More people are beginning to see the appeal of having an office or work area in their homes. According to a National Association of Home Builders report, 63 percent of homebuyers consider a home office as a desirable feature, while nearly one-fourth of all homebuyers consider it as an essential. Over the past years, remote and hybrid workers have experienced the benefits of having a dedicated place to do their tasks since it allows them to stay focused and block out any potential distractions. But did you know that adding plants to your home office can also help to enhance productivity while you work from home?
Having potted plants indoors is proven to be beneficial in so many ways. Aside from keeping pollutants and harmful toxins at bay, incorporating houseplants into your home can also enhance the look and feel of your living spaces. Now, there is evidence that shows that certain plants may help to improve concentration and boost attention span, making them valuable additions to any workspace. Here’s how having plants in your home office can enhance your productivity and wellbeing.
Reduce Stress Levels
Working from home has its advantages since you don’t have to commute or worry about dealing with toxic people in the office. However, this doesn’t mean that remote or hybrid work is completely stress free– after all, you still need to complete your tasks and meet deadlines, and if you have pets or family members living with you, you may experience interruptions or get distracted at certain times, and that can be somewhat stressful.
Experiencing stress every now and then isn’t all that bad. In fact, it helps to keep you sharp as it keeps you on your toes, and it forces your brain to come up with creative solutions to deal with different problems. Being constantly stressed though is a different thing since chronic stress can lead to serious health conditions such as anxiety, depression, obesity, and heart disease, among others. Taking breaks is one way to reduce stress, and keeping some plants in your home office can also help to further alleviate stress while you’re working.
According to a study, interaction with indoor plants can reduce psychological and physiological stress, and those who did some indoor gardening also felt comfortable and soothed right after. So go ahead and water your plants, move them to a sunny spot, or take off some dead leaves while you’re on your break. You’ll feel refreshed and recharged, and ready to go on with your day.
Promotes Focus
Most of us have the ability to multitask well, and it’s why some people who work from home have no issues doing their tasks while completing various house chores or attending to things that need their attention. However, some jobs need extreme focus since they can be complicated or detail oriented, so if you have a role that demands a lot of attention to detail, it’s important not to zone out to stay accurate and be productive. Unfortunately, the average attention span appears to be decreasing, and a 20-year study has shown that the average time that a human can focus on one thing has dropped from 2.5 minutes to around 45 seconds.
Experts say that bombardment of information, as well as having screens everywhere, may have diminished our ability to focus. Eliminating distractions, such as turning off your phone, can help you to concentrate on your tasks. This can be effective for remote workers or students who need to continuously focus while studying at home.
Surprisingly, adding plants to your home office or study can also help to sharpen your attention. In a study of elementary students in South Korea, it was found that students who studied with live, real plants in a classroom were better able to concentrate than those who studied in a room with artificial plants. To improve your focus, consider adding at least two to three plants to your home office. When adding plants to your home office, make it a point to choose low-maintenance plants or those that can thrive in low light conditions, such as pothos, peace lilies, or spider plants.
Boosts Mood
Hybrid and remote workers know that working from home is a lot more convenient than working in an office, but there are less opportunities to socialize and have human interactions. As a result, most people who work at home feel somewhat isolated and lonely. In fact, 70 percent of remote workers say that they don’t feel like they’re able to socialize a lot, and nearly half said that they may quit their jobs because of loneliness.
Working alone in your home office may make you feel down sometimes, but you can boost your mood by playing some of your favorite tunes while you work, or surrounding yourself with things that make you feel happier. Houseplants, in particular, can make people feel better, and a study has shown that people who spend at least 5 to 10 minutes in a room with plants feel happier than those who stay in a room without houseplants. Think about adding some mood-boosting houseplants to your home office, such as rubber plants, Monstera Deliciosa, ZZ plants, or a money tree to incorporate a touch of green to your space and uplift your spirits.
Houseplants are more than just mere decoration. Adding green living things into your work spaces can also help to make you more focused, less stressed, and a lot happier. Add some plants into your home office, and see how they can make you more productive while working from home.
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