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Feng Shui Your Way to Productivity

2213996356_4224acc609_m.jpgIf you're trying to figure out how to get motivated after the long weekend, how about tackling a little redecorating project? You can use feng shui (say "fung shway" if you want to sound serious) to create a more productive workspace.

Bootstrapper suggests 50 ways to create a motivational environment with simple tips like decluttering, using a bulletin board and creating work zones.

A baker's dozen of "do's and taboos" for feng shui gives extra guidance. Note to self: Get rid of the mirror. Well-applied lipstick is not worth the price of negative energy.

A plant, flowers, or a beautiful art object can also energize a dull office. Presumably, lame motivational posters don't qualify.

Minor adjustments can make a big difference. Facing a wall while you work is bad feng shui, but if you can't move your desk, simply hanging a scenic picture can help.

Whether you're in a cubicle or an office, many of these changes are easy to implement. You might already be doing some of these things instinctively; turns out I've accidentally feng shui'd my spaces quite a bit in the past.

But while I enjoyed my cheerfully bubbling fountain ("Water features will ... help you better become motivated to meet your goals"), it used to drive my co-workers crazy by activating subliminal bathroom urges.

Did it increase my productivity? At least in one respect -- it kept my meetings short.

(image by jurvetson via Flickr, CC 2.0)

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