For many of us, the home office wasn’t by design, it just happened. And that’s usually where the friction starts.

A laptop claims the end of the dining table, the kitchen bench becomes the default for everything from quarterly reports to late-night life admin, and sometimes, even the couch ends up hosting your high-powered meetings. Cables creep across the floor, papers stack up, and somehow the space you’re meant to think clearly in starts to feel a little… busy.

This is where Feng Shui earns its place in a modern work conversation, not as a spiritual detour, but as a practical way to set your environment up to support how you actually want to work.

Master You, feng shui expert and Woolworths Bricks Home collaborator, describes good feng shui as “calm, practical and easy to live in”.

“It’s a home that supports daily life and relationships, with enough movement to feel alive, but without constant stress or disruption.”

Alongside his work with Woolworths Bricks Home’s buildable collectibles, Master You has been exploring how people instinctively understand layout when they can see a home in miniature. It’s a surprisingly sharp lens for something as grown-up as the home office. “Miniature homes help people see space as a whole,” he explains. “When layouts are simplified, it becomes easier to understand how different areas relate to each other and how design choices affect everyday living.”

This “zoomed out” view is exactly what many professionals miss. We tend to set up a workspace in pieces, reacting to what’s available, rather than stepping back and designing the flow. Feng Shui starts with that step back. If you were looking at your home office like a simple model, what would stand out immediately – the blocked walkway, the desk jammed into a corner, the chair positioned so you’re constantly aware of what’s happening behind you and the lack of a clear start and finish to the day.

And crucially, Feng Shui isn’t about lucky objects or superstition, Master You call this the biggest myth. In reality, it’s about understanding how space affects people and making thoughtful, practical decisions about layout and everyday living.

The good news is you don’t need a full-scale renovation to feel a change. Small, everyday design choices often matter more than big projects, says Master You, who has a handful of DIY adjustments you can make so your workspace feel calmer, clearer, and easier to work in.

Position matters: Sit with a solid wall behind you where possible. Avoid having your desk directly in line with the door. If you can’t move it, angle your chair slightly so you can see the entry without sitting “in the firing line”

Keep the surface clear: Stick to the essentials on your desk and corral everything else into one drawer, tray, or “inbox” folder. Do a 2-minute reset at the end of the day so you start clean the following day

Use side light: Natural light from the side beats light behind your screen or straight in your eyes. Shift your monitor, drop a sheer curtain, or use blinds to cut glare during peak sun

Define the workspace: Even at the dining table, give work a clear boundary. A desk mat, lamp, or caddy works. Pack it away when you’re done so the space doesn’t feel like it’s “always on”

Small tweaks, big difference: Prioritise desk position and chair support before décor. Sort cables, keep your most-used items within reach, and make the setup feel stable and easy to use