Regional press news - this story published 21.8.2006

How to Feng Shui your newsroom
By Sacha Markin, Freelance Writer and Journalist

When you arrived at your desk this morning, exactly what state was it in?

Were you greeted by an overflowing in-tray and empty coffee cups, alongside piles of old files?

Is your shadowed desk by a pillar or close to a drafty air-conditioning duct?

And - final question - is your working day stressful or your career progression stagnant?

Maybe you need a little wind and water in your life.

Feng Shui – loosely translated meaning wind and water – is an ancient art of placement, which originated thousands of years ago in deepest China.

The key of Feng Shui is all about letting the positive chi flow effortlessly in and out of our personal space. And those Feng Shui folks insist that by changing your environment, it is possible to create some balance and harmony. Sounds good? Let’s take a look then.

According to the laws of office Feng Shui, work performance can be increased and stress can be dissolved by decluttering and creating order on your desk. Productive and positive chi just cannot flow if all that stuff on your desk is blocking its movement and cluttering your mind. Take the first step towards letting in the chi by removing everything off your desk and replacing only items that are used every day.

Any sharp corners on or around your workspace should be rounded off nicely with some leafy plants. But one must avoid any plants of the prickly variety, such as cactus. Feng Shui legend – handed down through the generations – states that the chi that rides on the wind will have to pass through the spikes, causing the chi to be fierce and negative. And you wouldn’t want that.

Office workers should also be aware that Feng Shui rules dictate it is a complete no-no to sit with your back to the door.