EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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MANY CPA FIRM STAFF MEMBERS AND SOLE
practitioners as well as chief executives
use home offices in their professional work. CPAs
can apply some principles of feng shui—which uses
placement design to achieve harmony, health and
prosperity—to make a workplace more pleasant and
efficient.
PRACTITIONERS WHO WANT TO IMPROVE
an office, whether at home or elsewhere,
should follow some simple principles. One is to
keep desk and drawers, cabinet tops, ledges and
tabletops as clutter-free as possible. Stay on top
of the situation by filing daily, purging weekly
and doing a major cleanup twice a year.
CPAs WHO SPEND MANY HOURS A DAY
on the computer will experience less
eyestrain if they have warm lighting rather than
overhead fluorescent. Too little light can depress
productivity while too much can cause glare and
headaches. A table or standing lamp with a
full-spectrum bulb helps in a work area.
PRACTITIONERS DON’T HAVE TO TAKE
feng shui literally to benefit from
incorporating some of its easy-to-implement ideas
into an office, at home or elsewhere. A tidy
environment, pleasant sounds, attractive touches
such as mirrors and plants, balanced light and
healthy air flow all contribute to well-being and
success. | BARBARA WELTMAN is a small-business
writer who publishes a monthly newsletter called
Big Ideas for Small Business. Her Web
site is
www.barbaraweltman.com . MICHAEL HAYES is a
senior editor on the JofA . Ms. Hayes is an
employee of the AICPA and her views, as expressed in
this article, do not necessarily reflect the views
of the Institute. Official positions are determined
through certain specific committee procedures, due
process and deliberation.
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an CPAs boost success by fostering harmony and
balance in the workplace? According to the principles of
feng shui, you can. Half art, half mysticism, feng
shui—Chinese for “wind” and “water” and pronounced fung
shway —is the ancient practice of placement design to
achieve harmony with the environment and a salutary effect
on health and prosperity. Feng shui holds that arranging
certain elements according to traditional guidelines can
influence outcomes in all areas of life. It has become a
popular way to improve the ambience of a home, and
entrepreneurs are turning to it to reduce stress and enhance
business possibilities. Reports say real estate mogul Donald
Trump’s buildings incorporate feng shui, Virgin Atlantic
Airways founder Sir Richard Branson uses it and Texas First
National Bank and Mutual of New York apply it in their
offices. You may even have feng shui consultants among your
business clients.
Auspicious Energies
New York feng shui master Alex Stark
designed the three personal workspaces here. In his
view a harmonious, well-balanced environment
liberates creativity and vitality and opens up new
opportunities. Feng shui, the holistic practice of
space design, is a valuable tool in creating
salutary business environments, he says. |
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The red wall is about power
and achievement; its artwork by a
prominent artist nourishes with its
intensity and prestige. The green and
red carpet is about power combined with
growth. The foliage pattern brings more
natural elements into the office, which
would be otherwise too rigid and
corporate. The black of the desk and in
the artwork promotes career. The
sculpture of a woman reminds the owner
of her feminine qualities.
| In this office
the desk occupies the fame and
recognition area of the room (central
rear). Red flowers promote success, and
the bamboo plant and crystal decorations
in the wealth and power corner of the
desk also promote business growth. The
lamp and family photos are in the
relationships sector and encourage
activity in the business. The black
laptop is in the career sector of the
desk, and its color promotes career
advancement. |
| An important rule in
feng shui is that you will become what
you see, in this case from your desk.
This photograph shows the view from the
owner’s desk, which is actually a work
table—hence the clutter of work in
progress. The strong colors of the art
and artifacts aim for an ideal balance
between elements that evoke success,
prosperity and renown and images that
affirm the client’s lifestyle, interests
and health.
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Will increased productivity and success inevitably follow
if you arrange your work environment just so? You won’t know
unless you try it. Here are some very basic,
easy-to-implement feng shui tips CPAs can use to make an
office more pleasant and efficient, at home or elsewhere.
Venerable Message
From the ancient Chinese text I Ching or
“Book of Changes,” these pictographs suggest how
to live in harmony with the forces that shape
life.
Source: I Ching,
http://pacificcoast.net/~wh/Index.html .
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Remove clutter. Piles of papers look
messy and create negative energy—and you waste time looking
for information. Keep your desk and drawers, cabinet tops,
window ledges and tabletops as paper-free as possible. File
needed documents and put away items daily. Purge clutter
weekly, and do a major cleanup twice a year.
Position your desk strategically. To
attract prosperity place your desk so you see as much of
your workspace as possible. According to feng shui,
southeast is the “wealth corner,” so it’s preferable to put
your desk on the south side of the room. Avoid having a
window or a door behind you, which may leave you
“unprotected.”
Note: Bulky furniture such as an overstuffed couch
or an extremely large desk can overpower a room and disrupt
harmony, the essential goal of feng shui.
Avoid placing furniture in or near a doorway.
An entryway allows for the flow of ch’i
(pronounced chee ) or life energy. Blocking an
office doorway blocks ch’i, decreases productivity and
curtails privacy. It’s better to keep obstacles away from an
entrance.
Select the right room lighting. Too
little light can depress productivity while too much can
cause glare and headaches. The right wattage depends on the
size of your office and your particular work process. Warm
lighting is preferable to overhead fluorescent if you spend
hours on the computer. A table or standing lamp with a
full-spectrum (day-balanced) bulb helps counteract gloom in
a work area.
Use mirrors. Feng shui precepts hold
that mirrors protect against threats. Opposite a main
entrance they may frighten away clients, however.
Full-length mirrors on side walls denote a doubling of
clients. Energy should move upward, not down, so make sure
the long edges of mirrors hang parallel with walls.
Octagonal mirrors draw positive ch’i, practitioners say.
Decorate with plants. Green promotes
business growth, and plants brighten any work space. Bamboo
and rubber plants represent good fortune, making them good
office plants. If a plant dies, dispose of it right away.
Water is key. In feng shui, water
symbolizes money. New York City mayor Michael
Bloomberg—founder of worldwide financial communications
company Bloomberg LP and a self-made multibillionaire—has
aquariums throughout his business offices. If your office
doesn’t have room for one, use a mini interior fountain with
clean, smoothly flowing water to achieve the desired effect.
If you think a fountain will distract you, substitute a
tasteful seascape or a picture of a waterfall.
Use images to reinforce goals. Feng
shui holds that you’re likely to achieve the outcomes you
visualize. If you would like a particular client or project,
for example, prepare a sample engagement letter and put it
where you can see it. Replace it as needed.
HOME-OFFICE DOs Many CPA firm staff
members and sole practitioners work from home, and chief
executives use home offices, too. Here are some feng shui
considerations for augmenting a home work space.
Choose a dedicated area. Keep
business activities separate from your living environment. A
separate entrance is best; next best is a location near a
front or back door. If your work area must be a part of your
living space, separate the two with a room divider.
Get an air purifier. Keep the
environment pleasant. To create a harmonious workplace, you
must take all of your senses into account. Cooking or pet
odors aren’t ideal for your health and may discourage
business visitors. Use an air purifier or keep windows open.
Choose color wisely. In the classic
feng shui tradition, color balances an individual’s innate
personal qualities, strengthens a desired effect or
compensates for structural factors in the environment. The
ultimate goal is harmony, so what’s important is to use hues
you truly enjoy—an office doesn’t need to be power red to
promote success. Here is a list of some color
affinities:
Green —stimulates business and money.
Peach —represents health, healing and
overall well-being.
Blue —enhances peace and stimulates
intuition.
Pink —is good for relationships.
Gold —symbolizes abundance and wisdom
(a good career color).
Red —enhances energy and success.
Violet —inspires insight and peace.
Accessorize. Small touches can
effectively incorporate feng shui nuances in your home
office. Include
Crystals to deflect negative energy. A
crystal figurine on your desktop will do.
I Ching coins, which symbolize wealth.
Three coins tied with a red thread are said to attract
wealth. Place them in your wallet or somewhere discreet in
the office.
Jade, a symbol of good fortune. A
small jade Buddha may bring good luck to your home office.
Wind chimes. Hang these near an open
window, air conditioner or fan to generate a relaxing sweet
sound.
A bowl of fruit. A bowl brimming with
fruit symbolizes abundance. A bowl of crystal and jade fruit
will encourage peace and good fortune and won’t need to be
replaced every few days.
HIRE A FENG SHUI CONSULTANT
If you are too busy or feel silly about applying feng
shui techniques to your workspace, consider hiring a
professional. Just as interior decorators can do big jobs or
recommend small changes, feng shui masters can work with
your space and budget limitations, and they may even become
clients. If they suggest using wind chimes to bring luck or
color to encourage an outcome, be willing to follow their
advice. To experience any real change, you must be flexible
enough to try. Regardless of the kinds or number of
changes you may make, using feng shui in the workplace can
be a plus for today’s busy accountant. A tidy office,
pleasant sounds, good light and healthy air flow all
contribute to well-being, efficiency and success.
RESOURCES
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Publications
Management of an Accounting
Practice Handbook, loose-leaf version (#
090407JA); e-MAP, online subscription (#
MAP-XXJA). Chapter 210 is on “Site Selection and
Office Facilities.”
Creating a Virtual Office: Ten
Case Studies for CPA Firms (# 090426JA).
For more information or to order, go to www.cpa2biz.com
or call the AICPA at 888-777-7077. The
Internet lists many feng shui books, articles and
consultants. Here are one of each.
Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui
by Karen Kingston, Broadway Books, New York.
www.alexstark.com —feng shui master Alex
Stark’s Web site.
www.techfengshui.com —a blog with links to
articles for reining in technology clutter (new
from blogger Ernie the attorney). | |