A huge part of our life is occupied by work. Therefore, of course, work should bring satisfaction, it should be to your liking. And this depends not only on whether we like the work we are doing or not, but also on whether our workplace is organized correctly. This is what we'll talk about.
Properly organizing your workplace is important not only for those who work in offices, but also for those who work at home. Working on the sofa will quickly tire your back, and the habit of working in a dressing gown will certainly not contribute to the emergence of fresh, extraordinary ideas and work ethic.
Shelves hanging over the table, all sorts of furniture corners pointing directly at you and a door right behind you - it would be good to get rid of all this by redesigning your workspace. Let's make sure that our working hours are as productive as possible and bring joy and satisfaction.
How much space do you need?
There is no ideal workplace - it all depends on what exactly you do.
Nowadays, few people can manage without a computer, accountants and entrepreneurs in particular. The whole question is whether you need free space to work on papers, check and sign documents, and take notes by hand.
For example, you are an accountant in a small company using the simplified tax system: you keep records, submit reports, work with primary accounts. The original paper is stored in the closet, but documents in various stages of registration are constantly stored on your desk. Are they conveniently placed, is there any free space left? Vertical storage stands for documents or shelves above the table may be a good option.
What else do you constantly need for work, what do you use regularly? This could be a desk calendar, calculator or diary. Make sure that the things you need are at hand, they are convenient to use, and that unnecessary things do not clutter up the table.
And yes, even after you have laid out everything you are working with, there should be free space - “air”. If the desk space is still cramped, you may need a larger desk.
Let's touch history
Feng Shui is a Chinese philosophical system of harmonizing objects in the environment. This teaching is closely related to the philosophical and religious movement of Taoism, which professes the natural path of moral self-improvement. The term itself translates as “wind and water.” That is, here lies the meaning of something perfect and ideal. The practice of Feng Shui describes architecture and interior design in various metaphorical terms, which usually denote a certain “invisible force” or energy.
Feng Shui is a Chinese philosophical system of harmonizing objects in the environment.
There is a whole dictionary of Feng Shui terminology, here are its basic concepts:
- Qi is the flow of energy in a room (house, area). Qi energy can be both positive and negative. That is, it is a kind of vital force, thanks to which the microclimate in the room is formed. It is believed that Qi energy is born in symbiosis with such units as the universe, earth and man. According to the philosophical teachings of Feng Shui, Qi energy develops in the wind, but is preserved when colliding with water;
- Shen-qi (or Shen-qi) is an accumulation of favorable energy or strength. The literal translation means “breath of the contented dragon.” A person who harmonizes a room using the Feng Shui method sets the goal of Shen Qi.
Historically, Feng Shui has been widely used to orient buildings, spaces, grounds, and other spiritually significant structures in a favorable manner.
Historically, Feng Shui has been widely used to orient buildings, spaces, sites and other spiritually significant structures in a favorable manner.
Desktop computer or laptop
Here everything again depends on your work scenarios. If you only work in the office, nothing prevents you from using a desktop computer with a system unit. If you sometimes take work home or combine office and remote work, use a laptop.
Many struggle with a desktop computer, but do not switch to a laptop due to their commitment to large screens. There is a way out of this situation - connect a laptop to a monitor in the office. This will also allow you to maintain a comfortable head position - look straight without bending over.
If it is not possible to order a monitor, you can use the laptop itself as a monitor - place it higher on a stand. And print from an additional keyboard.
The main thing is to ask yourself if you are comfortable: do you want to move the screen higher or lower, right or left, does your neck get tired, do your hands get numb. These problems can cost us our health, but they can often be solved quickly and almost free of charge.
Feng Shui in the office: rules and tips
Next, activate the necessary corners with mascot-figurines: a three-toed toad. The bigger the better. But you can’t keep more than 9 pieces in the office. Place her back to the front door and her back to the windows so she doesn't take money out of the office. You will also be helped by three Chinese coins tied with a scarlet ribbon, elephants, scrolls with auspicious hieroglyphs, a crystal pyramid and money trees, both plants and talismans. It is important to choose flowers for the office according to Feng Shui, but first things first.
Feng Shui in the office: basic rules
Do I need a second monitor?
Here, too, it all depends on what exactly you are doing. Most often, having two monitors is convenient for those who work a lot with data - for example, bringing together data from several sources.
For example, an accountant might use two monitors like this:
- on one, open the source database in the accounting system, on the second - analytical and verification tables in Excel;
- primary on one monitor, accounting system, for example an OS card with all tabs, on the second;
- accounting program - on one, mail, news, internal CRM, chat for communicating with the client - on the second.
Even if your manager now refuses to buy you a second monitor, insist and convince: water wears away stones.
Flowers in the manager's office
Croton. If the leader is hot-tempered, this plant will help. Improves charisma, improves health, and increases stamina. Croton will inspire and improve character in terms of determination.
Cyclamen will promote self-organization and add positivity, eliminating the feeling of loneliness. Dieffenbachia will help those who rarely get out from behind the desk.
Read more about Feng Shui plants>>
Which lighting is better
I like the room where I work to have a lot of light and to be able to look out the window. But direct sunlight has a downside: it can hit your eyes and cause reflections on the screen. But this can be solved. If space allows, you can place the table so that the light does not fall on the screen and does not dazzle. If there is no space, white roller blinds will help out: the room will still be light, but the light will be diffused, and it will not interfere with work.
But not everyone loves light. Some people work better in semi-darkness. If you know such a feature, think about how to take it into account in the workplace. Alternatively, you can turn on not all the overhead lamps, and let your light-loving colleagues add light with table lamps.
Feng Shui flowers for the office
In the area where clients are usually located, the reception area or the hall, it is better to place flowering plants; they attract the eye and symbolize the flourishing of the business. In other areas, it is better to place plants with round leaves, such as money trees or violets.
It is better to avoid cacti. If the windows in the office are very large, they will interfere with concentrating on work, in which case, put flowers on the window sills, or you can get by with blinds.
Plants for the office according to feng shui
In the room where employees sit, you should place fatsia - it will help fight obstacles, ficus - it will help in the career, and syngonium, it has leaves in the shape of hearts, which will add peace to the office atmosphere.
Flowers in the office
Scheffler and ficus will add positivity and improve the air; it is better to place them next to equipment such as a printer. The Chinese rose will inspire lazy people and slobs.
Japanese kinkan should be added to the arrangement of the meeting room; it will provide protection, Montezuma pine and cypress will give wealth, and sorrel and hoya will give good luck.
It is better to fill the rest room with liana-like, hanging plants, and mask the corners with them as much as possible. According to Feng Shui, it is better to choose red-orange flowers for the office.
Is it worth enclosing the table?
When large open-plan offices appeared, many began to separate themselves from their colleagues with partitions. They do not protect from noise and prying eyes, but still give a feeling of intimacy and at least some kind of security. In addition, this at least a little disciplines everyone who “just ask”: when your territory is clearly marked, it is more difficult to invade it.
So if you feel uncomfortable in an open space, think about it, maybe you should separate yourself at least this way? The function of a partition can be performed by shelving, large indoor plants or a floor lamp.
Projecting corners
Beware of protruding corners as they are considered unfavorable. They can be compared to sharp knives or index fingers pointed threateningly at a person. There are several ways to dissipate the harmful energy emitted by such “poison arrows”, these are twining plants (if they wither or die, they will need to be replaced), you can also line the corner with a mirror or hang a crystal ball to smooth the edge of the protruding corner.
Where to hide the wires
Wires often take up too much space on desks, interfere with paperwork, and create a feeling of clutter. But there are ways to curb them.
The simplest one is a paper clip: you pass a wire through the “ears” and attach the clip itself to the tabletop. The wires will remain on the table, but will not spread to the sides.
If you have a round hole in your table for wires, try to pass them all through it, and place the extension cord (aka pilot, aka surge protector) under the table or on the inside of the tabletop.
You can hide the wires in a paper tube from a folded magazine or in special boxes. Here's what it might look like.
Well, the main thing is to figure out whether you need all the wires. It happens that chargers that we use once a month permanently live in the sockets of an extension cord. If this is the case, consider whether it would be more convenient to put them in a drawer and take them out as needed.
Furniture arrangement in the office according to Feng Shui
Furniture should have straight lines. Workers should not sit with their backs to the door. It is advisable to place them facing the entrance, and have a wall behind them, this allows them to feel safe and supported. How to arrange furniture in an office according to Feng Shui?
Office furniture according to feng shui
It is better not to place huge cabinets near the doors; it will be difficult for energy to squeeze into the office. It is better to place all massive furniture along blank walls.
Are stickers needed?
Work desks are often overgrown with leaves and stickers with reminders: “Call Aura”, “Documents from STK-Kraft!!!!!!”, “Irina Lvovna 8-900-800-10-10”. Some of these reminders are needed here and now, some are needed periodically. Sometimes these leaves gather dust, fade, and create visual noise.
This is especially critical when we are dealing with large and complex tasks - for example, preparing a VAT or profit report. If we are distracted for even a few seconds, it can take 23 minutes before we can focus again. These are the conclusions reached by Gloria Mark, a professor at the Department of Computer Science at the University of California, Irvine.
So if you have a lot of sticky notes and sticky notes on your desk, try to figure out if they're doing their job.
- If you need a reminder regularly - for example, the phone number of a contractor or manager - is it convenient for you to have this piece of paper lying on your desk? Maybe you should enter information in the phone book or create a file on your computer with work contacts?
- If it's a reminder of an important project, does the sticker help you get on with it? How long ago did you hang this note or put it under glass? Has anything changed during this time? Maybe it's worth breaking the project down into small subtasks and adding them to your calendar or to-do list?
- If it's a reminder of a small work task, are you comfortable with it always looming before your eyes?
It happens that we act in the usual way, although this does not lead to results, and we simply do not have enough time to reflect on what is working and what is not. Tidying up your desk is a good time to think about it and get rid of everything that doesn't help you or give you energy.
Love zone
The office should also have a love zone. In the lives of many women, personal life and career occupy equal positions. Therefore, when a representative of the fairer sex arranges her office, she should also remember about the love zone. The energy around the desk should be organized in such a way that it has a positive impact on a woman’s personal life.
The love zone should be located in the northwestern part of the room. In this place there may be joint photographs of spouses or lovers, the main thing is that these photographs are new. This sector can only be decorated with paired items. You can use two bowls - one will contain water and rose petals, and the other will contain stones.
Do you need water?
“Recharging our batteries” in a timely manner is our personal responsibility to ourselves. These are simple things that you just need to remember, no matter how many things pile up. This includes breakfast so that you have enough energy until lunch. Lunch - so that the batteries last until the end of the day. For some, a snack is important. And, of course, water.
Making tea is an ideal option, but there is not always an opportunity to get distracted. So it’s better if the drink is always at hand - in a bottle, thermos or favorite mug.
Finance zone
The south-eastern part of the office is a zone that attracts money. Therefore, this part of the office should not be empty. You can activate it using a home aquarium or a decorative fountain.
The main thing is that these items are life-giving sources of the necessary energy. There may be a fireplace in this place. One of the talismans can stand on the mantelpiece - for example, a toad that sits on money.
The office finance area must be kept clean at all times.
Which chair is more comfortable?
In an uncomfortable chair, we overexert ourselves, get tired quickly, and if things get really bad, we suffer from back and neck pain. So if you can order a chair of your choice, take advantage of this opportunity.
But I don’t have a ready-made recipe for what kind of chair would be ideal. What is touted as super ergonomic options most often does not suit me. But there is another way: try, and not only in stores. If you see a nice chair at a colleague’s place, offer to swap chairs for a couple of days. Yes, at least for a couple of hours! If there is something wrong with the chair, you will quickly understand it. And don’t waste your money or your company’s.
feng shui office number
- victory and independence;
- diplomacy and love;
- growth and creativity;
- the number four in the east symbolizes “death”, so it is better to refuse an office with a number where there is a four;
- heavy changes, diversity;
- financial well-being, home, family relationships;
- spiritual development, wisdom and knowledge;
- prosperity, wealth and money;
- long life and love.
If the number has a two-digit or more meaning, for example 78, then look at what numbers go from left to right - through spiritual development, wisdom and knowledge you will achieve wealth and prosperity.
Read more about Feng Shui numbers>>
Let's look at examples
Example 1. Floor lamp in open space
Light . It's good that there is a window and a curtain for shading.
Space . I like the balance between openness and intimacy. It is clear that this is a corner in an open space, but it is lived-in and cozy: there is a floor lamp, a bean bag chair, flowers. I want to come here.
Table . The table is wide, deep, but not at all cluttered - and this is a huge plus. There is room for equipment, papers, flowers - and there is still a lot of free space left. Even if you open your laptop, you can lean your elbows on the table.
Example 2. Corner place with flowers
Laptop . It is clear that the employee is trying to make the most of the available funds: the laptop plays the role of a monitor, and thanks to the pull-out keyboard it was possible to position it further and higher.
If the laptop screen is large enough that you can work without straining your eyes, this is a great option. Especially if you have to take work home from time to time.
A printer . The printer eats up a lot of useful space on the desk. Does it really have to be on the table, or is there a way to place it somewhere nearby?
Papers . There are a lot of them, they are everywhere: above the printer, under the laptop, under the flower on the right. It seems that they are not catalogued. Is it convenient to navigate them?
Space . The photograph leaves a feeling of cramping: there is not much space, and it is cluttered with things. No air. And it is needed both for psychological comfort and in order to simply organize everything you need - for example, to calmly work with documents. You can see from the photo that one document fits well, but placing two files side by side will no longer work.
But perhaps even such a compact workplace can be made more convenient. I would like to move the printer somewhere and organize the storage of papers in some other way. Maybe it’s worth placing the flowers in the very corner, thus creating perspective? If you can remove the printer and flowers, you can get rid of one of the shelves.
Example 3. Spacious office with a flower
It is difficult to say which workplace we are talking about - in front of the flower or behind it. However, neither one nor the other table is visible. Let's try to speculate about what is in the photo.
Space in the office . It's great that there is a lot of space both between the tables and between the table and the wall. A lot of plants are also a plus: the eye has something to rest on.
Tables . The table located in front of the flower is not cluttered: on the piece in the photo, only a corner of the laptop is visible. On the other table you can also see free space and a monitor.
Horizontal bar . This is very impressive! And if employees actually use it, it’s a delight.
Pictures on the walls . It’s cool when people create “their own atmosphere” in the office and inhabit the space. This makes it easier to work!
Example 4. Table with a pet
Rat . It's hard to believe that a rodent scurries around on your desk all day long. If this is so, it is worth asking yourself what it does - helps, hinders, calms?
Table . Only a small area of the table was captured in the frame, but it also leaves a feeling of cramped, cluttered: in a small space there are a lot of papers, pens, notes, crumpled leaves. Is all of this needed to work? Maybe some notes are no longer relevant and can be gotten rid of?
It is possible that the area in the background can be reconsidered and all unnecessary things that accumulate there can be removed.
Example 5: Meeting table
Tables . There is a work desk and a conference table: it is clear that the office is tailored to the work scenarios of its owner. Folders with documents and personal belongings do not interfere with communication with colleagues. But is the flower in the way?
Space on the table . There are documents and a laptop, but there is still a lot of free space - there is room to expand. Documents are placed in folders and in a paper holder. The calendar and some other reminders are under glass. One can see order and thoughtfulness in everything.
In general, the space looks restrained and structured - like the office of a school head teacher or a government executive. But thanks to the flowers—a cut flower in the foreground and a potted flower in the background—it’s quite comfortable here.
Preparatory stage
What you need to do before you start arranging the space according to the canons of Feng Shui:
- Redecorating. Be sure to replace stale wallpaper and repair all damage. Make sure that the walls and floor are perfectly level and that the electrical wiring is working properly.
- General cleaning. The room should be perfectly clean. It is especially important to thoroughly clean the windows and doors—through them, positive energy enters the space and fills the office.
- Cleansing on a subtle level. Walk around the office with a lit wax candle to destroy any remaining negative energy. You can also light incense for a short time, read prayers or chant mantras - their sounds cleanse the space and increase energetic vibrations.
And only after the preparatory manipulations can you begin to activate the energy of the space, design and decor of the interior.
Let's sum it up
When deciding how to organize a workplace in the office, it is important to take into account the specifics of the work of each employee and the company as a whole. This is the only way to properly plan the space so that everyone feels comfortable in it and there are no unused square meters left.
To make the office comfortable, before starting work on the project:
- analyze a typical working day for employees from different departments;
- look at which departments in the office are closely related to each other;
- think over not only workplaces, but also other important areas - lounge, reception, meeting rooms, kitchen.
This approach will allow you to create a comfortable office that your employees, partners and clients will love.
