Toxic Workspace! 15 Things You Should Never Keep at Your Desk, According to Feng Shui Believers
1.A Mountain of Cluttered Documents
According to Feng Shui believers: An unbalanced workspace disrupts the flow of positive energy and good fortune. It can also create the feeling that work is constantly piling up faster than you can handle it.
From an office perspective: Important documents are easily misplaced, finding anything becomes stressful, and the piles quickly collect dust.
2.Tangled Power and Network Cables
According to Feng Shui believers: Tangled cables symbolize a tangled life. Relationships with colleagues or customers may become complicated and filled with daily frustrations.
From an office perspective: They increase the risk of electrical problems, and unplugging the wrong cable can instantly take a system offline. They are also extremely difficult to clean around.
3.Cracked Monitors or Damaged Equipment
According to Feng Shui believers: Cracks represent division, financial leakage, and instability in your career.
From an office perspective: Damaged screens may cause eye strain, the device could fail during an urgent task, and visibly broken equipment creates an unprofessional impression.
4.A Sharp, Spiky Cactus
According to Feng Shui believers: Sharp thorns can cut through good fortune, create emotional tension, and attract conflict or toxic colleagues.
From an office perspective: You risk getting pricked whenever you reach for something, and contrary to popular belief, cacti do not absorb harmful radiation from computer screens.
5.Unwashed Cups, Coffee Stains, or Plates Left Overnight
According to Feng Shui believers: Dirty dishes attract stagnant and negative energy. Good fortune may fade when the place where you earn your living is left messy and neglected.
From an office perspective: Ants and cockroaches may turn your desk into their party venue, while spilled drinks can easily damage your keyboard or laptop.
6.Dried-Out Pens and Broken Stationery
According to Feng Shui believers: Broken writing tools symbolize stalled progress, a lack of development, and blocked creativity.
From an office perspective: You waste time testing pens when you are in a hurry, only to discover that none of them work. They also create unnecessary clutter in drawers and pen holders.
7.A Wobbly or Unstable Chair
According to Feng Shui believers: An unstable chair represents instability in your position or career. It may suggest that your role is uncertain or that someone is trying to undermine you.
From an office perspective: It affects posture, reduces concentration, and may contribute to chronic back pain and office syndrome.
8.Spoiled Snacks or Food Forgotten in a Drawer
According to Feng Shui believers: Spoiled food blocks abundance and good fortune while weakening the positive energy associated with financial stability.
From an office perspective: It creates unpleasant odors for nearby colleagues and may attract rodents that could chew through cables under the desk.
9.Outdated Calendars or Expired Work Schedules
According to Feng Shui believers: Keeping outdated calendars means remaining attached to the past, preventing progress and blocking new opportunities.
From an office perspective: They can cause confusion when glanced at quickly and make your desk appear neglected and out of date.
10.A Dead Clock with an Empty Battery
According to Feng Shui believers: A stopped clock symbolizes a life that is no longer moving forward. Opportunities may pass by while you struggle to keep pace with others.
From an office perspective: It no longer serves any practical purpose and may suggest a habit of neglecting problems in your surroundings.
11.An Overflowing Trash Bin Beside the Desk
According to Feng Shui believers: Allowing waste to accumulate nearby weakens personal charm, positive relationships, and the willingness of colleagues to approach you.
From an office perspective: It becomes a source of germs and unpleasant odors, damaging both the atmosphere and your ability to concentrate.
12.A Broken or Flickering Desk Lamp
According to Feng Shui believers: Dim or unstable lighting symbolizes a lack of clarity, wisdom, and the ability to find solutions to workplace problems.
From an office perspective: Flickering light can cause serious eye strain, fatigue, headaches, and may also indicate an electrical safety risk.
13.A Desk Mirror Positioned Directly in Front of You
According to Feng Shui believers: A mirror may reflect good fortune away or double the stress and exhaustion that is already directed toward you.
From an office perspective: It can constantly distract you, as your attention is repeatedly drawn toward your reflection or any movement in the mirror.
14.A Monitor Covered with Too Many Sticky Notes
According to Feng Shui believers: Blocking your field of vision also blocks your professional vision, making it harder to see opportunities for career advancement.
From an office perspective: The visual clutter becomes overwhelming, information competes for attention, and important tasks may ultimately be forgotten because the sticky notes cover one another.
15.A Broken Drawer or One That Cannot Be Locked
According to Feng Shui believers: An unsecured drawer represents an inability to hold on to money or valuable possessions, increasing the risk of unexpected financial loss.
From an office perspective: Personal belongings may be stolen, while confidential business documents could be accessed or leaked without your knowledge.
