The central area of a home or office is associated with space element. If this area is open there will be business and career opportunities. With clutter, toilets, a kitchen, or no open space in center of an environment, there will be financial limitations.

The earth is a magnetic force and is composed of five elements, as is our brain. The thalamus is relay center for all sensory and motor skills in brain. Neurological research has shown that firing patterns of neurons in thalamus function differently depending on which direction one is facing. Our mind is then interactive result of affect of magnetic field on our brain cells. By placing our bodies and environments in alignment with magnetic axis, we can think and act more in tune with nature.

Our actions will be more synchronized with forces of nature, much like swimming with stream as opposed to swimming against it. Many studies have shown that when one faces north at their desk they will be more productive and successful. Studies have also shown that sales increase when a sales person faces north or east when working with a customer.

Unfortunately most modern architecture is based on function alone and is not designed to obey forces of nature – sun, wind, water, climate changes, and planets. All ingredients of a business – whether home or office based - are greatly enhanced when functions mentioned above are in their proper position. If there is imbalance, these can be corrected by a qualified Vastu professional who is experienced in rectifying pre-existing buildings.

VASTU TIP OF THE MONTH Things That Make You Go Mmmm…

To stimulate financial growth in your life place a water fountain in northeast area of your home or office. Fountains are very effective in moving “stuck” energy, especially when it comes to finances.

Water symbolizes purity and enlivens all living things. Our bodies are made up of 70% water. We can live for quite some time without food, but we cannot survive very long without water.

Fountains with moving water enhance life-supporting energy. Fountains cleanse and absorb negative energy. They polarize light, creating ultraviolet light with ozone, which enhances all growth.

I've seen whine factor derail projects and people in my twenty years in management. Whining shifts a mindset from can do to can't do, allows potholes to become sink holes, turns challenges to complaints and reframes opportunities into woe is me.

You can use your own whine factor as a barometer to keep you on track. If factor is high, be alerted that your actions are, most likely, becoming less accountable. That should signal you to tune into what you can personally do to control, adjust or correct current course so you can deliver expected results. I think that point is worth repeating because it differentiates performance in significant ways. If you want to control outcome, you'll need to get your hands a bit calloused along way.

Learning to listen to your whine factor is a helpful self-feedback mechanism to guide you towards greater accountability and winning at working behaviors. Less whine means more accountability. Higher accountability typically means better results. And better results are what most of us are after.

(c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.

Sign up to receive Nan’s free eColumn, Winning at Working, at http://www.winningatworking.com. Nan Russell has spent over twenty years in management, most recently with QVC as a Vice President. Currently working on her first book, Nan is a writer, columnist, small business owner, and instructor.