Best selling self-help author, W. Clement Stone, once wrote, “You are a product of your environment.” Nowhere is that statement truer than in your home office. Many of us have experienced the negative effects an office space can have on our productivity. Harsh lighting, uncomfortable furniture, and cluttered desks can all combine to make our work environment an unhappy one. The more clutter and mess you have in your space, the more cluttered your thoughts are. Not exactly the ideal environment for unleashing your genius…or simply getting through your to-do list.

When you work from home, you truly have to make your office a sacred space so it becomes somewhere you escape to instead of somewhere you escape from. With the endless tasks you could be doing around the house or the temptation to just stay in bed, your home office has to be a haven of peace and productivity. Feng shui is an ancient Chinese philosophical system that aims to harmonize your experience with your surrounding environment and can greatly improve the atmosphere of your home office.

With some simple feng shui office tips, you can transform your home office into a space that better reflects your goals and aids your productivity.

Consider the Placement of Your Desk

In feng shui, you want to always have a command position in your office.  This means not having your back to your door, placing your desk in the corner furthest from the door, and trying to avoid facing a wall while working. If facing a wall is unavoidable, smart use of art can make the wall appear to disappear. By ensuring that you are always in a command position in your office, you will attract successful energies into your office.

Understand the Different Areas of Your Home Office

Each area of your office has different significance in feng shui.

South – The element for the south area of your office is fire, so you should avoid colors or art that reference water. This area is also related to your fame and reputation.

North – Water is the element for the north area of your office, and you should include inspiring images related to your career in this part of your office. If you want to enhance your creativity, placing your computer in this part of the room is also helpful.

Southeast  – If you primarily use your computer to generate income, then definitely work in the southeast area of your office. This area is associated with prosperity and abundance as well as the feng shui element wood. Also include images or statues that evoke money or abundance in this area.

Remove Clutter

Schedule de-cluttering days weekly or daily if you have to, but make sure that your office is a clutter free zone. This doesn’t mean shoving excess stuff into hidden drawers, because you will always know that stuff is there and it will continue to be clutter in your brain. Have a specific place for everything in your office and get rid of anything that is not useful or beautiful. You’ll be amazed to see how much energy working in an uncluttered space generates.

Improve the Air and Light Quality

Never underestimate the importance of natural light. Be sure to choose a room in your home that has plenty of windows as your home office. If it’s not possible to get good natural light, avoid harsh lighting. Spend some time looking for a bulb that’s soft enough not to bother you and not so soft that you’re lulled to sleep.  Also bring some air purifying plants into your home office.

These tips serve as a basic introduction to feng shui techniques, but if you implement one or all of them, you are sure to enjoy your home office more. And working in a place you feel comfortable will do wonders for your productivity. January is the perfect month to finally get your home office organized, and applying some feng shui principles is a great place to start.