If you want to outperform at work, have this one thing in your home

It’s been scientifically proven that workplaces with a view of nature, open windows with sunlight, and a little fresh air can lead to higher productivity and higher levels of focus. Those working in offices without windows, or without a nice view, end up using more sick leave at rates of up to 6.5% more.

So now that our homes are also our offices, what happens when you’re forced to work in the basement, or your studio apartment’s windows face a brick wall? How do you keep your productivity from suffering when you can’t call in sick from your own dingy home office?

It’s simple: bring the greenery to you. A study in 2019’s Journal of Environmental Horticulture proved just how much houseplants can not only make one less stressed but more productive.

Can a plant really decrease my stress?

Whether it’s at home or in the office, plants have a reputation for restoration. “When asked about plants in the workplace,” a 2015 report within the metastudy notes, “97% of employees would like to have more plants because they perceive plants provide a sense of relaxation.” Employees also reported that plants tend to “cheer up” the office image, give a “sense of relief”, and most importantly, “make the work environment more similar to space at home.” But is this plant-induced calm more trendy than eco-friendly?

The definitive answer is that it’s not just a fad — properties of even just one houseplant decorating your workplace are scientifically proven to reduce stress, and to decrease the symptoms of varying mental health ailments. Healthcare design researcher Dr. Roger Ulrich’s ‘stress-recovery theory’ and ‘attention restoration theory’ are two ways that this concept manifests; they each posit that “contact with nature could be beneficial in dealing with noise and urban congestion.”

Studied everywhere from prisons to offices and hospitals, it’s been determined that evolutionarily, humans are more influenced by the organic pull to be surrounded by nature than we might imagine – so much so that it impacts our very biology. The symptom relief includes “including decreased anxiety, lower heart rates, skin conductance recovery, lower concentrates of cortisol, and positive changes in nerve activity,” all from being surrounded by a greener environment.

“Stress reduction and mental restoration occur,” the study continues, “when individuals live near green areas, have a view of vegetation, or spend time in natural settings.” This extends to office life as well – a number of studies ranging from 2011 to 2016 measured that employees had “significantly less heart rate variability” when exposed to roses in the workplace.

How do plants increase productivity?

It stands to reason that if you’re feeling less stressed, you might inherently be more productive. However, there are particular features of plants that will give you an extra boost in creativity, vivacity, motivation, and memory.

The more therapeutic aspects of plants range from physiological to psychological, all of which are scientifically proven. Especially during a pandemic, even the smallest enhancement of physical comfort can be reassuring enough to sate one’s panic about their health, and this is something that houseplants can provide.

As this metastudy indicates, “moisture released into the air by plants” helps to increase humidity and the flow of oxygen, ultimately “reducing headaches and improving concentration.”

Another 2014 report from Romania cited by the metastudy suggests that oxygen-rich plants have an air-purifying quality, and they can soothe everything from “various allergies, irritations, hypersensitivity, asthma, drowsiness, and eye problems” to improving one’s attitude.

Indoor greenery was also proven to increase concentration as well in two other studies; in one of the two, employees completed tasks 19% faster than their coworkers, all due to a view of indoor plants. Workplaces in the UK and the Netherlands tested out this phenomenon as well and found that it resulted in a 15% increase in worker productivity, and some even reported higher degrees of happiness and job satisfaction when plants were visible in their workplaces.

Researchers in the Czech Republic additionally found that there was a marked difference in how employees perceived their workplace when surrounded by plants – they found a plant-filled environment to be fresher, cleaner, and more comfortable. Years later, those same researchers found that as few as three small-to-medium-sized plants can make a positive difference in one’s perception of their workplace, and consequently, their productivity.

Tips for the beginner plant parent

If this metastudy makes you feel like running to Home Depot and buying yourself a little green productivity machine, that’s completely understandable. But remember that plants are living, breathing things, and taking care of a plant can be as easy as a desk cactus, or as difficult as a Habenaria orchid.

If you’re new to the world of plants, websites like The Spruce offer the best options for beginners. You can also consider growing simple kinds of vegetables or herbs, as they could provide a lovely scent or snack along with increased productivity.

Another thing to consider is the parameters of your home office. Light, warmth, humidity or soil are all things that your plant might need, but your home office may be devoid of. There are artificial ways to simulate those factors, but there are also durable houseplants that will survive anyone’s green thumb deficiency or an apartment’s stuffiness.

While the internet is a good place to learn the basics, don’t hesitate to go to your local plant nursery and talk to a horticulturist about your particular needs — you’ll get some personalized feedback, and the added health-improving bonus of a walk through some beautiful greenery.