Cubicle Feng Shui

Cubicle feng shui is a powerful way to transform your work environment into a place that nurtures creativity, abundance, happiness, and well-being.

"An office environment can nourish and support the human spirit as much as it can deny and suppress it. If our offices are humane, loving, and sacred, then what is produced in those offices will have a sense of humanity and integrity... The act of turning the places where we work into places that we love, can transform our own lives, and will in turn positively affect the lives of everyone around us." –Denise Linn

Unfortunately, most cubicle environments have bad feng shui and are downright inhumane! They isolate the employees without giving them any real privacy, they create barriers without shelter, they feel like a rat’s maze, the colors are usually drab and dreary, and often times there is limited access to sunlight. Not to mention the negative feng shui influences like poison arrows, stagnant chi, and improper desk and chair placement.

Follow these guidelines to create great cubicle feng shui:

• Rearrange your work area so that you are in the command position.
• De-clutter.
• Clean.
• Add plants.
• Bring in task lighting.
• Balance and harmonize your cubicle.
• Make it your own.

 

This is a great example of cubicle feng shui except the person
can't see the door. This person should place a mirror by her
monitor so that she may see anyone approaching from behind.

 

Rearrange your work area so that you are in the command position.

If possible, rearrange your work area so that you can at least get a glimpse of the door. If you can’t, then add a mirror so that you can see people coming up from behind. You cannot control what you cannot see. If you have your back to the door you may be “vulnerable to attack” on an energetic level, you may feel anxious, you will lack authority and you may even miss opportunities. You need to see the door. Read more about desk feng shui here.

 

De-clutter.

For good cubicle feng shui, you must get rid of everything you don’t use. Why? Because energy flows like water. Think of water when it stagnates—it starts to get murky and smell. You wouldn’t want to drink it or even go swimming in it, right? Well clutter stops energy from flowing freely and creates stagnant energy. If you don’t get rid of your clutter, you may notice that you lack focus, energy, concentration and peace of mind. Some examples of clutter include office supplies you don’t use, papers that need to be filed, and old folders no longer in use. Get rid of your clutter.

 

Clean.

Mrs. Meyer's lavender scented all-purpose
cleaner is an excellent product
for cleaning and uplifting energy.

Sure, you may have a cleaning crew that comes in and dumps the wastebasket and vacuums, but have you ever looked under your monitor? Disgusting. Filth and dirt are like clutter; they stop energy from flowing freely. Good cubicle feng shui relies on cleanliness. I recommend cleaning your cubicle from top down. Remove everything from your shelves and desk and wipe them down. You should even clean out the drawers. I think the absolute best cleaning solution is Mrs. Meyers All-Purpose Cleaner lavender scent or clear, clean water with a few drops of lavender oil added—lavender is an excellent way to counteract all of those positive ions emitted from electronic equipment. After cleaning with a little lavender you’ll feel like you've just had a long walk on the beach. You need to keep your feng shui cubicle clean.

 

Add plants.

Plants are essential in cubicle feng shui—they repel negative energy and bring in some nature. Sharp edges and corners create unfavorable energy and cubicle environments are laden with them. Use plants to soften any sharp corners and edges. Plants are also an excellent way to bring in nature. There is a physiological and psychological need to connect with nature; nature nourishes the soul. Denatured environments create denatured people. Add some natural elements.

 

 

 

 

Bring in task lighting.

Fortunately, I’ve always had an extreme sensitivity to light and the way spaces are lit. Because of this, I know how incredibly important lighting is and how subtle changes can make a drastic improvement to any space. For cubicle feng shui, I would always recommend adding secondary lighting like a desk lamp (even Christmas lights or rope lights for some sparkle and glitter!). Light activates and enhances chi, stimulates healing, brings in clarity, and adds ambience and mood. Good lighting will draw energy into your cubicle and circulate it around. A desk lamp will also dissipate overly strong chi coming from overhead lights and it will make your space more inviting and personal. Add a desk lamp.

 

Balance and harmonize your cubicle.

People are much happier in balanced environments. Unfortunately, most cubicles I’ve seen aren’t very balanced—they are either white or beige, filled with electronic equipment, and lack color. Cubicles are usually overly yang and have an abundance of the metal and earth element (maybe wood if you have wood furniture), but probably don’t have much of the fire or water elements. You can either balance your environment with yin and yang forces or use feng shui elements to bring harmony into your feng shui cubicle.

 

Make it your own.

You probably spend a lot of time in your cubicle—maybe more than any other space. As I discussed in the law of attraction and feng shui, there is a connection between yourself and your environment. Your environment communicates messages to you all the time—it works on you. What is your environment communicating to you?

You spend too much time in your cubicle to ignore the subconscious effect it has on you. Personalize your workspace and make it your own.

You must transform your cubicle into a living, physical affirmation of abundance, success, creativity and well-being. Add color to attract chi. Use artwork and other special objects to express the kind of work environment you desire. Transform the space you work into a space you love.

Cubicle feng shui does not have to be expensive. I’ve seen people make some delightful collages out of post-it notes. There is a fabulous selection of paper at Hobby Lobby, which you could use to “wallpaper” your cubicle walls. Get creative and make it personal. Just make sure not to clutter your cubicle; it should feel peaceful and relaxing. Read more about the subconscious effects of your environment.

Here are some wonderful examples of how people have personalized their cubicles: