OFFICE FENG SHUI

Not sure where to put your pet rock? Go magazine has teamed up with Darrin Zeer, a professional relaxation consultant and author of Office Feng Shui (Chronicle Books), to talk chi and cubicles. Zeer, who consults for companies as diverse as 3M, the Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts and CNN, defines Feng Shui in a nutshell as "ancient common sense”.

Feng Shui literally means "wind” and "water” in Chinese, and is the thousand year-old practice of arranging space to promote a harmonious flow of chi, or energy. Behind Feng Shui is the philosophy that we live in an invisible field of energy. Arranging your room according to the laws of Feng Shui allows this energy to flow freely, promoting well-being, peace of mind, and success in business. Sure, cultivating harmony isn’t normally at the top of a corporate executive’s to-do list, but more Americans are embracing Eastern traditions with positive results.

An office checklist to a brighter future

Good office Feng Shui begins at your desk. Clutter is like a traffic jam for your chi, so begin by discarding and filing random papers laying on your desk. Depending if you’re neat or a bit messy, this could take from five minutes to a week.

But a new life of harmonious cubicle dwelling is well within reach. If you need more than a few hours to tame a mountain of paperwork, Zeer gently suggests setting aside a time of day to begin organizing parts of your office. Or take several short breaks each day over the course of a week to organize and toss unwanted papers. Keep the stuff you need-Rolodex and family photo-on your desk, because they represent centers of power and support. A clear desk provides a calm space for meditation, allowing more freedom for creativity and true insight into your goals.

Screen care
The next place to Feng Shui your way to success is your computer screen. Sometimes dozens of files collect on the desktop, and this is the first thing you see when you turn on the computer.

"Your mind immediately tries to create order,” says Zeer. "But if the screen is in disorder, then you feel in disorder.” For desktops peppered with files, place the files in a folder or several folders to reduce stress.

Next, set the background of your computer screen to a nurturing color, such as lavender, off-red, or earth tones. Tension can build up and get in the way of creativity and vision. Nurturing colors calm the mind.

Part of Feng Shui means arranging your space to reflect your personality-your sensibility, attitude and aspiration””and creating a space where you feel at home. Respect your own feelings, and if you crave green or black, don’t be afraid to pass on lavender.

According to ancient Chinese wisdom, water is an auspicious substance. For a screensaver, Zeer recommends an inspirational image, such as a flowing river, to bring luck and spur original thoughts.

Plant Life
Feng Shui consultants swear by potted plants. Plants, like a fern or pot of bamboo, are supposed to be magnets for good luck. And in any case, a fern can turn the carbon dioxide exhaled by your boss breathing down your neck, into oxygen for you. Also, a deep breath now and then and a cup of green tea, packed with anti-oxidants, will keep the mind focused and clear-headed.

Face the day
Feng Shui can get a little tricky at work because you often don’t have a lot of mobility. Ideally, the desk should face the door to your office with your back facing the wall.

"Some people sit with their back to the door of the office or their workplace, and then everything surprises them,” explains Zeer. Craning your head to greet visitors can also eventually cause neck strain. "Also, it’s important to sit in an office chair with really good arm support and a high back,” says Zeer. He recommends this type of chair because "you want to feel empowered, supported and confident with the people you’re doing business with.”

Play With Proportion
In a tight space, some people feel as oversized as Alice in Wonderland after she nibbled the mushroom. For a cramped office, Zeer recommends hanging small pictures, like a distant landscape scene, instead of large ones. A few well-appointed small things, even a little vase, can make a mini-cubicle seem more spacious and comfortable.

Get the look
Last but not least, Feng Shui yourself with a stylish outfit. What you wear affects how you feel about yourself, and confidence is a good influence on your office’s chi. This can be largely common-sense. A smart, well-fitted suit will do wonders for your self-confidence and you’ll project this outwardly as well as inwardly.

At the end of the day, we’ve all stumbled into rooms that just didn’t feel right. So don’t be afraid to bring a little Feng Shui to work, and treat yourself as the guest of honor in your own office.

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