Feeling Great at Work
by Geli Hamilton

Have you ever taken some time to sit quietly at your desk or in your workspace and notice how you actually feel in your work environment?

If not, allow yourself to close your eyes for a couple of minutes and relax. Take a couple of deep breaths and then attend to what is going on in your body.  Is there tightness anywhere? Is your chest open, allowing you to breathe freely? How about your stomach, throat and head? Do you feel weighted down? Does a particular part of your body come into focus? Do you feel connected to all parts of your body?

Now, what is happening in your mind? Are thoughts racing, telling you how silly this is? Are you going over what you need to do at work or home? Are you able to let your mind chatter slow down? And what is going on emotionally? Do any particular feelings arise? Are you anxious and stressed, or comfortable and relaxed?

So, now that you have allowed yourself a quiet moment to connect with your feelings in your work environment, what is your impression?   Are you feeling great or not so great? If you are feeling great then there is no need to read on. If you are feeling less than great, you may want to find out what can cause this, and ways to improve how you feel. 
 
You are “a being of energy” and you influence the space around you, but you are also influenced by your environment. The more time you spend in a particular environment, the more strongly it impacts on you

It may feel strange to think that something which is invisible to the eye can affect you in any way. However, the Chinese have studied this phenomenon for over 4000 years -- observing the interaction of people and their environment, and developing ways to harmonize this relationship. Out of these observations they created the science of Feng Shui with the goal to balance the flow of energy between spaces and people. This balance can be achieved by the way in which we use objects and through specific methods.  

More recently, Australian author and teacher Eric Dowsett has been developing techniques to assess in more detail what types of energy are present within a particular space, and then how to balance that space using the process of energy clearing. Understanding the source of the disturbance and accepting it without judgment creates an opportunity for change.

Some disturbances originate from the earth itself. The earth discharges its own energy through positive and negative magnetic fields. Some of these fields may affect you and, like the presence of fault lines, cause stress and tension. Radiation due to the crossing of underground water streams may create challenges to staying focused and can be responsible for health issues. 

People also leave emotional imprints behind, particularly when they express strong feelings. This means, for example, that your desk chair   may be filled with feelings like frustration, anger, sadness etc and every time you sit in that chair, you may connect with these feelings.

You are also exposed to electromagnetic radiation as a result of modern technology. This may come from outside power lines, cell phones, computers and microwaves. This type of radiation can affect your physical health and may show up initially as lower levels of energy and concentration. 
 
The energetic information from the earth, people and technology combines to give a unique energetic signature to any office or work space. This can be expressed in terms of a yin/yang balance. Yin energy is slow and calm, while yang is more active and stimulating. A space with excess yin will make you tired. You may feel overwhelmed and find it difficult to get anything done and often there is more clutter present. In an environment with too much yang, you may have trouble settling down, you may feel unfocused and restless and it may be challenging to complete tasks.

A balanced space usually has a ratio of 40% yin and 60% yang. This enables you to sit down and focus on your task, but also allows you to be active in interacting with other people and carrying out the more physically demanding aspects of your work. You may feel more energized and open in your expression, and experience increased productivity, creativity and good humor. This may reflect on your interactions with others as well, allowing relationships to become more harmonious and supportive.

So, if you have to spend all that time at work, you may as well create an environment that feels as comfortable, supportive and healthy as possible. 
 
While you will need the guidance of a Feng Shui practitioner for the energy-clearing process, here are some Feng Shui suggestions that can get you started in creating a positive flow of Chi in your work environment:

• Ensure that all pathways through your workspace or business are free of obstruction and clutter.
• All doors should open at least 90 degrees. Doors allow opportunities to come into your life, so you want to catch as many as possible.
• If you are working at a desk, have the desk facing the door.This allows you to be in the commanding position and gives you a feeling of being in charge of all that is going on. If you currently work with your back to the door, see how you feel in that position compared with turning the chair around 180 degrees.
• Remove things from your office that are not up-to–date anymore like old projects, paperwork, or products. Whatever is in your office, workspace or business should reflect where you are now and where you are heading. You do not want to be reminded of and held back by the past.
• Look at the artwork, posters and photos critically. What do they represent? Preferably they express your vision and goals.
• Bring something into your space that represents life, such as plants (potted, silk or fresh flowers), water (still or moving) or animals (birds or fish).
• Add something that is personal, that you connect with, and that makes you feel good (e.g. photos, quotations, affirmations or objects).

Anytime you are making changes, do so with a clear intention of your goals. What do you want achieve? Once you start shifting the energy in one area, the energy in other areas will be affected.

As you make changes, continue to regularly check in with your body to notice how you are feeling, and if or how your physical sense of wellness is changing over time. This “checking in” increases your sensitivity to what is happening in your environment and how it affects you, allowing you to move forward on your path to feeling great at work.