According to a Human Spaces report, “workers in office environments with natural elements, such as greenery and sunlight, are 6% more productive at work and 15% more creative.” Personally, they’ve been my number one most useful tool for increasing joy throughout my workday, and they help me reduce eye strain from staring at my computer all day. So in this episode of Growing Joy with leafjoy® miniseries, we’ll be talking about biophilia, common problems of office plant care, and some practical tips to make your workplace more “green.”

In this episode, we learn:

[04:03] Why plants are helpful in office spaces
[04:16] What is biophilia?
[05:37] What is biophilic design?
[06:51] How does biophilic design affect productivity?
[08:58] What’s our relationship with sounds?
[10:11] Impact of natural materials (eg. wooden contact paper)
[11:19] What’s the right type of plant for your office?
[12:50] Lowest entry: Proven Winners leafjoy® H2O Line
[14:46] How to arrange plants in your office (to reduce eye strain)
[17:06] Vertical plant solutions
[18:57] What are some office plant care tips?
[20:18] What to do when your office doesn’t allow plants

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What is Biophilia?

Biophilia, made popular in the ‘70s by E.O. Wilson, explains that humans have an innate connection to nature and living things. Our ancestors evolved in the natural world. They weren't in office settings or sterile homes and instead had huts made of natural materials. They also walked barefoot on earth.

But now we've become very disconnected from it (it’s pretty evident from our very boring office design.) So this idea of biophilic design, or bringing the outdoors in, is increasingly becoming popular. Just look at Singapore's amazing green city! We can very much apply these principles on a smaller scale too in our office spaces.

Other Elements of Biophilic Design

Plants are amazing, yes. But why stop there? Here are some biophilic designs I recommend that you can incorporate into your workspace:

Nature sounds: I often underscore my workday with 8-hour tracks of nature sounds from YouTube or Spotify. Instead of the humming of fluorescent lights, try listening to nature sounds like a birdsong during your workday. I've taken it to the next level with my little parakeet Frankie, who tweets and sings to me all day!

Natural materials: Seeing wood or something green is better than having a more sterile white office environment. So if your office doesn’t allow plants, you can add wood textures with contact paper, small decor, or framed dried moss like I created for my husband.

Choosing the Right Plants for Your Office

If you’ve been listening to me for a long time, you already know that not all plants are created equal, especially for offices. That’s why I always recommend drought-tolerant, low-light tolerant plants. We’re not in our offices seven days a week, and there’s also very little light that reaches our desk (especially if you’re not close to a window), so you need plants that can handle those without wilting.

Think Pothos, Philodendron, Dracaena, ZZ Plants, Snake Plants, or Holiday Cactus. A special shoutout also to the Proven Winners leafjoy® H2O® collection (aka plants grown in water). They’re practically foolproof and perfect for desks because all you need to do is top off the water when it gets low. They are hardy, low-light tolerant, and available in stylish glass containers that look amazing.

Strategic Plant Placement

Here are a few ways I’ve enjoyed adding plants to my workspace:

Put plants on either side of your monitor

This isn't just for aesthetics—it's about your eye health. There's an epidemic of myopia these days from staring at screens at the same depth all day. Having plants at different distances gives your eyes natural break points. I love using plants with beautiful leaf variegation for this purpose.

If desk space is tight, go vertical!

Use wall space with macrame plant holders or create a green wall like I have in my office. Not only does it look amazing on Zoom calls as a natural backdrop, but it's also a great conversation starter.

If you have a low-light office, pop a grow bulb in a desk lamp

Swap your desk lamp's regular bulb for a grow light. I did this with a collection of tiny Hoya pots, and they grew so well!

Why This Matters

Plants are the best co-workers. They don't talk back, bring smelly lunches, or send passive-aggressive emails to you. They just sit there and cheer for you, making your workday a little easier to get through. So I recommend you to pick a plant, put it on your desk, and start enjoying the benefits.