Feng shui reminds us that we’re at our top physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual power when we are living and working in a harmonious space that allows us to balance work, rest, and play. When we intentionally set up our environment to create this balance, we are supported to maintain it in our daily lives.

I was disheartened, but not surprised, to read recently that more than half of all American workers left their vacation time unused. In a 2015 survey, that amounted to a whopping 658 million unused vacation days in one year! For the past 15 years, according to Project: Time Off, Americans have been taking fewer and fewer vacations. We are the only country that doesn’t require employers to provide vacation time, but that is not the only problem. Equally at fault are the employees who simply don’t take the time off they are entitled to!

We’re working our way to disharmony, imbalance, and burnout! When we don’t take care of ourselves, things fall apart around us, including our relationships and our physical and mental health. I understand that not everyone feels they can afford to take time off, but I also think that we’ve lauded work over other ways to spend our precious time, and have made being busy a badge of honor. How do you balance work, rest, and play? Feng shui can help.

Here are some ideas:

• Create a Vision Board that showcases ALL aspects of your vision – including work, rest, and play. Post it in a place you see every day and make it a point to review it several times a day. Let your subconscious soak it in.
• Set an alarm on your phone or computer to take a break during the day – a walk outside, a visit to a co-worker, a brief closed-eye meditation.
• Make your bed every morning. This “accomplishment” feeds into your sense of taking care of yourself and being a powerful, organized person.
• Clear off your desk at the end of the day. This is another way to signal to your subconscious that you work smart, and that when your workday is done, you make time for other activities.
• Speaking of your desk, place something on it NOT work related that makes you smile. A small Eiffel Tower, an animal statue, a squeeze toy – you catch my drift. This will communicate that you are more than your output, that you have a personality and life beyond your work.
• Turn off all electronics 30 minutes before heading to bed.
• Keep electronics to a minimum in your bedroom. If you must have a TV or desktop computer in your room, house it in a cabinet that has doors you can close when it’s time to sleep.
• Create a beautiful oasis of calm in your bedroom so that when you’re prepared for bed, the space is ready for you to rest and relax.
• And, finally, take that vacation! Hang a 12- or 18-month calendar in your office or at home and mark your vacation days. Keeping them visible will remind you to plan something special and commit to doing it!

Work is vitally important to all of us, but so is rest and so is play. I hope these ideas help you find the balance that will keep you both happy and productive every day.