Personalizing & Organizing Your Workspace with Color

Featured today Staples® Business Hub by Claire Parker, Staples® Contributing Writer

Color psychology (yes, it’s real — we looked it up) reveals that the tones and palettes around us directly affect our mood, productivity and behavior. The color of your office furniture and letter trays — even your stapler — does more than decorate. It inspires.

Color can motivate the best parts of your personality, and, if your desk is a reflection of your best self, you’re likely to be on top of your game during the work week. “You're more likely to want to keep everything organized and neat, since by buying your favorite colors, you’re buying into the idea that your workspace can be beautiful,” says Meredith Zenkel, spokeswoman for office supply manufacturer Poppin. Items such as brightly hued modular desktop trays and tabbed three ring binders binders show personality and are ideal for color-coding high-priority projects or keeping personal items separate from business. “There are so many ways to meet needs and show off personality.”

But of all the colors in the rainbow, and the endless shades in between, how do you decide which ones are best for personalizing your workspace? Here’s our advice.

Choose Your Palette

Start with your personal response to colors. Does pink make you cheery or want to cringe? Does yellow energize you or make you cranky? Although certain colors are popular (radiant orchid, anyone?), let your own preferences be your guide over current tastes and trends.

Next, consider the properties of your favorite colors. Architect and feng shui designer Anjie Cho explains...

...read full article 

by Anjie Cho

eHow.com Video: Decorating An Office With A Buddhist Motif

Decorating An Office with A Buddhist Motif

Decorating An Office with A Buddhist Motif

In case you wanted to set up your office with a Buddhist Feng Shui flair, check out my eHow.com video!

see more eHow.com videos here

Video Transcript:

Hello, I'm Anjie Cho, and today I will share with you some tips for decorating an office with a Buddhist motif.

In Buddhism and in Feng Shui, we employ the five elements which is a philosophy used to describe the cycles of nature, how they work together and seek to always be in balance. The five elements are Earth, water, fire, wood and metal. A great way to start incorporating a Buddhist motif into your office is to include something that represents each of these five elements so that you have a balanced space.

Let's begin with the Earth element. Some examples of Earth are objects with a square shape, orange, brown or yellow or made from the Earth such as a large stone sculpture. This Quan Yin statue is a great example of how you can add the Earth element. It's heavy and made to look like stone. Also a big heavy wood desk is Earth element. It's brown, Earthy in color, squarish and has weight to it. Earth can add stability to your office.

Next is the water element. Water is wavy shapes and the color of black or dark blue and of course anything with water. A water fountain or fish tank are both simple and beautiful ways to add water to your office. Water represents knowledge and can assist with positive cash flow for your business. Mirrors are also water element and can visually expand your space.

Next of the five elements is fire. Fire is red and triangular in shape. In this example I have a beautiful Mandala with firey colors. In Feng Shui, this adds passion and recognition.

The fourth element is wood. Wood is green or light blue, vertical and expansive and living plants. Wood furniture like this desk is not actually the wood element. It's dead wood so it's Earth because it's brown. And lighting a tree is a great addition to the office. It improves the indoor air quality and adds life energy. Wood also symbolizes growth.

Finally, we end with a metal element. Metal is associated with white, gray and metallic colors and also circular shapes and the physical element of metal. Metal assists in efficiency and attracting helpful people to your office. You can find metal Buddhas to complete your Buddhist motif in your office. 

by Anjie Cho

Home Office Design: Feng Shui Tips

featured today on Streeteasy.com

Your home office represents an important area in your home.  In feng shui, this area symbolizes your career, wealth and how you nourish yourself in the world.  Below are some simple ways for you to incorporate a few changes in your home office to support your career and wealth.

Desk location

The first thing to look at is where your desk is located in relation to the room’s door.  I often see clients with their desk facing the wall, leaving their backs to the door.  These are major feng shui no-nos.  Ideally, you should face your desk so you can see the door, while not in line with directly the door.  The most auspicious position is a desk placed diagonally from the door.  The desired orientation, called the “command” position,  is when you are facing the door and the expanse of the room.  It means that you are in command of your life, your career, and can see what the universe has in store for you.  The best opportunities will be available to you and you will be able to see them coming.  This position minimizes stress and allows the best flow of energy while working.

If space is at a premium in your home and you cannot face the door, set up a mirror so that while sitting at your desk you can still easily see the door in the reflection.  Small concave mirrors found in automobile shops are excellent for this job.

Create a separate space

Speaking of space, I understand many of us do not have an entire room for office space in our homes.  If you do not have a dedicated room for your office, do your best to separate your desk within the space it is in.  Some ways you can do this are with a freestanding bookcase or a room divider, or even with a fabric panel or drape.  This is especially important in a bedroom or living room, or you may have difficulty focusing while working, and disengaging when not working.  Visual boundaries are very important in keeping your work and play times balanced.  At the very least, you can get a beautiful piece of fabric or scarf and cover your desk when office hours are closed!

What are you facing?

What are you facing when you are sitting at your desk?  Are you staring a brick wall?  Are you looking out at your view?  In the feng shui world, we encourage you to face into the room with a good view of the door, while not right in line with the door.  As I mentioned earlier, this position puts you in “command” of your life and career.  If this is not possible and you must face a wall, there are a few ways to improve this situation.  You can put a mirror on the wall behind the desk.  Rather than looking a wall that represents a block in your forward movement, the mirror will expand your view and allow you to move ahead in your career.  You could also put an inspirational image, an image with depth, or even a vision board.  A vision board is simply a collage of words and images of where you see yourself in the future.  The idea is, if you can see it, you can have it!  And of course, don’t forget the mirror to see the door.

This also brings up the question of having your desk face a window and outdoor view.  In my experience, although it’s nice to face a view, it’s not the best position for someone who wants to advance his or her career.  Your energy goes out the window and does not stay with your work.  Instead, why not have the window to your side so that it’s available for you to view when you want to take a break.  But it’s not distracting you from achieving your career and wealth goals.

Desk Clutter

I also encourage you to look at your desk clutter.  The purpose is to pinpoint any problem areas you may have regarding career and wealth.  Where does your clutter tend to accumulate on your desk?  While sitting at your desk, look at the furthest left corner, the furthest middle/top, and the furthest right corner of your desk.  Is there a place that you always pile up your paperwork that you plan to get to “one day”?  Is there a stack of magazines you’re hoping to go through?  Is there a specific area you stash all the mail you haven’t opened yet?  Clutter on the top left corner may represent stagnation in your cash flow and money.  The middle top symbolizes how people are viewing you, which is your fame and reputation. Maybe you need more visibility and/or recognition.  The furthest right corner is the relationship area.  This may indicate the need to cultivate new and existing relationships.  It’s time for some lunch with people you haven’t seen in months, to just see how they are doing, and get the energy flowing.  What is the clutter, and what does it symbolize to you in the area of the desk it’s in?

If it’s cluttered everywhere, well you’re in trouble! Just to be clear, clutter is not always negative, as long as it doesn’t hinder your life or cause guilt and distress. But it may be a problem if it does hurt and prevent you from achieving your goals, keeping you “stuck”.   Please do not be too hard on yourself if you do have clutter, take it step by step.  I suggest you start with 9 minutes a day.  Take a timer and just do 9 minutes of clutter clearing, and then feel good about it!

by Anjie Cho