7 Things at Home That Are Killing Your Concentration

featured this month on apartment therapy by Caroline Biggs

Finding it hard to concentrate on things while you're at home? There might be some things in your space that could be working against you.

To figure out what items at home could be inadvertently killing our concentration and fussing with our focus, we called on Anjie Cho, architect and feng shui educator, for help. Read ahead to see what she had to say.

1. Poor lighting

According to Cho, lighting can make or break your ability to focus when you're at home. "Often it's a lack of lighting that affects your concentration," she explains. "When it's difficult to visually focus, it in turn affects your mental focus." She suggests setting a lighting scheme that closely resembles natural light, because it's "the most soothing to the eyes," and employing dimmers when necessary "so you have flexibility."

2. Sitting with your back to the door

"When you're sitting at your desk, or in a place where you're trying to focus and concentrate, it's beneficial to see the door to the room." Explains Cho, "When your back is to the door, your stress levels increase and part of your attention is in protection mode; who knows who can creep up behind you!"

…read full article

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design Feng Shui certification program. Laura Morris and I are launching our program in September 2018. We have a free webinar “Five Feng Shui Tools Revealed: Must-Do Business Boosters for Soulpreneurs and Wellness Practitioners” coming up, too! To get on the list about it, sign up at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com.

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

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Q&A Sunday: Buying a New Home

Thanks for your podcast and blog, I love all the things I learn from you. We are deciding whether or not to buy a house that would be great in so many ways, although it is a financial risk. It is a house of many entrances, but the real entrance faces south west, the other two entrances are North East and North West. My daughter and I are 9s and my husband is a 1, so all these are described as ruinous directions. Should I be worried? Or should I go ahead and then fix the influences when we move in? We currently live in a (rather small) house that faces South, which has worked well for us, so we are not desperate to move, we could wait for something that faces a different direction. Thanks for your help,

Stephanie B., Denmark

Hi Stephanie,

Thanks so much for your email and question, and for listening to the podcast and reading the blog. First off, I practice BTB feng shui, so the directions are not something we focus on in this particular school. There are dozens of schools of feng shui, and my teachers have taught to respect and honor all of them. However, everyone agrees also not to mix and match them. This is where reading things here and there can get you into trouble. You also note that you and your daughter are the number nine and your husband is a one, however you don’t indicate what that number is in relationship to…so again, it’s good to know what you’re using and be knowledgeable and clear about it. In the feng shui that I use and teach, again, the directions are not the most important thing. Also the numerology we use is the nine star ki, which has nothing to do with which direction is better for you. It sounds like flying star, maybe. But with that, your negative directions change every year.

My first suggestion is to look at the practical aspects. The first thing you note is that although the new home is great in many ways, it is a financial risk. The fact that it’s a financial risk is the first clue. I think you already know that even if you may or may not be reading the feng shui of the home, the mundane aspects indicate it is not a wise decision. Always, always, always remember that the mundane is as important, if not more, than the invisible, transcendental aspects of a situation. If it does not make sense functionally or practically, please pay attention to that first. From your words, I understand that you are in a good place now, not in a hurry to move out. So I think you have your answer! Wait until you find the right place for you that works for you financially and with whatever school of feng shui you are using. Remember, stick with one school, or one consultant. There is a poverty mentality that arises when one dabbles and goes feng shui “shopping”. Find the one school that you would like to work with and stick with it. There is so much depth and knowledge with each school. It takes a lifetime just to become an expert in one.

In the case that this home was workable from the mundane sense, yes, BTB feng shui offers many ways to adjust with most feng shui shortcomings. Feng shui is often remedial. I work with many clients while they’re searching for a new home. The most recent was looking for a new home in Manhattan. It was difficult because every floor plan has its missing areas, not to mention balancing location, budget, amenities and then getting an accepted offer. And this isn’t just Manhattan, right? It’s really challenging to do the best you can, there’s going to be no “perfect” solution. However pay attention..if the practical aspects are working and you love the place, then the feng shui can be workable. Listen to your intuition.

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design feng shui cerfication program. Laura Morris and I are launching our program in September 2018. We have a free webinar “Five Feng Shui Tools Revealed: Must-do business boosters for soulpreneurs and wellness practitioners”  coming up, too! check us out at www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our a unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish.

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

Mindful Design Feng Shui: Behind the Scenes - Feng Shui Design Altars

We turn the cameras around to talk about our own feng shui, homes, offices and design ideas. See how we have set up our own homes...

Sacred Space & Altars
- what is an altar?
- what do you have on it?
- Why do you use one?
- What we have on ours !!!

We chat about how to set up an altar and the show you our altars and shrines and what elements we have used.

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui check out the Mindful Design Feng Shui certification program. Laura Morris and I are launching our program in September 2018. We have a free webinar “Five Feng Shui Tools Revealed: Must-Do Business Boosters for Soulpreneurs and Wellness Practitioners” coming up, too! To get on the list about it, sign up at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com.

Mindful Design is a new way to learn feng shui. Our unique training program takes an holistic approach to learning the art of feng shui design. Mindful design is about becoming aware, and attentive, to the energy around you: both inner and outer qi. It is about promoting a better way of living and creating sacred spaces that support, and nourish.