The Power Of Green: Health Benefits Of Indoor Plants For Remote Workers

It’s no secret that remote work is on the rise following the COVID-19 pandemic. According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 37% of Australians work from home regularly. Greenifying your home office is one way to ensure that productivity and tranquillity translate to the shift towards working from home, helping you improve air quality, reduce stress and add tranquillity to hectic spaces. There are many health benefits of indoor plants to consider when upgrading your home office, such as improved air quality and mood boosts created and maintained by adding plants to your space. Not to mention, the aesthetic benefits plants have on transforming your workspace into a serene, calming environment are key to feeling comfortable in your home office. 

At The Grow Centre, we’re your trusted source for indoor plants designed for Aussie homes. We’ll help you refresh your space and thrive in your home office.

Mental Well-Being: Reduce Stress & Elevate Mood

There’s an overwhelming association between exposure to nature and the quality of your health.

Biophilic design, the connection of humans to nature through interior design, is a common way to combat any negative impacts on well-being that remote work introduces. 

Proximity to greenery can improve cognitive function, brain activity, mental health and sleep. Often called the “stress hormone”, cortisol is essential for a healthy stress response. However, consistently high cortisol levels can lead to various health problems, such as anxiety and depression. A visual connection to nature can calm the nervous system by lowering cortisol levels to shift your mind into a calmer state. 

Recommended Plants from The Grow Centre

• Heartleaf Philodendron—With its elegant shape and low-maintenance care routine, the Heartleaf Philodendron is a stress-free addition to your at-home office. Sometimes best on stands or hanging from walls/ceilings, this plant’s widespread vines will provide a tranquil aura in your space. 
• Peace Lily—The name says it all: the Peace Lily possesses a beautiful and peaceful aesthetic. This plant brings a lux atmosphere to your home with its beautiful white blooms. 
• Monstera—With its bold presence, the Monstera plant will inspire creativity with just one look. Its large and sprawling leaves are beautifully coloured to enhance any interior.

Quick Tip: Place calming plants within your eyeline while working for instant mood boosts. With a quick glance, you’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle your next task. 

Focus & Productivity Boosts

Adding plants to your space supports concentration and work output. Having greenery in your home office will help foster a cleaner, greener and more mindful space, filling up the space and leaving less room for clutter and pile-up. Even better, biophilic design is linked to improved memory retention and increased focus, leading to a more productive and positive work output. In a study performed by Science Direct, results demonstrated that immersive biophilic environments improved people’s satisfaction and cognitive performance while reducing stress. So, even beyond the calming presence plants may provide, they also introduce tangible effects on success in your office space. 

Health Benefits of Indoor Plants: Cleaner Air, Better Breathing 

Let’s remember some of the first things we ever learned about plants. Photosynthesis helps plants absorb toxins, such as benzene, formaldehyde and carbon monoxide, releasing oxygen and improving air quality. The leaves on plants house tiny pores that soak up those toxins, thus allowing the plant to break them down into harmless byproducts. That’s just one of the many health benefits of indoor plants. Additionally, plants will add increased humidity to a space, which helps to combat dry skin and dry eyes, a common effect of significant air conditioning use. 

Best Air-Purifying Plants at The Grow Centre

• Snake Plant—As one of the best plants for CO2 absorption, the Snake Plant may be the perfect addition to your home office. Its upright, sword-like leaves will maintain a sleek look in your space while freshening the air you breathe. 
• Spider Plant—Not only does the Spider Plant filter pollutants out of a room, but it is also a pet-friendly greenery option. Add this plant to your office as a purifier that will be safe for any mischievous, four-legged friends running rampant.
• Peace Lily—If you’re prone to dry skin or dry eyes, the Peace Lily will improve air quality while also adding humidity to a space. 

Quick tip: Place air-purifying plants near printers, computers and closed windows. That way, any toxins released from technology are swiftly dealt with. 

Aesthetic & Interior Harmony

A beautiful space is just as important as an organised one. After all, both factors will positively contribute to your productivity. A stunning space improves your desire to show up and do your best work, while the positive visual appeal helps to appease mental clutter and enhance creativity. A dreary, monotone space will have you feeling trapped in your office all day. Turning the space into one that is comfortable and stylish will have you excited to start your workday. Adding a plant or two is the easiest way to add a fun pop of colour to your space. 

Statement and Style Plants 

• Monstera—Add a Monstera plant to a vacant corner of your office space for a bold visual structure. It’s a tropical statement piece that won’t require much attention during busy workdays.
• Aglaonema ‘Lady Valentines’—There are very few plants as visually appealing and awe-striking as this one. Its bright pink leaves will energise your mind and uplift your spirits as a stand-out piece of office décor. 
• Fiddle Leaf Fig—Chic and timeless, the Fiddle Leaf Fig is a tall piece of greenery that will take your interior design to new heights. It’s beneficial for focus and productivity, making it an ideal choice for your home office. 

Quick Tip: Use plant colours to complement or contrast your décor palette. More mundane interiors would be enlivened with a Lady Valentine. In contrast, interiors with a more intricate design may benefit from the structure and containment of a Fiddle Leaf Fig.

Easy Plant Styling Tips for Home Offices

When styling plants in home offices, it comes down to preferences. However, there are a few factors to consider, ensuring that you optimise the conditions for your plant while visually finding the most suitable place for it in your space. Choosing plants based on lighting zones will ensure your plant gets the proper light exposure needed to survive. Consider whether your office has windows, and if so, how much light comes through those windows. From there, you can get creative with the styling of your plant. Mix and match plant sizes and varieties for an added layer of visual appeal, throwing in some floor-standing plants or hanging varieties depending on your personal preferences. Additionally, using stylish pots or stands to match your room design will help you to efficiently integrate plants without having to adjust any other elements of your room design.

Space Saving Style Ideas

• Hanging Baskets—To incorporate hanging baskets into the home, consider Golden Pothos or Spider Plants as your greenery of choice in your biophilic design. 
• Desktop Greenery—For effective desktop decoration, look to the Heartleaf Philodendron and the ZZ Plant for a malleable design style in an area of your office where space is finite.
• Floor Plants—Strelitzia Nicolai and the Fiddle Leaf Fig are viable options for floor plants due to their height. Their vertically grown stems and large leaves would feel cramped on a shelf and likely wouldn’t fit on a desk.

Quick Tip: Rotate your plants every few weeks for even growth and sun exposure. 

Overcoming Common Challenges to Greenery in Remote Spaces

Choosing the Right Plants from The Grow Centre 

Unsure of where to buy indoor plants for your home office? The Grow Centre can provide you with plants that are adaptable and low-maintenance. With a wide range of plants in our nursery, we have all the ideal plants for offices, homes and apartments. No matter what you hope to add to your home office, be it a plant to add style or to filter your air quality, The Grow Centre can steer you towards the perfect addition to your space to enhance your productivity and well-being. As experts in home office greenery, we’ve got decades of experience in knowing what plants will fit where and how you can easily keep them alive and thriving. 

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