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Power up your workplace

By on June 10, 2017

There’s a lot of talk about financial uncertainty these days – while uncertainty is a reality, fear of it is a frame of mind.

Creating a grounded, supportive space in which to do your work helps to propel you towards your more desired future. While there may be some steps below that are challenging to implement in a shared workspace, apply what you can both at work and in your home office.

Command Position

Have you ever seen a successful business executive sitting with their back to the door? Probably not. The command position or ‘seat of power’ is one where the person in question is able to face the door so that they can see what is coming at them. They do not need to bend themselves out of shape in order to respond to inquiries coming into their space, and they can deal with them upfront. A solid wall behind the desk symbolizes a mountain of support, helping them to be grounded in their decisions while clearly focused on the open space in front of them.

With your back to the door, any interruption or inquiry that comes into your space can throw you off balance – you need to turn around to see what is going on. It is hard to feel supported in this position because your back is exposed, and ‘backstabbing’ becomes a possibility – there is a reason the smart cowboys and mafia bosses chose to sit with a view of the entire bar or restaurant.

If your desk is facing a wall, that wall goes from being a mountain of support to a mountain of work that needs to be done before you can reach your envisioned horizons – it literally allows things to pile up. A desk facing a window takes your attention with it, and your productivity can easily go ‘out the window’. As much as it is worthwhile to have attractive views to enjoy in moments of reflection, it is important that your primary focus be on accomplishing work-related tasks; therefore, minimize opportunities to focus elsewhere.

If it is not possible to move your desk into a command position, do your best to have a high-backed chair to create more support. Having a reflective object that will enable you to see movement behind you will help you to feel more ‘in the loop’. Because small mirrors can cut up your self-image, a domed reflective ball could help give you an expansive overview of the environment surrounding you – much more effective than a crystal ball!

What you see is what you get

While it’s challenging to control the images that reach us in the outer world, we can certainly have a say about what comes through our eyes in our own space. Choose pictures and objects that inspire and motivate you. A turtle has historically represented the theme of ‘career’ in Feng Shui, as it reaches its destination with certainty and steadiness (compare it with the busy-ness of the rabbit). A red-coloured or uplifting image (preferably without water) in the center of the wall opposite the door serves to inspire to you go from your present vantage point towards your desired future – this is also an excellent area to place your awards and other items that acknowledge recognition of your expertise. Imagery that relates to your profession and projects that you are currently involved with (or planning to be working on) is also advisable. And a picture of a meandering pathway near the door helps to prepare you for the twists and turns on your path as you go into the world to do your work.

Easy Access

Do you have everything that you need to make all of your business activities proceed smoothly easily within reach? Having clear and easy access to all of the tools that you need will help you be and feel more organized and productive. If you have to bend down and rummage through a drawer to get something that you would benefit from being more ‘at hand’, do your best to find a way to place it in a more practical location. Having paper, pens (that work!), phones, keyboards and other objects within easy physical reach helps you to feel more comfortable as you prepare to or actually engage in activities that involve these items; if there is any discomfort involved in accessing any of these things, you might find yourself dreading dealing with the aspect of your business that requires them. Make friends with each task by making your physical access to its execution more efficient.

Alignment

A business near my home had a sign on the door that read: “Sorry we can’t participate in the recession: we’re busy serving customers and growing our business.” The place was packed.

Shift your focus and align your space with your intention, and get to work!

About Mark Ainley

Mark Ainley is a Contemporary Feng Shui Consultant and Emotional Stress Consultant living in Vancouver. A former 5-year resident of Tokyo, Mark consults with clients internationally to help them design living and work spaces in alignment with their goals. He also provides consulting in emotional stress management, as well as in the connection between facial structure and innate behavioural and communication patterns. He can be reached through his website: www.senseofspace.com and www.markainley.com.