LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Feng Shui


The "Commanding Position" for the home office desk is always the best bet, and blue and green colors create growth and creativity. Photo provided

The Bay Area has a plethora of creative entrepreneurs, many of whom work from their home offices. With the advent of autumn and many children returning to school, the following helpful home office tips will not only help those of us in the throws of working from home, but those of us still studying to possibly become an entrepreneur.

First, we have to carve out a separate space for our creative hard work at home, ideally not the dining room table (unless lack of space dictates otherwise). By finding a space of your own in your home, your business won't get the "situational" chi from the dining table dumping ground. Home offices are also not ideally situated in your master bedroom, which is meant to guide you into restful sleep, not remind you of all the work you still have to do, especially as an entrepreneur.

If you are in the process of searching for a home, try to include the spaciousness needed to create an actual home office in a room by itself. It's important to include the concept of healthy boundaries when you are running a business out of your home, and the room should ideally include a door that closes so that you are able to remain focused on your business. Also, limit the number of reminders of family to two framed photos; too many pictures can distract us and potentially interfere with execution of tactical and strategic events for our business.

Second, the "Commanding Position" is a central Feng Shui concept, and as it relates to a home office, the desk placement is vital. When you enter the room, from the door wall the desk ideally should be placed to face the door across the room at a diagonal, never in line with the door, and preferably with a solid wall behind the person sitting at the desk.

This concept of mountain behind us, water in front is a key aspect of Feng Shui placement and is designed to energetically put you firmly in charge of your business and all decisions, creative focus, organization, and strategic planning. If you place your desk with your back to the door it may energetically place you and your business in a weaker position, creating distracting back-biting gossip behind your back, or being blindsided by unhelpful events. Set yourself up in the most advantageous position from the start and see how you feel.

Don't be shocked if it feels like a more secure, cozy and comfortable vantage point from which to run the ship.

As for the desk shape and size and materials usage, avoid glass desks if possible because seeing through the desk doesn't provide a solid foundation and wood or metal desks are a better choice to ground the work you do there. Also, rectangular desks or round tables used as desks are the best choices, but if you have space for an L-shaped desk, this can work well, too, in creating plenty of room to work on a computer and also spread out visual projects or proposals.

Third, take a quick audit of the overall home office space. Does the color of the room promote growth (greens and light blues) and is the hue strong enough to keep you awake? If you want an accent wall it might be inspiring if it was the wall you face while at your newly placed commanding position desk. What does the art and images on your walls say about your business? Placing your logo in a frame or on a stretched canvas reinforces what you are there to do, but equally at home in an home office might include framed photos of the Golden Gate Bridge or Mount Diablo or other natural wonders based in your business' geographical area. What inspires you? Do the images work their magic? If not, consider an upgrade. Next, do you have proper lighting? If you do not have overhead or recessed lighting, are their ample 100-watt desk or floor lamps well positioned in your home office? There are so many lighting options in whatever style you want to create for your home office including modern, vintage, farmhouse chic, contemporary, traditional or avant garde.

The key function of lighting is to illuminate so you don't strain your eyes and can see what you are trying to work on, so don't skimp on this important functional step.

These timely tips can also inform your student's workspace and create a more stable environment to start the new school year. Putting an extra pair of eyes on your own home office or your children's school work space, will provide the mid-year rejuvenation you need to carry you through the fall season in grounded command of what's to come.