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That cubicle may drain your energy

Rocky Mountain News

BOULDER, Colo. - Hate your job? Blame your cubicle. While that may sound too easy, it has some validity, says the executive director of Boulder'sInternational Feng Shui Centre.

Feng shui (pronounced feng SHWAY) is an ancient Chinese philosophy that, in its simplest form, says your surroundings affect your energy. And in the modern Western world, that translates to bottom-line issues such as productivity and absenteeism. ``There are economic benefits to organizing work space in a way that supports people's energy to do work,'' said Linsey Franklin, in a discussion about applying feng shui to the workplace.

Take those cubicles. While they may make for good fodder for Dilbert, they are sucking your energy away from work. Why? For one, people usually sit with their backs to the entrance, a definite no-no in feng shui because it drains energy and creates uneasiness. It's much better to have your back to a solid wall, which increases your feeling of being supported, Franklin said.

Franklin once worked with a telemarketing company that was experiencing high turnover. One look at the place and she knew why: cubicles.

She changed the workers' positions in the cubicles, added plants and posters of outdoor scenes such as waterfalls to bring the ``outdoors' energy inside and ``Voila - lower turnover, lower absenteeism and higher productivity.''

``Just simple things,'' Franklin said. ``The great thing is, you don't have to believe (in the philosophy). You just have to do it to get results.''

While you may not have to believe, you do have to understand the principles behind feng shui rather than simply trying to apply some rules, Franklin warned the group. But she did hand out a few tips:

* Don't box yourself into a corner. It creates limitations.

* Never place your desk opposite a mirror. It doubles your workload.

* Organize your paperwork horizontally rather than vertically. Stacks of paper make you feel like your work is endless. Likewise, keep your desk clear for the free flow of energy.