Start The Year Off Right With This Workspace Energy-Clearing Routine

There's really never a bad time to give your workspace a thorough cleaning. But the new year presents a special opportunity to clear out the old and welcome the new, both literally and figuratively. Here's a seven-step routine for giving your workspace a much-needed energetic sweep to kick off 2021:

Ask yourself, what do you need this space to offer you to help support you in a work setting? What will keep you calm and focused while also energized? Once you have an idea of what you need from your desk and workspace, set an intention. This will help you get clear on what needs to go, what can stay, and what else you may want to have on your desk or the surrounding area.

Speaking of what needs to go, before making any additions, you'll want to give your desk a good cleaning. Clear it all off and wipe it down, getting in those hard-to-reach places you might avoid during a general tidying. Wipe off any items that live on your desk, like picture frames, keyboards, etc. With everything off the desk, carefully choose what you want to put back on it. Think Marie Kondo's "sparking joy" concept here.

With your desk freshly cleaned, now you can begin energetically clearing the space using the power of sound. If you have a Tibetan singing bowl, this is a great opportunity to shower your space with its beautiful tones. Tibetan Tingsha cymbals, wind chimes, and bells would work here as well, but you can also chant mantras, or even clap your hands, to clear stagnant energy.

See if you can add one of these scents, or another favorite, to your desk by moving incense, candles, or an essential oil rollerball or diffuser (psst...this one can double as a desktop humidifier) over to where you spend most of your workday.

Beyond being beautiful reminders of nature, crystals can help support the intention you set for your new desk. If crystals aren't your thing, a stone, stick, or shell from the outdoors can have a similar effect. Simply hold it in your hand and imagine charging it with your intention, and then allow it to charge you with some of the grounding, life-affirming energy of the outdoors.

Who doesn't love looking at a thriving houseplant all day? In feng shui, some greenery is thought to help attract prosperity in the work and financial department. Bamboo and monstera plants, for example, represent growth and upward mobility. African violets, money trees, and orange trees have also long been associated with wealth and abundance.

And lastly, use the power of your imagination to visualize your desk as a perfectly pristine and clear workspace. One way to do this is to close your eyes and envision a ball of pure white light in the middle of the area. As you breathe, imagine the ball of light is getting bigger and bigger, enveloping the whole space in this pure light and clearing it of any remaining negative energy.