Which Direction Should You Face While Working?

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Use vastu shastra principles to boost productivity in the workplace

Co-authored by Cheyenne Main Reviewed by Anjie Cho

Last Updated: August 29, 2025 References

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In a Home Office

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In an Office Building

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Designing Your Office

Whether you’re working from home or setting up your new office space, the direction you choose to work in can impact your productivity and concentration. According to the architectural tradition of vastu shastra, the placement of your desk and the arrangement of your office space has the power to affect your mood and performance at work. Keep reading to find out how you can plan the best office layout to increase your productivity and success.

The Best Directions to Work in According to Feng Shui

Feng Shui educator Anjie Cho says many traditional Feng Shui schools recommend working in a cardinal direction. For example, face your desk towards the east to bring positive energy and financial prosperity. Choose an office building that faces north in a busy area. At home, work facing west to bring career stability.

Section 1 of 3:

What Direction to Work in a Home Office

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The best direction overall is in the west or southwest room of your home. According to vastu shastra, the west or southwest area in your house is the best place to put a study.^{[1]
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Research source} This area is said to promote good business decisions and stable career choices.
- Make sure your desk doesn’t have a window, door, or balcony in front of it. Position your chair against the wall to promote success.^{[2]
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- Some believe that the direction you work in depends on your career. If you work in a career where you have to be assertive, like law or property development, this direction may be the best for you.
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Place your office in a north or northwestern room to bring prosperity. The second-best area of your home to work out of is in the north and northwest portions because these directions are said to bring fortune and enhance your leadership skills.
- If your house only has bedrooms in the north or northwestern corners of your house, consider looking for an area close to the bedroom door to put your desk.
- If you’re an entrepreneur, trader, manager, or sales or marketing professional, consider facing this direction to encourage financial prosperity in your career.
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Set your office in a northeastern room if you work in a creative field. Northeastern rooms are ideal for those working in a creative field because this direction is believed to enhance your creative abilities. If you’re a designer, writer, or artist, consider placing your office in the northeastern area of your home.^{[3]
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- You can also place a citrine cluster or gold pyrite crystal inside one of your desk drawers to help attract and multiply wealth.
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In your home office, try to position your desk so that it faces east. The sun rises from the east, bringing positive energy and enlightenment. Once you select which room you’re going to set up your office in, try to position your desk so that it faces the east to bring you positivity and financial prosperity.
- Facing the eastern direction is especially ideal for those who work as entrepreneurs, executive staff, and managers.

Section 2 of 3:

What Direction to Work in an Office Building

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If you’re choosing a space to use for your own business outside the home, look for a building surrounded by the hustle and bustle of people and roads to bring you prosperity. Make sure the front of the building faces north, northeast, or northwest to bring good luck and positive energy.^{[4]
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Position the receptionist’s desk diagonal to the front entrance of the office. The receptionist’s desk is the first area that clients and visitors see when they enter. To create a positive welcoming environment, angle the desk so that it faces the door and place the company’s logo or office nameplate on the southern wall behind it.
- Place flowers or a bowl of candy on the receptionist’s desk to invite positive energy into the office.^{[5]
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Place the head of the office in the southwestern area of the office. The southwestern area of the office can promote good business decisions and help the CEO or the top position in the office manage their staff and clients.^{[6]
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Research source} This direction can also promote a more stable business in general.
- If you’re the leader of the company, you can choose almost any direction to face while sitting, but west and north may be slightly more beneficial to you.^{[7]
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Place marketing and sales staff in the northwest area of the office. In Hindu mythology, Kubera is the god of wealth and the guardian of the north.^{[8]
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Research source} If you have staff members whose positions are related to money, like marketing or sales, put them in the northwest areas of the office and turn their desks to face north to increase profits and promote success in business.
- Some vastu practitioners recommend not placing your desk in the northwest areas of the office because it can reduce your concentration.^{[9]
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Place customer service and other employees in the east area of the office. The east direction is believed to promote growth and productivity. Try to place anyone who works in positions related to customer service, computer programming, design, social work, or administration in the east area of the office space.^{[10]
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- You can place accountants and other money-related workers either in the northwest or east areas of the office—both places may provide growth and financial prosperity to these careers.

Section 3 of 3:

Vastu Shastra Office Design Tips

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Paint your office space in bright light colors like cream or light yellow. Dark colors like black may encourage sleepiness, while light colors might encourage office activity and productivity.^{[11]
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Research source} Try to paint your office in light neutral color palates like cream or yellow to increase engagement and office respect.
- You can also decorate your office space with colors like light green, light blue, or light orange.^{[12]
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- In vastu, blue is the color of water and the north, green is air and the east, red is fire and the southeast, yellow is earth and the southwest, and gray is space and the west/northwest. Try to avoid using red (fire) in the north (water) or blue (water) in the southeast (fire) to promote cash flow and even production.^{[13]
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Use a rectangle-shaped desk and keep a small globe on the northwest side. Irregularly shaped tables, like L-shaped desks, and glass tabletops are believed to bring negative energy.^{[14]
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Research source} If you have a glass table, cover it with a cloth or try to use a solid rectangle desk instead.
- You can also place a small globe on the northwest side of your desk to attract international work opportunities. ^{[15]
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- Desks that are larger or differently shaped are believed to create confusion or promote delays in business.
- If your workspace faces north, consider keeping your computer and other work tools on the left side of your desk. If your workspace faces east, keep those objects on the right side.
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Keep your workspace clean and uncluttered at all times. In vastu shastra, cluttered spaces are believed to create confusion, dishonest practices, and bad luck in the workplace. Discard any unwanted papers or pens and try to put away unnecessary files and other items.^{[16]
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- Instead of files and other paperwork, consider placing motivational quotes, books, and to-do lists on your work desk.^{[17]
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- Try to avoid reading, scrolling on your phone, or sleeping while sitting at your workstation to keep negative energy out of your office.
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Use a comfortable desk chair that’s tall enough to support your head. To promote concentration, make sure the chair you work in is comfortable, strong, and tall enough so you can lead your head against it. Try to avoid using chairs that creak when you move to help direct all your attention towards your work.
- Try to avoid placing your desk underneath a beam—this position is believed to cause financial loss.^{[18]
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Place file cabinets in the southwestern area of the office. Place any file cabinets or drawers that contain important documents in the western or southwestern portion of your office, the most stable business area.^{[19]
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Research source} You can also try to position the storage units so that they open in a north, east, or northeast direction.
- Some recommend putting court case files, taxes, and other sensitive information along the northeast side of your office.