QUESTION OF THE WEEK: I’m interested in the concept of time, and wonder how the clocks in our environment play into that. Is there such a thing as “time” feng shui or “clock” feng shui? How can I set myself up to be more productive?
I’d love to share what I know and what I have come to understand about time, clocks and productivity. We don’t realize it, but clocks get more attention than other home accessories.
Not only do we look at them more often than anything else, but they also have a deeper intrinsic meaning — bringing a symbolic, detailed and accessible expression of the rhythm of life into the home. Let’s start with your question about clocks.
Clock feng shui representation: physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
Physically, clocks — their structure, tempo, rhythm and movement — bring active, organizational energy to a room. Mentally, clocks engage your mind, making you think when you look at them: Am I late? Do I have enough time to do one more thing? Can I sleep a little while longer?
Emotionally, clocks affect you in ways that nothing else in your house can, because knowing the time can easily get you in motion or make you either happy or anxious. On a spiritual level (consciously or unconsciously), we know time is an illusion, but clocks remind us that we are human and that our time is limited. We have only so many hours in a day to accomplish what we want, and we have only so many years in a life span.
Time and productivity
Too often we feel that there is not enough time to do all the things we want to do, and we start to feel overwhelmed before we get started. In my classes, I teach that the first step to being more productive is to change your mindset about time.
Stop “hating” time. Time is not your enemy! Keep the limitations of time at bay, and free your mind from overwhelm by recognizing that you have gotten a lot done — in very little time — in the past. Ultimately, time is not the culprit, but your mindset and relationship to time are.
Affirm productivity
How we think makes a big difference in how our day progresses. When we can affirm how productive
we have been, thinking less about what we didn’t do, where we are behind or what we need to finish, and are able to acknowledge what we did do, we can balance out our overwhelming feelings. Positive thoughts and feelings create positive experiences.
Do you have a question for Alice? If so, send it to alice@yourhappinessu.com. Alice Inoue is the founder and Chief Happiness Officer at Happiness U, a friendly, educational establishment, where you’ll find inspiring classes geared toward personal growth and self-development. Visit YourHappinessU.com.