How I Ended My Bad Juju With This Simple Feng Shui Office Makeover
By changing the direction of my work desk to its commanding position
On Writing
I don’t know how many times I have said it this year; that writing saved me. We all have our share of 2020, but never in my wildest dream that I can say I am a writer.
Our writing journey can take us anywhere, and our goals change with time. Everything starts with a passion; writing can become more than a hobby, and if done right, it could be a way for us to start making money.
As writers, we need to keep on writing and experience the hurt of rejection. While it is not personal, when editors reject our work, it is personal to us.
But one must learn to accept it is part of the writer’s life unless you are ready to quit as a writer and move on to being someone else.
The beauty of writing is, it doesn’t need much from us. We can write with a pen and paper, and we only need our imagination to weave stories.
Meet Frank, my Frankenstein Laptop
I have given my laptop a name, Frank for Frankenstein. Far from being a monster, Frank is my writing partner.
In human years, Frank is old. He is eight years old. Most laptops would die on you after 3 to 5 years, and he is far from going to computer heaven. This year, Frank and I have been working together. Frank saved the best for last and is helping me with my third act as a writer.
We have collaborated for far more this year. I guess you can say the pandemic brought us together.
For the good part of the year, Frank has been my quiet companion. As days passed, to months, and as the year is about to end, he continues to help me create stories, from my imagination to the keyboard. With gratitude in my heart, I owe Frank a lot.
Work at home — A Writer’s playground
Along with Frank comes my clandestine set-up for a work office. If you are serious about writing, you have to treat it as work.
Writing for hours can be bad for our health; who doesn’t have a bad back here? Not everyone will look as great as Barbara Cartland, writing her romantic love novels while reclined on a red velvet sofa. It is ideal for any writer to write on a desk.
Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue
If my writing is a wedding, I only need sixpence, and I am a fortunate bride.
Sorry, Frank, you are my something old. I managed to add something new, like simple decors and a money plant to adore my work desk, which happened to be something I borrowed from a friend, and if my constant feel the feelings mood count as something blue, then I do have everything.
I have David, a souvenir statue I got from my Italy trip, an art piece that reminds me of my travel in Europe, but now serves as a wedge to keep Frank’s screen from falling over.
Like many, I work from home. I have moved my work desk a lot. It started from being in the living room and found its way to the bedroom.
At one point, my work-at-home design is a failure. The desk was in the middle of the room, then it got moved from the left to the right side area of the bedroom, but it never felt right.
My old computer chair wobbles, and there are times when it feels; I would fall over. I’ll end up dead from writing, which is quite funny.
So, I decided to think of a new work-at-home office setup. I moved my desk. My chair has to be behind a solid wall to make it less wobbly. Next, the desk has to be near the wall plugs; one thing I hate is wires all over. Finally, the area has to be well lit.
New beginnings, No more bad Juju
I was happy with how it turned out, my new workspace.
Frank and I got to work on a story, from something I read in The New York Times, Designed to Deceive: Do These People Look Real to You?
Part of my writer’s bucket list is to be published on The Startup. After Frank and I finished writing my story, I submitted it. As they say, that third time is a charm; the story got published.
On the same day, my story, How to Start a Podcast With a Text to Speech Tool, was published on Better Marketing.
How could that be? I got published in two of the most popular publications online. I nailed it. I got rid of the bad juju.
Curious as a cat, I googled Feng Shui
What is Feng Shui?
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art that involves creating a space that’s harmonious with the environment. It literally means “wind” (feng) and “water” (shui).
I know; what does Feng Shui has to do with my recent writing success? Sorry for the humblebrag.
I searched for ‘Feng Shui office.’
As if I followed a recipe for a Feng Shui office makeover. Here is the checklist of what I did right according to Feng Shui experts.
Feng shui Tips for the Office
- Find the Feng Shui Commanding Position —It is where you have the best vantage point of the whole room. My desk found its way to its commanding position; from where I am seated, I can see my bedroom door.
- Create a strong backing — Your back is against a solid wall. It made sense that I placed my wobbly computer chair behind a solid wall to stop me from falling over.
- Change your office desk direction — Find the auspicious direction using your Kua number. My work desk is now facing east, which, according to my Kua number, is where I will be most productive.
- Keep clutter away — Organize your work desk, keep it clean. I am not a neat freak. Organized chaos has its limits. Besides, Frank needs a clean space, don’t mention it to him, but I think he has OCD.
- Art, plants, and lighting — Surround yourself with beautiful things. David is my art piece. I also have a money plant on my desk and a buddha statue for serenity. The window on the side is where natural light comes in and augments the light from the table lamp.
Without me knowing, my new work-at-home setup, out of necessity, is in line with the basic principles of Feng shui.
The plant on my table, David the statue souvenir which I use as a wedge for Frank, so the screen doesn't fall over. The table lamp to make it easy for my eyes when I read or write. The music that plays, everything makes for a harmonious workplace.
I also keep my desk clean. The only thing missing is something to put on a wall I am facing. Part of good Feng shui is, there must be something on the wall, like a painting, but I am thinking more of a 42 inch TV.
Final thoughts
It would be best if you didn’t believe that Feng shui made me a better writer or that luck is something we need to be successful writers. Writing to me is a lot of hard work. With sweat and tears, we can achieve our dreams as a writer.
Feng shui, like the magic ruby slippers in the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy didn’t need them to get home. All she needed was already within herself.
For us writers, we only need to close our eyes, and our stories are already in our imagination. We only need to write it down.