So, let’s set the scene…
Summer is over, we are back at our desks, and many of us may feel a little fed-up as the colder, darker months creep in. The office vibe is feeling flat. And morale levels are starting to dip.
Sounding familiar?
Don’t worry; you’re not alone.
In fact, there’s evidence that the return of chillier weather, including shorter days as we edge toward winter — can raise anxiety levels. Ginny Scully, a therapist in Wales, has named the phenomenon "autumn anxiety" after seeing so many clients with feelings of anticipation and nervousness during the last week of August through the first weeks of September.
The good news is that there are some quick & simple actions we can take to help breathe life into your work environment and brighten your mood in the process. Call us biased, but our favourite way is by adding desk plants.
Wellbeing benefits of desk plants
Plants can transform an ordinary work environment into something living and breathing. They can increase the humidity around your desk, remove toxins from the air, and add a touch of style to your workspace.
In fact, a growing body of research reveals that the humble desk plant can offer a variety of benefits for our health and productivity while we work from home, including ⬇️
- Air Quality Benefits: Don’t think you have harmful chemicals in your office? Think again! Harmful toxins and allergens are common in everyday items such as furniture, carpets and printer ink. Research from NASA shows us that plants can help reduce these toxins.
- Health Benefits: Plants are natural humidifiers helping relieve many ailments synonymous with working indoors, such as dry skin, sore throats, and dry coughs.
- Mood Benefits: Office plants can reduce stress levels, boost our mood, and even improve our perception of our home workspace, making it a more attractive place to be.
- Productivity Benefits: Good health and boosted mood can lead to increased productivity. Research also suggests plants can support an increase in alertness and attentiveness. Win, win, win!
5 mood-boosting desk plants
If you want to reap the many benefits of desk plants but avoid getting stuck with a sad plant cemetery, we’ve got your back.
We’ve picked our top 5 mood-boosting plants that make great additions to your home desk, and they won’t require you to take a degree in horticulture to look after them properly – bonus!
Snake Plant
The Snake plant, or “Mother-in-Law’s Tongue”, is one of the hardiest houseplants. They can thrive in the typical dry air and low lighting conditions characteristic of many workspaces.
They also require little special attention. Snake Plants can survive up to a month without water and are among the few plants that can tolerate low light or full sun conditions.
That being said, to keep your Snake plant happy and healthy, we recommend positioning it in a bright spot away from direct sunlight and letting the soil dry out between watering, especially in the winter months.
Spider Plant
The spider plant is one tough cookie houseplant that withstands various challenging growing conditions. They don’t need a lot of light and can survive with infrequent watering.
This humble little fellow falls into the category of natural air-purifying plants making your workspace cleaner, greener and healthier.
Spider Plants look best planted in a hanging pot or set on the edge of your desk, making them ideal for small spaces.
Aloe Vera Plant
We couldn’t write a blog about easy-care desk plants without mentioning the total crowd-pleaser that is Aloe Vera.
Aloe plants are easy to grow if supplied with one essential ingredient: lots of bright light. If your desk is near a sunny window, place your Aloe there, and forget about it. These succulents only need watering every couple of weeks.
Devil's Ivy (Pothos) Plant
The Devil’s Ivy or Pothos is a type of evergreen vine. The leaves are large and sometimes heart-shaped and come in a wide variety of light and dark colours.
This species adapts well to various conditions, from low light levels to brighter ones. This easy-to-care-for plant with heart-shaped, white-splotched leaves makes a lovely addition sitting on a desk, shelf or table. Larger specimens, trained around a pole or cane, look great in big pots on the floor.
Cacti & Succulents
When all else fails, there are the trusty cacti or succulent.
The usual small stature and low-maintenance nature make them apt for small desks or any corner of your office.
Commonly found in dry, harsh deserts, the cacti plant is one of the only plants that thrive on neglect. They prefer higher light levels, so they will thrive if you are lucky enough to have a window desk!
If you’d like support selecting the right plants for your workspace, get in touch with our team today at team@plantstore.ie
