These days a lot of people are trying to juggle work and home and by doing this are setting up their home offices. Separating work and home can prove quite challenging depending on the space available.
While having a home office we try and justify to ourselves that we will have more time to spend with the family, however I find the opposite is true. I personally love my job hence I don’t see it as work and love to fill my hours on the computer coming up with new ideas for my business and continually improving how I do things. I feel the majority of self employed people are the same. While this can be a positive in terms of the business it can also be considered a negative in regards to the relationship with your family.
Spending time on the computer while the kids watch television is not really considered quality time with the family and I’m sure we are all guilty of that – I know I am! So how do we help to cope with this from a Feng Shui perspective? It’s all about balance…………
The first port of call is trying to have a separate office space. An entire room would be ideal and this would allow you to actually lock it over the week-ends and after a certain time at night to help separate work and home. Unfortunately when we use our dining tables or kitchen benches as our working space the line between work and family becomes blurred.
It is ideal to have natural light in a study and good ventilation is also important for concentration. Open windows as often as possible to allow air within the room to be exchanged with the air outside, thereby decreasing the concentration of the air pollutants in the room.
A picture that inspires you to achieve your goals or motivates you to work is considered auspicious in the study.
You can energize your work area by using aromas. Aromas have great Sheng Qi (positive energy) and can give you a lift. Only use real essential oils and not fragrant oils or air fresheners as both the latter are made from chemicals that are potentially harmful. Useful oils for work include basil (stimulates the brain), rosemary (helps concentration and helps to relieve headaches) and any of the citrus essential oils as they are quite uplifting and revitalising. If you share the room with other people, rather than using something that diffuses the aroma into the whole room, try dabbing some oil into a handkerchief for yourself.
In relation to furniture placement, the desk is the most important piece of furniture in the study. According to Form School, the ideal position of a desk is where there is a solid wall reasonably close behind you when you are seated at the desk. The wall acts as your support while you work. Without this, you might feel unsupported and find it harder to concentrate. It is considered auspicious to hang any qualifications, awards, certifications etc on this wall so that you are supported by your knowledge while you work at the desk.
Sitting in direct alignment with the door is considered to be inauspicious as one can be more easily distracted in this position.
While seated at the desk, ideally you have a view of the door. Being able to see the door while seated at your desk symbolically gives a sense of being in control of your work. You should also be able to see the whole room from your desk to symbolise that you have mastery over all that you do. It is said that this will help you to think more clearly, help with judgment and with being well respected by people. Preferably, from your seat you can see out a window so that you can have natural light and a pleasant or inspiring view. If you sit facing a wall, it symbolically relates to having a lack of vision or blockage of vision in relation to your work.
If you are unable to place your desk in the ideal position try using a mirror to help you view what is going on behind you.
Ideally, photocopiers, printers and off-gassing stationery items would be directly under a window so that the toxic gasses can escape out of the home.
Plants are great for studies as they produce oxygen during the day, which can help with alertness and clear thinking. Plants provide beneficial life-force energy to the room to help with concentration and gaining good ideas when you are working. Leafy plants in the study would also help to collect dust (therefore, remove the dust particles from the air), reduce the carbon dioxide levels and restore a small amount of oxygen to the room.
The electrical wires or cables of the computer, printer and other electrical equipment should be tied in parallel to reduce the magnetic fields. Sit at least one metre from the computer and place a screen on the monitor that reduces the radiation coming through from the screen to you. Limit time spent on the computer to short intervals, such as one-hour intervals, and then go outside for some air.
Now that is a good reminder for me………..I am shutting down my laptop to go and spend some quality time with the family. Chow for now.
Author: Elizabeth Wiggins, Feng Shui Consultant
Learn more from Elizabeth at her website.
