By Sharon Mann
Feng Shui: The Chinese art or practice of positioning
objects based on a belief of balance and that the flow of energy that
has positive and negative effects.
Students can feel overwhelmed with deadlines and exams throughout
the school year. For them, keeping school life separate from social
obligations can be a challenge. While it is impossible to completely
alleviate the stress associated with schoolwork, there is a simple (and
affordable) way to become a more balanced scholar.
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese system rooted in philosophic and
scientific practices.. Contemporary feng shui can be utilized by
children, teenagers, and college students to attract positive
experiences in key homework areas throughout your home. It’s fairly
simple to personalize the areas to reflect specific goals, like better
managing projects or making study environments calmer.
“The simplicity of feng shui is full of influences trying to
complicate it. The key to fung shui success is simply knowing yourself
and your living arrangement, then “decontenting” what you don’t need.
Knowing the flow of the home will help in harmonizing with your
movements and how the rooms are to be set. Accessorize sparingly and
with purpose to create a specific mood.”
–Janine Handler, owner of Guthrie’s Interior Extravagance
Simple Feng Shui Study Area Tips
Organize. Disorganization causes stress and can be
a distraction to the learning process. A tidy work area attracts new
things and enhances concentration, so keep 50% of the desk visible at
all times and keep clutter to a bare minimum by using drawers,
cabinets, hanging files, and binders for storage. Use paper trays,
penholders, and other organizational tools to give everything its own
place within your workspace. Clearly labeling files, as well as sorting
and color-coding files, will further clear clutter and make it easier
to manage your study area (and your workload).
Maximize Space. The placement of furniture in a
study area is key to attracting positive energy. For the most
beneficial arrangement, face your desk towards the entryway, with a
solid wall to your back. Never sit with your back to the doorway, as it
invites negativity. Position yourself in the corner farthest from the
entrance, which instills a command of your space.
Color Code Your Life. Personalize study areas and
increase the flow of positive energy by decorating strategically.
Various colors attract different energies into workspaces. Yellow,
which promotes discipline and creativity, is ideal for homework areas.
Red has an energizing effect, while soothing blue-green tones inspire
aspiring writers. Warm desert colors, such orange, stimulate
collaboration in group projects. Maximize the organizational benefits
and increase the flow of positive energy by incorporating strategic
colors throughout your entire study area. Designate a different colored
folder to each class or assignment. Studies show that when colored
files are utilized, the amount of time spent looking for papers
decreases by up to 50%.
Sharon Mann, is an organizational and feng shui expert at the global office supply company, Esselte.