Yet again, October 4th is here. If you did not know it, this is the Improve Your Office Day. It offers a great opportunity to redesign a befitting office space, revamp its character, and add different items and pieces that will inspire productivity and make the office space much more desirable. So, what plans do you have for improving your office? While decluttering is often the most common and ideal approach to getting rid of unnecessary items, as you do this, plants and flowers should come in to green up the space.
We all know that plants and flowers have immense benefits in an office, including but not limited to improving productivity, air purification, and complementing the aesthetics of the workspace. While buying new furniture, redecoration, new paint, and the acquisition of more elegant pieces of art can transform your office’s personality, it is not entirely enough for good feng shui. But plants and flowers can do the trick for you. They bring good feng shui during the course of your office day.
History of Improve Your Office Day
Though a specific date cannot be attached to when the Improve Your Office Day movement kicked off, employees are encouraged on this day to take out the clutter and create a pleasant environment for themselves.
Simple changes go a long way; taking out the clutter and having a clear desk improves employees’ productivity significantly. Better yet, having an office desk plant or flower vase will propagate positive energy and enhance its flow within the workspaces. And, of course, several plants are ideal, therefore, a must-have for your office desk!
Over the years, as employees and corporations continued to mark the Improve Your Office Day on October 4th, this culture has become ingrained in corporate settings. A cluttered workspace contributes to a cluttered mindset and unproductive or unmotivated employees. Decluttering is much needed, but also the addition of plants and flowers invites nature’s balance, harmony, and positive energy into offices.
Improving Your Office Day With Plants
Good feng shui within any space involves the creation of balance and harmony. From the strategic arrangement of the space to the selection of items that go into such arrangements. As you embark on a journey to elevate the look and feel of your office space, greening up your office desk, entrance, or reception area with plants should not be ignored.
Plants and flowers have so many benefits in the workplace. They bring a sense of renewal, energy, and a positive mood into your office space. From our connection with nature, magical things happen; it is the true essence of our existence, the epitome of our motivation, and the zeal to be more. You may also be interested in learning how the colors of office plants affect positivity and productivity in workplace environments.
During the Improve Your Office Day, you can go on and try out the following unique plants, which can be grown in pots on your office desk or placed in any position in your workspace.
- Philodendron martianum (fat boy)
- Ligularia reniformis (tractor seat plant)
- Alocasia amazonica
- Ficus umbellata
- Columnea gloriosa
Philodendron Martianum (Fatboy)
Philodendron martianum has a fat, thick stem with oval-shaped, glossy foliage. Originating from South-Eastern Brazil, this plant is the best fit to improve your office space. Initially, you can grow it as an office desk plant and repot it to a bigger container once it outgrows its current container.
It can grow to an impressive height of 1 meter (3.2 ft); watering once a week, exposure to bright indirect sunlight, and moderate temperatures are ideal conditions for your Fatboy.
Ligularia Reniformis (Tractor Seat Plant)
Bring a touch of shiny greenery into your office space. Improving your office day will be a fulfilling experience with Ligularia reniformis, also called the tractor seat plant, as an addition to your working environment. Also referred to as the leopard plant or green leopard plant, Ligularia reniformis originated from Japan, and with its tractor-seat-shaped leaves, it is a perfect choice for creating lush, bold indoor plant garden features within the working space.
Bright indirect sunlight and infrequent watering at intervals of between 7 and 10 days will contribute to the optimal growth of your green plant in the office space. It also adds a picturesque flair when planted in pots in groups.
Alocasia Amazonica
Alocasia amazonica, also referred to as Alocasia Polly, African mask, and elephant ear plant, originates from Asia. As you work on improving your office space, incorporating an Alocasia amazonica and planting it in a bigger container will spruce up your workspace during the Improve Your Office Day and even beyond.
It is a less finicky plant; watering once a week during the summer should suffice, and 7-10 days intervals during winter. Bright indirect sunlight is needed by the plant to grow optimally in your office space.
Ficus Umbellata
Ficus umbellata is another great, unique option to consider as an office plant. As you gear up to improve your office day, keep this plant at the top of your list. Ficus umbellata originated from West Africa and has striking heart-shaped foliage.
The Ficus umbellata plant prefers a temperature range of 18-28 °C (64-89 °F), bright indirect sunlight, preferably close to the window. Watering the office plant should be maintained once a week.
Columnea Gloriosa (Gold Fish)
Columnea gloriosa is a trailing plant with alluring tubular orange and red blooms that resemble a goldfish. Originating from both Central and South America, this is one plant worth considering for improving your office on the Improve Your Office Day.
The plant prefers bright indirect light and a temperature range of 18-24 °C (64-75 °F) and less watering; specifically, water it once a week during spring and summer and reduce to once bi-weekly during the winter.
Improving Your Office Day With Flowers
So many plants to choose from! But what about the cut flowers? After all, they are also a perfect pick for Improving Your Office Day. Just think about the different varieties that can be displayed in vases or bouquets in the office spaces.
Flowers boost moods and productivity in workspaces. They have intricate petals that present great opening spectacles. They ooze and exude positive energies that supersede any negative energy flow or counterproductive vibes within office spaces. The aesthetic appeal of flowers in any office setting cannot, therefore, be downplayed.
With that in mind, choose flower colors and types that best suit your office personality and the energy you are looking to tap into. Depending on the seasons, display fresh flowers every season to enhance contrast and the floral display. For instance, you can go for tulips or daffodils in spring, sunflowers in summer, and Chrysanthemum in autumn. Roses can be used across all seasons.
Consider introducing flowers during the celebration of key events or milestones within the office; this practice nurtures a flower-loving attitude and appreciation of flowers within the office space. Take up floral subscriptions with your local florists to enhance the consistent display of flowers in the office. This will become the office signature and a cheerful environment to work in.
Essentially, plants and flowers are good for you, your office, and your employees; it is a joy to experience the magic and effect flowers can have within our environs. Staying on the productive, positive energy side in an office can be achieved effortlessly with flowers and their presence in an office setting. Improve Your Office Day is, therefore, an opportunity to tap into nature’s floral magic and its refreshing power.
With plants and flowers, one can enhance their Improve Your Office Day experience, adding a touch of greenery and light to these workspaces. Notably, therefore, decluttering, repainting, and rebranding of the office space should be paired with a select set of indoor plants and flowers, more so, those mentioned, alongside preferred flowers that fully elevate the character and general feel of the office.
Header image by Mikey Harris. Featured image by @plants_at_work
