Working from home is a breeze…
… at least that is what we aim for.
During my 20+ years as a business owner, creative director, and Feng Shui practitioner, I’ve had to adjust to unpredicted situations during pivotal periods. Some were welcome adaptations; some were out of pure necessity to stay afloat during unforeseen transitions, like losing my job during the tech bust in 2000.
Many of us have had to shift work-life into a home-office environment during critical times. You may remember the recession period in 2008. Now, everyone around the globe has to learn to adapt to change quickly. The current situation has not been easy for years. I dislike this sense of incertitude lurking all around. No matter what happens, I encourage you to keep hope and optimism alive. Your heart, creative power, and connection to Source will not fail you. I have a good feeling about that.
Whether you’re a pro at working from home or just getting your feet wet, it takes a lot of patience, adequate time-management skills, determination, and creativity to make working from home a balanced and successful endeavor. Add family and pets hanging around 24/7, and you’ll feel like you’ve been invaded. There is no sense of boundaries.
Here are some #goodshui tips to help you feel more at ease and build healthy boundaries.
I’m sharing my all-time favorites and tried-and-true tactics for making the best of your workspace to help you feel grounded, motivated, and energized to be productive and successful in your day-to-day life.
You see, when I decided to have a second child, I knew I wanted to spend quality time with my baby during the first months and prepare in advance to organize and downsize properly. I scaled down from an energetic and spacious office in a commercial building to a shared room in a small apartment in Miami. I thought it would be a temporary change as my husband and I were planning to move to a bigger home but… that was in 2008… Yup.
Fortunately, we made the conscious decision to stay in our small place for a few more years. Our older son was about to go to college, we were going to have a baby and I was not going to work for a while, and the economy was taking a downturn. I thought I was ready.
I’ll be honest, getting into the swing of work and home life is tough to deal with all at once, especially if you’re not used to downsizing. It’s hard to focus on client work, be creative, and be attentive to family needs simultaneously. You can feel overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, burnout, and sometimes, the creative flow ceases to exist. That is not a good emotional and mental space to be in.
If you’re already feeling constricted and upset, I highly recommend you take a mindful (in-house) retreat over the weekend to reassess your energy.
Tell your loved ones you need a time-out to gather your thoughts. Grab your favorite cup of tea, journal, pen, cozy socks, and pillow. Light a candle, play soothing music, bring your favorite aromatherapy goodies and crystals, and get ready to get away. Take with you the list below and see what #goodshui tips spark you up and see what you find easy enough to incorporate into your daily life from here on out.
GOOD SHUI TIPS
– Get up early to take care of your needs first.
Early morning time is great for the mind, body, and spirit. Welcome each day with love, grace, and gratitude for your breath and all the beautiful blessings in your life.
– Take time to ground yourself and connect with yourself. Meditating early in the morning, especially out in the sunlight, helps to set a positive tone for the day ahead. Sometimes 5 or 10 minutes is all that you will have for this practice, and that’s OK. Those minutes are yours. Consider them sacred.
– Take a quick shower and get the blood flowing. It’s so invigorating! Try a cold water for a 10-30 seconds. It’s sure to wake you up! I jump, do a crazy tribal dance, and have a good laugh. This practice is fun and gets me in a good mood. Try it!
– Drink a detox tea or an immune-boost concoction before your first meal. Recipes are shared below.
– If weather allows, open windows and let fresh air in.
– Move your desk and sit in a commanding position to welcome opportunities to flow. Your back should not face the door. And if you must face a wall, make sure you amplify the space with a beautiful landscape. Think moving water, sunny skies, lush forests, smiling faces, and happy scenes. Here’s a quick diagram to show you the most favorable locations to place your desk:
– Make sure your chair has enough space to move around. No need to feel even more constricted here!
– Clean and clear your desk from clutter, this means counters and drawers, and things that distract you.
– “Let nature be your equalizer.” That’s what my wonderful friend, Herman Olivera, a Shamanic teacher, always says. Place a simple flower arrangement or a jade plant on your desk. It will add life and vigor to your office.
– Practice aromatherapy. It’s a wonderful energy resetter and booster. Inhale or diffuse energy-balancing essential oils. My favorites are Zenotica®’s Space Clearing Spray and doTERRA’s Serenity, Balance, Elevation, Wild Orange, and Passion. If you have pets, refrain from diffusing citrus oils. They irritate their eyes.
– Take mini-breaks between tasks or when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Go outside and take a walk, spend some time in the garden, stand barefoot on the grass, touch a tree, or water plants. If it’s sunny, sunbathe for 5 minutes. That will recharge your energy! Connecting with nature is soothing, refreshing, and grounding.
– If you have a vision board, make sure is visible when you’re sitting at your desk. If you don’t have one, place a work of art, a visual, or affirmation that inspires or uplifts you. This will help you feel motivated.
– Play your favorite music. I love Bossa Nova. It makes me feel like I’m in a sunny and breezy tropical beach. Here’s my curated Pandora playlist. Enjoy.
– Place a small negative ions fan (ionizer) or a fountain on the desk. This will help offset feeling sluggish.
– Eat a delicious orange or mandarin. Just the smell will cheer you and bring a smile to your face.
– Work with crystals to shield and protect your energy from EMF’s. Working on the computer and being close to electronics day-in-and-day-out can be harmful for your health. You can feel lethargic or suffer from headaches. You can have specific stones placed close to your equipment and devices to help lessen the unfavorable effects of electromagnetic fields. My favorite go-to stones are Jet, Black Tourmaline, Shungite, and Selenite.
– Sleep well. Make it a habit to go to bed at a reasonable time. This may be hard to do because, most times, you would find that late nights are your “prime time,” and you can get more done after dinner than you would during the day. Sorry, but lack of sleep adds more wrinkles and frowns to that lovely face of yours. Been there, done that. Sleep is also essential to your creativity. Get restful sleep by taking a quick warm shower, drinking a calming tea, or taking a salt bath. I also highly recommend removing the TV from your bedroom or covering it before bed. Turn off the wi-fi if you have to sleep with your cel phone nearby. Place a big EMF protection stone close to the TV and a smaller version close to your phone.
Life is changing rapidly, so remember that nothing happens without YOU. Take care of your energy.
Connect with me to learn how Feng Shui and complementary high-vibrational, energy-balancing methods can help you move forward. I offer you dedicated support through these incredible times. Let’s tilt the scale for positive outcomes and continued growth.
In Light,
Patsy
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High-immunity Recipes
“EL GREGER” IMMUNE-BOOST CONCOCTION RECIPE
Inspired by Dr. Michael Greger’s Daily Dozen recommended foods.
1/4 tsp black cumin
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp or 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp ground flaxseed
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 lemon juice
Hot water
Stir and enjoy. Salud!
IMMUNE SUPPORT/DETOX TEA
1 whole lemon or 1/2 lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
a dash of black pepper
1 slice of fresh ginger or 1/4 tsp ground ginger, or 1 drop of Ginger essential oil
Hot water
Mix it all and drink like hot tea. Enjoy.
© photography: musee studios
© Zenotica®