Anyone in school trying to get a diploma or degree understands that there are times you plan to study, probably all day. Maybe you even had an essay to write. However, the day goes the exact opposite way. Somewhere along the day, you either got distracted or stressed. So, what can help?
Well, you can decide to get help with writing an essay, but no one can help you study. A lot of things can be done to enhance one’s study environment, and getting plants in your study space is one of them. Research has shown that the presence of plants aids creativity, productivity, and concentration while studying.
Additionally, people now prefer working and studying from home over the past few months. With this increasing wave, more people are getting live plants in their homes, and not just for their aesthetic value. How can a plant help you study?
8 Ways That Getting A Plant Will Help You Study
Here are a few ways plants can help you amp up your study routine:
- Focus and Concentration
A significant challenge people go through while studying for a long time is focusing and concentrating without getting distracted. While some people find discipline as the key to concentration, it is applicable to some. There are people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that find it difficult to concentrate and can be restless.
Studies show that students can concentrate better after spending time in nature, which in turn provides good grades in their academics. Focus and concentration while studying can be improved by 70% if their classrooms have nature nearby in the form of indoor plants.
- Plants Foster Creativity
Artistic people like singers, poets, painters, etc., often use nature as a creative refuge. Seeing a plant while studying encourages more creative discovery and inspires better ideas. According to research, plants can boost creativity levels by 15% or more in a study space.
This can be associated with the green color of a plant. The color green has been studied to be associated with productivity and creativity. Being surrounded by houseplants help us to think freely and more comfortably.
In another study, some sets of people were asked to glance at different colors for two seconds before starting a creative task. It was noticed that the color green boosted people's creativity more than other colors. The color green, a signal of growth, explains the connection between green and creativity.
- Plants Help Reduce Stress
It is being noticed that people have a stress-reducing reaction when in the same space as indoor plants, even when they're not directly focused on the plant. Plants have a major impact on our worry and stress levels. This is because of the benefits of aromatherapy. Lavender scents have been proven to promote calmness and relaxation.
Colors of plants, either green or other natural plants, also help to reduce stress levels. This also applies to offices and study rooms. More plants in a place tends to equal less stress, reduced blood pressure, and higher job satisfaction.
- Cleanses and Purifies the Air
Plants filter the air by absorbing some volatile compounds released into the air from different pollutants. They do this by taking contaminants into their roots and leaves. These compounds are sometimes in our carpets, rugs, paints, and cleaning materials.
Indoor plants provide cleaner air by filtering these compounds from the air and releasing oxygen that is beneficial for the body and brain while studying.
Cleaner air not only enables one to study efficiently but also helps to improve overall health. It enables human lungs to perform effectively with less stress, allowing clean oxygen to reach the brain, which helps to focus better.
- Enhances Memory
A recent study shows that being around nature and plants increase memory retention by 20%. It also shows that people who walk in the park have improved memory, performance, and attention span afterward. Plants around students improve their mental well-being and maturation. This helps to lower illness, absenteeism, and distress.
Studies have shown that tasks performed under the calming influence of plants are performed better and with higher accuracy, providing a greater quality result than those done in an environment devoid of nature. The effect of nature in a study place helps to stimulate both the mind and the senses, improving performance and mental reasoning.
- Improves Productivity
According to research, it is possible to improve your productivity by around 47%. Having a plant in a study area makes the space more enjoyable, comfortable, and profitable. This is possible because the smell and look of a plant have a relaxing effect.
Another possible reason could be that plants purify the air by offering a balance, i.e., between the carbon dioxide humans breath out and the oxygen provided by plants. When plants are present, the human body thrives, and productivity increases. It improves an individual visual focus, physical skill, and cognitive thinking, which produces productivity.
It has also been studied that plants alleviate mental tiredness. Simply seeing nature and beauty can positively affect a person's mood and self-esteem, thereby improving work/study output.
- Plants Can be Therapeutic
Having plants around has gone beyond their ability to fulfill physical and economic requirements; they have also been known to help out people with depression. This inspired a new therapy method known as Therapeutic Horticulture Intervention (THI). THI involves taking people to a garden, letting them interact with the plants, and ultimately improving their mental health.
Indoor plants have a way of bringing lovable pieces of a garden into your space. When you feel good, it becomes so easy to do things well, including studying. Plants promote mindfulness and consistency, which are helpful tools for coping with anxiety and stress.
- Plants Reduce Noise
Most people love peace and quiet while studying. As surprising as it is, plants help to absorb sounds and help lessen the distracting sound of background noise. Some parts of a plant, such as its stem, branches, leaves, and wood, help absorb sound.
Other factors that help the effectiveness of this sound absorption include the number of plants, their size, and the surface area of the leaves and the plants themselves.
Therefore, multiple pots of plants should be positioned at different corners of a room. Rough bark and thick, fleshy leaves are particularly effective at absorbing sound, due to their unique surface area.
Conclusion
Plants vary in their method of helping you study. Some have natural air-purifying properties, while others are visually pleasing and help to liven up a space. If you're having difficulty focusing, you should try getting an indoor plant. There are many indoor plant options to choose from, and deciding on which you love most can be a fun and enlightening process.
