By Morgan Egan

Your office space is an important part of your home. Whether you work remotely, or use it as your place to think, how you set up the space helps with your work and creativity. By using some feng shui principles, you can turn your office into a flowing hub of inspiration, no matter if it’s a desk in the corner of your living room or a full-blown personal library.  

What is Feng Shui? 

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice that literally translates to ‘wind-water’. It is taught that energy forces, or ‘Chi’, should be balanced to harmonize people with their surrounding spaces. Back in ancient times, feng shui was used for everything from town planning, to farming, to even burial sites.  

In the West, feng shui is mostly used to help create a balance in our homes and for our wellbeing, using the same principles to promote a steady equilibrium and energy flow.  

Why is Feng Shui Important?  

For those of us with busy lives, feng shui can help us create a flowing, balanced space. In rooms like a home office, it’s especially important to use feng shui, since it’s where we do most of our thinking and creating.  

No one wants to work in a chaotic, jarring environment, so, by following some feng shui principles, we can create the perfect space to do our finest work.

Step 1: Command Position 

The command position is a foundational aspect in feng shui and is especially important in places like a home office. 

When figuring out where to place your desk, make sure it’s: 

1. Away from the door (preferably at the farthest end.) 
2. Backed against the wall (instead of facing it). That way, you have a clear view of the door. 

By placing your desk in the command position, your energy can feel protected, and your mind can concentrate more fully on your work.

Step 2: Declutter 

If you’ve already read our blog, ‘Finding Your Happy Place’ you already know how we feel about clutter. While we love stuff, too much of it can create a chaotic, overwhelming space.  

The same is true in feng shui. According to feng shui, clutter is bad and inhibits the flow of ‘Chi’ into your space, which makes sense. If you can’t even take a step without tripping over wires or bumping into overwhelming décor, how is the energy supposed to flow through it? 

So, if your office looks more like a storage room than an actual workspace, it’s time to declutter.  

Step 3: Add natural elements 

Feng shui is all about balancing the elements – metal, earth, fire, water, and wood – so make sure you add them to your office space.  

Add a soothing plant to your wooden desk. Try a little tabletop fountain for calming water sounds. Hang up a picture of mountains or a flowing river.  

Step 4: Create a scentscape 

Now that we’ve gone through the look and feel of a feng shui office, it’s important to talk about the power of scent. And, if feng shui is all about creating balance, it makes sense that scents (see what we did there?) play an important role.  

Before we get into the nitty gritty, it’s important to talk about one thing – fresh air! No one wants a stuffy room, and stale air is basically stagnant ‘Chi’. So, to get some theoretical (as well as real) energy moving, open the window and let the fresh air flow in.  

If your room doesn’t have a window, or you can’t open it for one reason or another, having a fan also helps to get rid of any staleness.  

Now onto the scents! 

Think of scenting the space as adding the sprinkles on top of a cupcake. It’s the final touch that brings everything together.  

And luckily for you, we’re experts on scents!  

When looking for the right scent, think about: 

1. What smells you like
2. What you want your space to achieve 

For example, f you need your office to be a space where you feel refreshed and energize, a scent like Revive would work really well. It’s full of essential oils like juniper berry, rosemary, and grapefruit, to keep the space feeling invigorating, stimulating, and enlivening.  

Feng Shui it Up 

With these tips, your office will go from a place of wandering minds and half-hearted ideas to a space full of thoughtfulness and creativity.  

New to the world of Aera? Take a look at our different diffusers and check out our fragrance quiz to see which scent is right for you.  

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Morgan is a copywriter and content creator for Aera. When she’s not writing about all things fragrance, she can be found with her fluffy feline companion with a good book and hot cup of tea.