Written by
Sabina
A workspace surrounded by greenery looks great, but it does much more than that. On a sunny day, you can simply move your desk into the garden and work outside for a while, away from that one colleague who is late for the call yet again, and as soon as the weather turns or winter arrives, you can bring that same sense of calm indoors with the right houseplants. In this article, you’ll discover why greenery is so good for your working day, how to create an outdoor office, and how to keep that feeling going indoors all year round.
Why greenery is so good for your working day
Greenery in your workspace is more than just a nice extra. Research shows that people in a green working environment are around fifteen per cent more productive, the kind of figure that might make quite a few managers sit up and take notice. Greenery also has a proven calming effect: looking at plants and nature activates the part of your nervous system responsible for relaxation, helping to slow your heart rate and making it easier to focus again.
Even a very brief look at greenery, around forty seconds, can be enough to give your concentration a boost, quicker than most coffee breaks. You can read more about this calming effect and how to use it during a busy working day in our article on why taking a plant break helps your brain unwind.
Create your own workspace surrounded by greenery
On warm days, working outside is one of the easiest ways to escape the routine of a regular workspace for a while, while still ticking off your to-do list. Set up your table on the patio or in the garden, and choose plants that aren’t just beautiful, but practical too. Certain trees, plants and flowers can offer all kinds of benefits: they provide shade, add colour, attract birds or create a wonderfully soothing rustling sound as their leaves move in the breeze.
Shade for your screen
Choose flowering plants that grow relatively tall, such as Foxglove, Delphinium or Purple Loosestrife, or go for a small potted tree, such as a Japanese Maple, Serviceberry or Ornamental Cherry. This helps keep bright sunlight off your screen, without needing a parasol or constantly having to move your laptop around.
Colour and atmosphere
Colourful, cheerful flowering plants give not only your working day but every video call a positive boost too. How about plants such as Dahlia, Cosmos, Crocosmia and Monkey Flower? Put them in a beautiful pot on your garden table or desk, or plant them directly in the ground or against a fence, depending on the variety.
Movement and sound
Ornamental grasses such as Silver Grass or Palm Grass create a gentle rustling sound with every breeze, exactly the kind of background noise that helps you relax during a long working day, and far more soothing than the hum of the air conditioning indoors or your colleague’s phone conversation in the background.
Stay outside for longer
Colourful flowering plants that can also cope with lower temperatures, such as Scaevola, Pansy (Viola) or Chrysanthemum, help keep your garden office looking beautiful well into autumn.
Green up your indoor workspace
Not every working day is a garden day, and that’s no problem: you can easily bring that same sense of calm and freshness indoors with the right houseplants, without having to check the weather forecast first. Just a few hardy, low-maintenance houseplants are enough to give your home office a green boost.
1: Sansevieria. This plant, also known as Snake Plant, is known for its strong, upright leaves and is almost impossible to kill, even if you forget about it for a while. Ideal next to your screen, it gives you a cheerful bit of greenery to gaze at every now and then during an exhausting stretch of screen time.
2: Zamioculcas. A hardy plant that needs very little water or attention, yet always manages to look fresh, even when you mentally checked out hours ago on Friday afternoon.
3: Spathiphyllum. Also known as Peace Lily, with glossy leaves and the occasional white accent. A real calming presence. The white bracts resemble a little white flag, internationally recognised as a symbol of truce.
4: Scindapsus. An easy climbing plant that works just as well on your desk as it does hanging down, adding a playful touch alongside all that sleek office furniture.
5: Ficus elastica. Stylish and substantial, perfect for the corner of your office or workspace, where it instantly adds balance and volume to the room and soon has far more presence than the filing cabinet next to it.
Want to read more about greenery in your workspace?
Looking for more plant tips for your (home) workspace? Take a look at our articles about the benefits of plants in your home office. Read here how a few plants can quietly transform your office and discover how small changes can make a bigger difference to your working day.
