Is there a better way to arrange your office
to optimize the floor plan?
…Yes!
One of our site’s users from California recently asked me this question about their office floor plan:
“I’m in a new office and have the opportunity to organize it to my liking.
I will eventually share this office with another manager.
Should I…
1. take the seat by the door, thereby making myself more available to colleagues?or
2. take a desk further from the door, to minimize interruptions?”
Feng Shui Your Office
Feng Shui is a philosophy in how energy flows in home design to facilitate good health and well-being. Optimizing the floor plan of your office area with Feng Shui principles in mind can improve your own personal efficiency. You, too, might be wondering, where is the best place to put my desk?
According to principles of Feng Shui, your desk should be in the power position of facing the door, because it positions you for opportunity and service.
A diagonally placed desk can help you achieve the “power position,”
reducing window glare while still having you face the door.
However, this desk needs more clean working space!
However, there is one more important factor to consider when devising your floor plan: eye strain!
If there is a large bright window directly behind you, and you work on a computer much of the time, the glare could drive you bananas!
Therefore, my answer is this: arrange your desk to face the door, unless there’s too much light on your computer screen, in which case, you may want to modify the positioning a bit (desks that come diagonally from a wall are perfectly okay — see photo above) or find a glare-reducer for your monitor.
“Live with Intention. Create a happy, balanced life. We all want this, right? Dane’s tips and techniques in his checklist book are a great way to reduce stress and be more productive. I’m a list maker, and follow a daily plan. But, sometimes things get in the way of completing my daily list. I really like thinking of my daily list as organic and always improving. If you aren’t a list-maker — he provides simple principles that will make a positive difference”
~ Margie Arnett, University Professor
The main thing, as always, is to find a floor plan that works for you uniquely. Sometimes, unusual solutions are best. For example, my spouse and I share a large standing desk in our kitchen, that faces out into the living room (and the room’s entrance, therefore it’s in the “power position”). Odd, perhaps, but it works fantastically well. Here’s a 15-second video I just took of our desk:
Prepare Your Desk for Success!
Your desk is the hub of productivity — it’s where you make the magic happen! However, this isn’t 1962! That means we’re no longer bound to a standard desk in order to do our work. Technology makes it possible to work in several key areas — the home, the office, the cafe, a parked car: you name it! It’s essential that you re-think your concept of what a “desk” actually is.
I strongly encourage you to take advantage of technological advances and try to office outdoors for a little bit each day. The fresh air is good for your body, and change of venue can improve your productivity! Take your laptop, your smartphone, your e-Reader with you — whatever mobile tools you need to keep your work flowing. All you need is a nice spot outside in the shade! Humans need fresh air and a change of scenery every now and then!
“Where do I put my desk?” …it’s such a great question, and I love it when readers understand that small changes can have a cumulative impact on profoundly improving our personal productivity!
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Do you have any tips for how to best position a desk? I invite your questions and insights in the comments section below!
Dane, I am trying to figure out where to put a desk at my home. The most space I have is either in my Master Bedroom on the farthest side of the bed near a window(with blackout shades) facing the golf course. OR I have an empty Florida Room 22ft by 18ft open to the kitchen and dining area. i dont have a desk yet and need to find one, but wondered if you had any suggestions? I can send pics if that helps.
Thanks in advance,
Jamie
Hi Jamie! I know many people enjoy a desk with a view, but because I work on my laptop, I find the glare from a bright window to be impractical. I like my desk to face the door. Having my back to a room’s main entrance gives me the willies! The Florida Room sounds intriguing — is it too bright for a computer?
I have no idea where to put my Desk
. I share an office with my Husband but I want my desk to be near my Makeup desk and such.
I have my desk facing the window in my office. It keeps the glare off of the screen and also allows for a view. When I’m writing I find that it helps me to have a better view than say, a wall. However, if I had something like a fish tank that was up against the wall; I would definitely go with that angle. Good stuff, Dane! Thanks for this share!
View of a fish tank from the desk office is a terrific idea, Deeone!
I am moving my desk towards the light, more natural light I think is better, what do you think Dane?
Natural light is great, though sometimes it creates glare on computer screens. In the old days, a bright office was the ideal. Now, though, with electronics, I sometimes like to keep my office on the dark side to diminish glare on reflective surfaces — smartphones, tablets, etc. But, you know: whatever makes your soul sing! That’s what matters most!
You are right about the light Dane and I have taken that in to consideration.
I need to put a functional desk in my home. I have large rooms that open to each other. I am wondering the best place to put a desk. The living room, dining room, master bedroom or upstairs loft (my daughter uses this space also, but beatiful windows)? Can you give me a suggestion?
Hi Kim! I actually have an odd preference: I don’t like my desk in a bright room or near a window, the glare just strains my eyes while looking at my computer screen. For that reason, I try to put my desk in the darker area of a space. As long as my desk is organized and it faces the entryway — I’m good-to-go!
Here’s my makeshift standing desk today at the home office: http://www.flickr.com/photos/masonryan/5654512576/in/photostream
Ryan: Bistro table and a shoe box? I love it! (your spine will, too!)
{ twitter = @danenow }
I find that my creativity and productivity are both spurred on by the right atmosphere; sometimes you have to create or find the right space for for a particular project, but it’s also good to have place set up that you know you can fall back on.
I’ll right away grab your rss feed as I can not find your email subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I must say, the free newsletter we send out is value-packed. You’ll see an easy sign-up at the bottom of the post. Hope that you’re having a good day so far!
LOVE this blog post! And as always, I’m quite envious of your work space! (If my office were in the kitchen, I would most definitely have cookies somewhere on that desk!)
Currently, my office is a once-upon-a-time boy’s bedroom in a 110-year old farmhouse we’ve renovated. We live in the country and the office has two large windows. My desk is positioned so that I can see out of both windows. I so enjoy seeing the wildlife!
My current desk is an old dining table. It works great for me b/c it’s very wide and long, so I’m able to spread out numerous books and research articles when I write.
And of course, it’s positioned right in front of the TV so I never miss a Lifetime Movie for Women or an episode of Little House on the Prairie!
For years, my editors have teased me about my “eclectic” writing habits. hahah!
~k
Kelly, huge desk in front of picture windows in renovated barn in countryside? Yes, please!
Be not envious of me, for your set-up sounds like heaven!
At home my desk sadly sits in the living room. But I converted a glass conference table into a desk. In my case…size does matter.
At work my desk is now by the window and I can’t imagine it being anywhere else now. For me a light and bright area is inspiring!
Koren, I love that you turned a conference table into a desk! It’s can be so effective to have a large, clear workspace — makes you feel like you can create anything!