Q4 profits down? Can't seem to get that promotion? Crippled by office politics? Cubicle feel confining?

Looks like you need some feng shui in your life.

Feng shui is the Chinese practice of beneficially harnessing the power of energy forces that affect the earth. Effectively, it means organizing your personal space to positively affect your mood and career. Some companies won't launch new businesses or put up new buildings without a feng shui consultant.

Getting started

The practice of feng shui is primarily concerned with object placement, directional positioning, and energy flow. To get started, all you need is a magnetic compass.

Optimize your personal office space!

Offices are often cramped, crowded and otherwise stressful places. But there are a few easy things you can do to increase your productivity and otherwise make you happier and more productive at work and in your career.

(1) Choose the right office. If you have the luxury of choosing, always pick a square or rectangular shaped office. Irregularly shaped offices don't allow for the smooth flowing of energy around the room.

(2) Pick an optimally sized desk. Think the biggest wraparound desk you can get a hold of is your best choice? Think again! The optimal desk is 60 - 61 inches long, 40 - 42 inches wide, and 33 inches high. These dimensions will enhance your career, power, and money luck - all things you want to have to be successful at work.

(3) Arrange furniture beneficially. Never sit with your back to the door. You know what weird feeling you get that someone may be there? Well there's more to it. Sitting with your back to the door promotes betrayal and backstabbing! Sitting too close to the door will also lead to distraction. Pointed, sharp or otherwise hostile objects aimed at people are called poison arrows and create "killer chi," harmful energy. While you can't necessarily eliminate these objects, you can minimize their deleterious effects by blunting or hiding them with vegetation and mirrors. See that edge of the filing cabinet pointed at your desk? Stick a plant in front of it! If you are lucky enough to have a window, but unlucky enough to have a poison arrow staring at you, close the blinds to hide it.

~ Stuck in cubicle hell?

Not everyone is lucky enough to be in a position to choose their office or their furniture. That's why Too recommends people practice "smart Feng Shui" and work with what they have. Where there are such practical constraints as limited space the best way is to work mainly with orientations. Use the compass and orient your sitting positions in such a way that at least you avoid sitting in a direction that is bad for you. After that, use Feng Shui symbolism by placing decorative objects nearby that protect against bad chi and enhance good chi, says Too.

A few Too tips for making your cramped office life more bearable:

(1) Get the image of a rooster and place it on your desk. This overcomes the "centipede" effect of cubicles and will reduce the negative effect of office politicking.

(2) Get a bright lamp to raise yang energy. This will make your space brighter and lighter.

(3) Place six round crystal balls on the northwest corner of your desk so things go smoothly in your career.

(4) Put a small fountain or fishbowl in your office, in full view of your door. Flowing water enhances wealth. Just make sure that the water isn?t stagnant or you?ll suffer the opposite effect. (The fish won't be too happy either.)

Feeling sick from staring into that computer screen? We've all felt fatigued from staring at our e-mail and Excel spreadsheets all day long and taking echinacea just won't always cut it. But according to Too, placing a green plant on your desk next to your screen can help exhaust the excessive metal energy. If you've got the space, place an urn filled with water on the floor.

For the managers

To help recruit and retain top talent, place a large boulder or crystal in the southwest corner of the office. Make sure that the main doorway to your office isn't facing your elevators, escalators or windows, as the good chi will quickly leave your office and leave your business in dire straits.

For more information on feng shui, check out the World of feng shui website at wofs.com