Feng Shui Your Desk for Career Success

Have you used feng shui around your desk? It's a great way to "test drive" feng shui, to see how well it works for you.

In feng shui, we work with a 3x3 grid called a bagua (said "bagg-wahh"). The grid is placed over your floorplan, and can look like a tic-tac-toe board, or perhaps the face of a clock, seen from above. With this, we can organize any room, home, or office into areas, each with its own color and design themes.

So, let's pretend you have Superman's x-ray eyes, and you're flying over your home or office, looking down into it. And, let's pretend that you can see the bagua grid that's overlayed onto your floor plan.

Starting clockwise from your left--about the "eight o'clock" area of the clock--the design themes are: Knowledge, Family/Security, Money, Fame, Romance, Creativity, Helpful People and Travel, and finally your Career. At the center of the clock--the middle of the bagua grid--the theme is Health.

You can apply these same design principles to your desk, too. In fact, when you're new to feng shui, this can be a great way to begin. You'll soon have a better organized work area, and perhaps a little "feng shui magic" will boost your career as well.

Sit at your desk, and start at the left side. In feng shui, this is the Knowledge area. It's an ideal place to store your reference books, such as your dictionary, manuals, and anything else you often reach for when you're working.

If you have a counter or bookcase to the left of your desk, the top may be the perfect place for symbols of Family (family photos) and Security (anything that says "old money" to you).

The back left corner of your desk is the Money area. Whether your monitor is there or something else, be sure to keep this corner clean, dust-free, and uncluttered. If there's space in back of your monitor for photos or posters, this is the perfect place for pictures of what you plan to do (or own) when you have an even better income.

At the back center area of your desk, or on the wall directly in front of you, take advantage of this Fame area. Display awards, diplomas, certificates, and anything that tells others about your accomplishments. Add a little red--the best color for this area--to draw attention to your new display.

At the right corner of your desk, and on the wall behind it, the focus is Romance. This is where you'll place photos of your sweetie, or symbols of love and partnerships. If you have flowers or pens at this area of your workspace, remember: Everything in twos... no "onesies"! (Of course, if you're hoping for a date this weekend, put two fresh flowers in a vase in this area. But, be prepared: This might work even better than you'd expected.)

Closer to you on the right, it's your Creativity area. Be sure to keep symbols of what you do that's original, as well as tools for creating things at work. Whether this is a stapler or a set of pens and paintbrushes, the emphasis should be on creativity. And, if you're a fan of Disney or other cartoons, those figures and pictures go in this area. (If you have children, this is the perfect place for pictures of your little darlings, too.)

At your immediate and front right, it's the Helpful People and Travel area. This is where you'll put your Rolodex or Palm, or whatever you use to store names & phone numbers. This is also a good place to display vacation-related items and pictures.

And, the center of your desk is the Health area. If you want a healthy career, your work area should be clean & "happy looking" at the center. With spring on the way, consider a new blotter or other desktop covering in sunny yellow; that's the best color for the Health area.

Finally, your chair represents your Career area. Keep your chair well-oiled (if it's on wheels or springs) and clean. Polish any chrome on it, and keep it dusted. If you're on any kind of mat that protects the floor underneath, make sure that your mat looks fresh and new. If it doesn't, a replacement may be a small expense for the potential benefits. Or, sometimes a little floor polish will renew a plastic floor mat and make it look "like new".

Aisling D'Art is the editor for BellaOnline's Feng Shui column, http://fengshui.bellaonline.com See her website for more ideas for feng shui and interior design.



Planning Your Successful Career: 15 Ideas

"Doing a good job is one of the most important... Read More

Learn How to Throw a Boomerang

Actually, "the boomerang effect" is a relatively new trend of... Read More

How to Work Effectively With Recruiters

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T / find out what it means to me" is... Read More

Theres No Need to Pad Your Resume

It seems like a good idea, harmless in fact. Your... Read More

Become A Personal Trainer

Every human body is different and a personal trainer will... Read More

Resume Software ? The Hidden Pitfalls

Disadvantages of Resume SoftwareFormat A large majority of software requires... Read More

Prepare for Your Performance Review Before You Start the Job

When you start a new job, you probably realize the... Read More

Dont Settle

Chuck was the best of the twenty-four candidates. Still, he... Read More

The 4 Job Search Facts You Need To Know!

Are you harboring bitterness or anger towards your current or... Read More

Overcoming the 7 Roadblocks Women with Families Face Making Career Changes

Family is the driving force of our lives. You need... Read More

Resumes That Work: 3 Steps to More and Better Interviews

All of us involved with helping you get a new... Read More

Retiring in Paradise

I have to admit that I'm starting to slow down... Read More

Get In The Game With a Stellar Resume

During the job hunter's market of the 1990's, employers were... Read More

Searching for Jobs Online

Searching for jobs online is easier than ever, but also... Read More

Risk-taking - Get Your Feet Wet!

We often use the phrase, "Get Your Feet Wet" when... Read More

Cover Letters

Cover Letters: Are you telling them what they want to... Read More

Why It Is Impossible To Raise Your Standard Of Living Working A Job

Everything in nature has been endowed with what it needs... Read More

Turning Their Loss Into Your Job Gain

It isn't the end of the world, even if it... Read More

How To Get Promoted - Take Control Of Your Destiny!

It Is Up To YouSo, you want to get promoted.... Read More

Creating a Winning Resume

Preparing your resume can often seem like a daunting task.... Read More

175 Power Verbs and Phrases for Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviews

While you're revamping your resume or cover letter or constructing... Read More

How to Write a Simple Job Description

1.0 A timely reminderIn a recent decision in a New... Read More

How to Get Hired by Being Obvious

If you want a drink of water, do you hire... Read More

What is My Calling?

"What is my calling?" Do any of us really have... Read More

What Me? Lie On My Resume? Who Will Know?

The temptation to lie on a resume is great! How... Read More

If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

* Your email address:
* choes your language: