The humble indoor plant is the reason why many businesses go green. While getting away for a short weekend break, to spend time in a green space is a great option to refresh and re-energise, those get-a-ways are often too irregular to be of sufficient benefit to maintain a positive mood and minimise the risk of burnout or stress-related illness.
Even if you don’t have a plant on your office desk, having indoor plants in your peripheral vision will be of benefit. Research shows that indoor plants and nature improves our mood, boosts our attention, lowers stress and increases productivity.
So, it’s no wonder workplaces are going green.
Why is going green good for business?
Greenery restores attention!
Working in front of a computer screen for long periods exhausts the brain, increases the perception of time passing too quickly and heightens stress. Spending and interacting with nature has been found to boost attention by 15% and memory by up to 20%.
That’s why taking time out to go for a walk outside or moving to a space where there is visible greenery helps to restore attention, improve problem solving, increase creativity and assist in overcoming fatigue.
Natural surroundings lowers stress and boosts positive emotions!
Twenty minutes in nature, according to research, is enough to lower cortisol levels, blood pressure and heart rate. And taking a walk through a park rather than an urban setting will boost your mood and reduce negative self-talk.
Nature helps calm the mind!
Spending time in a green space enhances the feeling of wellbeing, allowing you to think quietly, more deeply and reflectively. Calming the mind in this way opens you up to possibility thinking, ready to consider all options, solve problems more easily, and increase your resilience and adaptability.
Greenspace enables employees to switch off!
One of the biggest challenges in the modern workplace, especially for those identified as top performers and future leaders, is knowing how to switch off. Working where the expectation is to always be available, and where we allow our digital technology to determine when we disconnect is leading to higher levels of burnout.
That’s why taking time out away from the office and stepping into nature helps you to reconnect with your values, nurtures relationships and contributes to good physical, mental and cognitive health.
Connecting with nature helps you to feel more alive, more creative and happier. If consistency of performance and finding greater joy in your work is important to you and your business, it’s time to green up for greater wellbeing and productivity.
Because going green is good for business!!
Want to know how to go green? Get in touch with The Plant Man team today!
