements you need in the room, (like a metal desk verses a wood one) you need to have advanced "Flying Star feng shui" calculations done on the space.

10. Sitting with a desk off to the side is a little better than directly facing the door, which may be too confronting for the people coming to see you.

11. Don't position desk up against a window if you are a day dreamer.

12. Cover up any bad views with screens or plants.

visit Kartar's web-site at
www.fengshuisolutions.net

 

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© Melt Magazine 2001