Recession-Proof Your Home Office With This One Easy Change
In the post-pandemic era, statistics show that almost half of the workforce work remotely, either full time or part time. While a hybrid remote-office model is the preferential trend, according to several surveys, working from home has introduced new challenges when it comes to the home office. The good news is that we generally have more control over our workspace at home. The bad news is that we’re also faced with spatial limitations or interruptions from roommates or family members.
Because we spend most of our time during the week in our workspace, it’s important to be conscious of how this space affects us. Afterall, it’s your personal energy that plays the most important role in your overall satisfaction and therefore success with your work. The one change that can make the biggest difference in your workday is arranging your desk in the optimal position, called the power position or command position in feng shui.
Locating the Power Position
The power position is where you can see the door or entrance coming into the room when sitting at your desk. This means you’re not facing a wall or having your back to the door coming into the space. When we can see the door coming into the room, we are in our primal sense of power. This is the same reason we prefer to not sit with our back to the door in a restaurant. Regardless of whether anyone comes into your office, the fight-or-flight brain wants to feel in control.
It's also ideal to have a solid wall behind you. This provides support. If there’s a window in the room, then you want to be able to see out the window, not have your back to it. In some rooms it is not architecturally feasible to meet all the criteria of the power position, but the most important point is to see the doorway.
Facing Walls
If you face a wall while working, you will be dissatisfied with your work and face limitations. If you work from home, then you’ll likely find somewhere else from which to work that is in the power position even if you weren’t aware of it until now. If you’re working from the kitchen table, for example, you’ve most likely found the power spot of the room without realizing it. The same happens naturally in coffeeshops and cafes where customers seat themselves.
You may find that placing your desk in the power position takes up more space in the room. I assure you the change will nevertheless be worth it. Take up more space in the room and in your work to find more power in your workday. It’s the one stock that will be sure to pay dividends.
For more tips on how to optimize your workspace with your own personal energy, check out Missing Element, Hidden Strength: Apply the Natural Strength of All Five Elements to Unlock Your Full Creative Potential.