I picked up a blog post today that I thought was worth sharing… about our jobs and how our perception of them can alter our ability to find happiness in a career. Johnplaceonline.com has a great article titled, “Hate Your Job? First, Shatter Your Work Prejudice“, and it details the idea that we have such a negative perception of our jobs that we fail to see the possibilities in making it a meaningful experience.

I have thought a lot about this recently. I have heard phrases such as “Slave, Save and Retire” and I realize that we all see it that way. I often do. But, if I am to work 40 hours a week for the next 25-odd years, than finding a way to destroy the negative attachments I have is crucial to my own peace in life. This is a great article, go check it out.

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As I sat at my desk today, I realized how uninspiring my space is. I mean, aside from a tiny little Buddha and a few well-placed drawings from my kids, there is nothing that makes the space feel… good. It’s boring. In fact the only thing I can really say about my office is it has great potential. I have red and tan walls and that’s at least a start. My window leaves much to be desired though. While other’s in the building have a window that looks outside, my window looks onto what we collectively call the “3:00 cabinet”. It’s the snack center. Yes, that’s right. Every afternoon I get to watch people raid the cabinet for sodas and preztels and other similar tidbits of junk. But here’s the real kicker. Once they have selected their junkfood for the afternoon, they turn around and eat it on a file cabinet that sits directly under my window. So, I not only have the joy of watching them get their food, I get to watch them eat it too. Sometimes I liken the feeling to being at a zoo… but am I on display or are they? (sigh)… I digress.

We spend a fairly good chunk of our lives at work, so why not make the space that we work in something that is peaceful, inspiring, motivating and comfortable? My goal for next week is to Feng Shui and redesign my office space so that I can appreciate those 8-hour days a little bit more. Here’s what I’ve learned:

• Before you can do anything else, declutter comes first! I’m a stacker… so decluttering for me is simple. I just have to put away all the stacks of paper I have floating around. I happened to do this the other and a co-worker walked by my office, gasped and said “Are you quitting”? Yes, it’s that bad. Toss out what you don’t need; a gazillion post-its with references to things you can no longer identify, for example, and file away all the stuff that’s hovering.
• Align your desk (if you can) so that it either faces the door or the window. In my case, it already does but I think we can all agree that the window causes some serious energy flow issues. Since my desk is already in the most “efficient” location I’m going to find other feng shui ways to deal with the window. If you can’t align your desk this way, consider placing a mirror above your computer. You should never be facing a wall while working at the computer.
• When you enter your office, the first thing you see should be something that brings you joy. A picture of your kids or a vacation, my little Buddha, a plant- anything that is special to you.
• According to some of the feng shui research I did, plants absorb negative energy (I knew there was a reason I loved plants so much).
• When you decorate, add things that are organic in nature. Plants, wood picture frames, wicker baskets, a fish tank or water fountain… anything that will bring nature into your office.
• Set yourself up with a peaceful screen saver (3D pipes doesn’t count!). Again focus on nature…
• If your employer will allow it, bring a candle to work that you can light in your office. Scent is one thing that can easily and quickly alter my mood. If you’re lucky enough to have a window to the outside world, let some fresh air in!
• Use color. Find a color that moves you and use it to create individuality in your space. Paintings, rugs, and candles are a good starting place. Even desk organization gadgets can be ordered in many colors these days.

On Monday I’ll get started on my feng shui project and try to bring something each day to add to my space. I still have to do something about that window though. My first thought is to get a couple large posters that I can stick together and hang in the window. That way, I’ll have something nice to look at, and so will my junkfood-eating co-workers.

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