Written by
Carmen
You’re busy, constantly on the go, your head is full and you just keep pushing on. Life can sometimes rush past you. That’s exactly when a small moment of calm can make all the difference. A plant pause is such a simple yet powerful moment: dropping everything for a second and stopping what you’re doing. Shift your attention and consciously look at something green. On those days when everything just keeps rolling one after the other, a short, green pause like this can help you reconnect with yourself. In this article, we’ll tell you all about the benefits of this small, green recharge moment for your mind.
Plant pause: why taking a moment to look at greenery is so valuable
Daily life asks a lot of us. Work, study, screens and stimuli come at us in quick succession. That’s exactly why a short break, a plant pause, can help you unwind.
The idea is really simple: by consciously looking at greenery for a moment, you shift your focus. That moment of attention can help you slow down and step back from whatever you were doing.
Research shows that a short break, where you spend around 40 seconds looking at a green or ‘nature-like’ environment, can help support your attention and focus afterwards. This research was conducted among students in a controlled setting, and shows that even a brief pause can have an effect in that context.
It’s important to note that this doesn’t mean the brain fully “recovers”, but that such a moment can help reset your attention. That makes a plant pause an easy and accessible way to catch your breath during the day.
Research shows that a short break, where you spend around 40 seconds looking at a green or ‘nature-like’ environment, can help support your attention and focus afterwards.
Plant pause: valuable for everyone
A plant pause is for everyone, young or old, busy or simply in need of calm. Taking a moment to focus on greenery can do surprisingly much. It works for school pupils and students who need to concentrate a lot, often and for long periods while studying or sitting exams and tests. That’s exactly when it’s nice to be able to build in a mini-break now and then. And what about anyone working long days behind a computer screen? Both your mind and your eyes benefit from a short, green pause. Older people, who don’t just enjoy calm but also need a good stimulus now and then, can also benefit from a brief green moment. The same goes for young children learning to focus in a playful way.
Everyone can benefit in their own way from a short moment of attention to greenery. It doesn’t have to be complicated: a plant, a flower or a piece of nature can already be enough to help you unwind. And, not entirely unimportant, greenery makes everyone feel happier.
Plant pause: how do you take a moment for yourself?
Don’t make it difficult for yourself. A plant pause doesn’t need to be big or complicated at all. Its strength lies in its simplicity. By consciously taking a moment, you create a small point of calm in a busy day. After that, you can carry on with your exams, your to-do list, your hyperfocus or your game.
It can be as simple as a few easy steps:
- Pause briefly from what you’re doing
- Direct your gaze towards a plant, flower or green environment (don’t panic if you’re stuck under a ceiling grid: a video or photo works too)
- Observe shapes, colours and details
- Breathe in and out calmly
- Give yourself a few seconds to slow down
Plant pause: make a habit out of it
A plant pause works best when you turn it into a habit. By consciously looking at greenery several times a day, you create small moments of calm that together can make a big difference.
You can do this at home, at your workplace, in the classroom or outside in nature. You can also actively engage with mindfulness using plants, learning how to interact with greenery consciously and with full attention. Greenery is often closer than you think, you just need to pause for a moment to notice it.
