Feng Shui Your Desk

Would you believe you can feng shui your desk? This is where your important decisions are written and made. According to feng shui expert Karen Rauch Carter, if your desk is not optimally serving you, it could be robbing you of vital energy.

The size of the desk is crucial. Big tasks need a big desk. If you have a small desk, you can’t multi-task. If your desk is bugging you, and you feel cluttered, it’s probably too small.

Desks should be organized and clutter free. Everything should have its own space – not just on your desktop but including the area around your desk which holds files, trays, drawers, and bins. Make sure at least 50 percent of your desktop is visible.

If you have a wall or a partition in front of you when you sit at your desk, change your location. Turn your desk around, and put the wall or partition behind you. Make sure you can see the door from where you’re sitting.

Now let’s go to the specific areas on your desktop. First, mentally divide your desk top into nine equal squares. Each square corresponds to a part of your life.

Career – This is the space right in front of you – the center front square of our tic-tac-toe board. The ruling element here is water and the color is black. So, if you have a glass top, slip a picture of a babbling brook or a river under the glass to signify that you are ‘in the flow’ of life. If you have no glass top, tape the photo underneath that part of your desk. You don’t need to view the symbol for it to work.

Wisdom – The front left-hand square at the bottom is the Wisdom area. Place books here, or anything that reminds you of higher knowledge or wise people. Place blue on this spot, even if it’s just a blue pencil or a blue Post-it ® Note Pad. This will help you to concentrate and make wise decisions.

Family – The center left-hand side of the desk is reserved for Family. Place your family photos here in a wooden frame since wood is the element for this area. You can also use Command™ Picture Hanging Strips to hang family photos on the wall nearest this place. It's so much easier and damage-free to hang things with Command™ Strips - no more nail holes and fixing walls. Remember, green is the color for this area for your family.

Prosperity – The left-hand rear square is the Prosperity area. Place your computer or other expensive looking items here. This area should remind you of wealth and riches, or something that makes you feel you are lucky or have many blessings.            

Health – The center square is the Health area which space governs your physical health and balance. Tape a big, round yellow paper underneath this part or on it. Ruled by the earth element, you can place a decorative stone or a geode.

Fame and Reputation – The center back square of the desk (the part farthest from you) should contain your business cards because this is the place to let people know who you are. Red is the best color for this area as fire is its element, so place something red here. A red candle, figurine or desk light would be just right.

Relationships – The right-handed rear part of your desk should be saved for your spouse, lover, or anyone who is in your intimate world. Enhance this area with pink and ‘love symbols’ like hearts and lovebirds.

Creativity and Children – The mid right-hand side of the desk is for kids and creativity. Put a photo of your kids in a metal frame here or any fun stuff like a Tweety Bird mug, a troll doll, or your pet in this area to boost your creativity.

Helpful People and Travel – You need help from other people all the time. To increase the support you get from others, place a silver or gray object that holds the handwritten names of your favorite people here. An angel figurine would be perfect as it symbolizes both help and protection.

For more tips and information about office and home organization, like 3MPhilippines, Command Philippines and Post-it Philippines on Facebook. 3M Press.