Room fix

Desk by a Window? Turn It Side-On to Stop Screen Glare

Short answer: Place your desk so the window is beside you and the screen sits at a right angle to the glass, not facing it or backed onto it. OSHA's computer workstation guide recommends exactly this to cut glare, and it costs nothing but one turn of the desk.

Updated 2026-10-19

The classic rule

Feng shui advice often says to work with natural light but not to sit with a bright window behind you or stare straight into it. That lines up neatly with what office ergonomics says, which is the part you can check.

The design reason

Two things go wrong at a window desk:

• Window behind the screen: your eyes keep adjusting between the bright window and the darker screen.
• Window behind you: the window reflects in the screen and washes it out.

The US workplace safety agency OSHA lists the fix in its computer workstation guide: put the face of the screen at right angles to windows and light sources, and use the blinds you already have for the brightest hours.

The five-minute move

1. Sit at the desk at the time of day you work most and note where the glare comes from.
2. Turn the desk so the window is on your left or right.
3. If the room only allows one wall, slide the desk along it until the window is beside you rather than straight ahead.
4. Tilt the screen slightly and close the blinds partway during the brightest hours.
5. Check the door: if you can also see it from the chair, you have fixed two things at once.

Quick check

Feng Shui Fix explains traditional ideas and practical layout reasons. It makes no promises about luck, money, health or sleep. Check your lease before moving heavy furniture, and lift safely.