If your job isnt’t stressful enough already due to deadlines, issues with co-workers and management, and trying to make enough time for family and the things that make you happy, a messy desk or work space sure doesn’t help.

Being organized is an easy way to reduce stress; when you can find things when you need them you eliminate added frustration and potential damage to your belongings from sudden swipes of wrath and unnecessarily chucking objects across the room. From a productivity standpoint, working at a clean and organized desk helps keep you efficient and focused.

In the yoga tradition, cleanliness is an aspect of the yogic eight-limbed path, not to be confused with the Buddhist Eightfold Path to enlightenment. The eight limbs of yoga are a moral code of lifestyle suggestions for living a meaningful life. Intention is also important in the yoga tradition to encourage focus and concentration (another limb of the path).

Feng shui, or the art of organizing spaces to optimize the flow of energy, is a great system to use for keeping clean with intention.

Here are some suggestions for intentionally inducing calm throughout your workday with a little self-discipline, planning and creativity. The suggestions here are based on the ba gua, the governing tool used in feng shui to balance energy in a room, home or space.

Start from the ground up

The first order of business to keep a healthy, balanced and peaceful working space is to remove anything that might be hanging out on the floor. According to the principles of feng shui, clutter obstructs the flow of energy, which can cause blockages that manifest as frustration and stress. Place purses on hooks, in drawers or hang them across the back of your chair and give stacks of paper or magazines a home in a filing cabinet or rack.

Get in tune with the elements

If you’re hoping to add more wealth in your life, consider finding some wood or water elements to add to your space. Water represents understanding and emotions while wood represents stability and support. Perhaps a tabletop water fountain or even a picture of water – such as the ocean or a lake, will work nicely. You could even change the background on your computer to your favorite sunset over the Atlantic. If you have wood furniture, such as a desk, lamp or chair, you’re already ahead of the game!

Determine what is important to you

According to the gua, placing the following colors or representational elements in their associated spaces will optimize the corresponding energies in your life and work. To determine how to spatially define your working area, stand at the entrance of your office or in front of your desk and proceed from there.

Lower left corner: Wisdom & Education

Governing element: Earth

If you’re wanting to learn new things to be better at your job or become an expert in your field, focus on the colors blue and green in this corner.

  • Suggestion: Place books here about your field, certificates of completion, diplomas and a plant to signify your growth.

Lower Center: Career

Governing element: Water

Considering this is your work space, the career section is kind of important. Perhaps keep a vision board  here or images of where you strive to be in your career and keep the tones dark. Paying special attention to this space will help ensure that career opportunities come your way almost effortlessly, or so it may seem.

  • Suggestion: Another great place to put that water fountain! Also consider a small mirror, as glass falls under the water element category. Avoid squares and straight edges throughout your space, instead choosing rounded corners to assist with getting into the flow.

Lower Right Corner: Helpful People & Travel

Governing Element: Metal

Looking for help or guidance to get you somewhere? Maybe you hope to travel more for work? Decorate this space with white, silver or black colors and hang pictures of people who you find helpful or inspirational in your life, such as a teacher or role model. Also include pictures of the places you want to visit and keep it updated as  you check the destinations off your list!

  • Suggestion: Keep a metal picture frame handy to display your teacher or place a metal statue in this area representing one of the places you want to go.

Middle Left: Family & Ancestry

Governing Element: Wood

For a happy medium between work and family, add pictures of your family to this space as well as the color green. Don’t be shy – remind yourself how important your kids, parents, siblings and/or your partner are to you!

  • Suggestion: This would be a more appropriate place for your wooden picture frames or that carved piece of wood your kid made during art class and gifted to you last Christmas.

Middle Center: Health & Wellbeing

Governing element: Earth

Your health matters more than anything else in your life – without it you’re unable to function, which means you can’t work, provide for your family, fulfill your deepest desires or take care of others. Treat this space with respect and include the color yellow.

  • Suggestion: Create your own mini zen garden with sand, rocks, tiles, clay, etc., to promote peace and balance. You can find supplies at a Hobby Lobby or craft store. This can also be a great place to store your healthy snacks. Replenishing bananas in this space will ensure you get your yellow in and have a healthy snack on hand at all times!

Middle Right: Creativity & Children

Governing element: Metal

When your work requires that you get creative or come up with a new solution to an old problem, it’s a good time to pay attention to this space. This area also represents children – think of how creative children can be when not placed under the limitations of the rational mind, the real world and bills. Use white or gold and circular objects.

  • Suggestion: You can place a picture of your kids here or also display the creative projects you’re most proud of, such as a painting you made or a piece of artwork that really inspires you. It could be nice to keep a picture book to browse through whenever you get overwhelmed and are in need of a change in scenery.

Upper Left Corner: Wealth & Prosperity

Governing element: Wood

Pay attention to this corner, as it’s one of the most important in your space; that is if wealth and prosperity are important to you. While wealth and prosperity can come in the form of material blessings, it also can be related to your overall wellbeing. Define what wealth means to you and create a prosperity jar, placing meaningful objects in your jar and displaying it in this corner. Use the colors purple and blue.

  • Suggestion: Get yourself some bamboo, thought to be a lucky plant associated with prosperity. Keep this corner clear and free of clutter and add to it every time you feel inspired.

Upper Center: Fame

Governing element: Fire

This area is all about you and how bright you shine. If you’re modest or not seeking fame, you can pay less attention to this area, but remember that fame can be defined in many different ways. Keep the color red here.

  • Suggestion: Place your awards, published work, acceptance letters, accomplishments, etc., in this area. This is a great place for a red candle – just make sure you burn it frequently!

Upper Right Corner: Love & Relationships

Governing element: Earth

Here’s another space where balance is key. While our work is very important, it’s our relationships with others that help us refuel at the end of the day, be it with friends, loved ones, family or a partner. Colors for this space include red, pink and white.

  • Suggestion: Keep fresh flowers in this corner (and keep them alive!) as well as pictures of the people whom you love.

Although it seems like a lot of work, clearing the clutter in your life to make way for smooth energy flow will be worth it in the end. If you’re overwhelmed by the amount of information provided here or just don’t know where to start, pick one area where you seem particularly stuck and concentrate your efforts there. You may already have certain elements in place and didn’t even know it!

So what area are you going to focus on first? Tell me in the comments below!

*Picture credit: Ba gua worksheet provided by Kathie Seedroff of Simplified Interiors.