Checkout today’s episode where I touch on the rapidly evolving work culture and the concept of a remote workspace. The freedom to work outside of a traditional office setting presents unique opportunities to personalize our work environment for optimum productivity and satisfaction. As we adapt to this shift, creating a space that not only meets our professional needs but also contributes to our overall well-being is essential.
The power of plants in a workspace goes beyond mere aesthetics. Research indicates that the presence of greenery can improve air quality by filtering out common pollutants, thus enhancing cognitive function and reducing stress levels. The psychological benefits of plants, backed by studies such as the one from Cardiff University School of Psychology, suggest a significant increase in work output, potentially up to 15%. Incorporating plants into a home office setup not only creates a more pleasant working environment but also has tangible effects on performance.
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0:00
Hey, it's Alex from Remote Work Life. I hope this finds you well, wherever you may be. And in today's episode I'm covering yet another quick tip, and these quick tips have derived from my own insights of working remotely since 2008-2009. And also from the many interviews that I've done with remote work leaders, ceos and colleagues alike, as well as my own general work experience as well. So today's tip is all about incorporating plants, incorporating natural light and mood boosting elements into your workspace, and this is something I really need to work on myself, because there's information, there's research, particularly where plants are concerned, for example, of the benefits of having plants in the office space. There's even studies that go as far to say that plants increase productivity. There was a study done by Cardiff University School of Psychology I think it was a study done by Cardiff University School of Psychology which basically said that an inexpensive addition to an office can boost work output by as much as 15%. That's something that intrigues me, because, you know, productivity is a bit much of a watchword, isn't it? It's a buzzword these days, especially where remote work is concerned.
Speaker 1:
1:27
Remote work is being accused of a reduction in productivity in many, many ways. I don't necessarily believe everything I read, because my own personal productivity has, uh, has increased since I started working on a remote basis. But anything, anything that can be used to increase productivity is welcome, and plants apparently are one of those things that can do that. So, yeah, introducing things like plants, plants and greenery apparently can incorporate not just the greenery but it can bring nature indoors. It can apparently as well. Well, I'm sure, being somebody who understands how, the biology, I guess, of plants, it can improve the levels of oxygen that are available to you when it comes to working from home or working in your environment, your own sort of space, your own remote workspace. So you can imagine, obviously, when you're working from home or in an office sort of scenario, there are pollutants like formaldehyde, there's carbon monoxide, there's your own sort of carbon dioxide that you're breathing out. So if you've got a plant there, that can, I guess, help to reduce some of that. But again, that's not something I've researched but it does stand to reason. But if you're just going to get a plant for the simple aesthetics of the whole thing, then that's good enough. I guess Another thing to consider and I think these are some things that, as I said to you before, I the simple aesthetics of the whole thing, then that's, that's good enough.
Speaker 1:
3:03
I guess another thing to consider, and I think these are some things that, as I said to you before I I, when I first started working on a remote basis myself, um, for me it was just about doing the work. I didn't necessarily think about the peripheral things and the things that, even though may be peripheral may have been peripheral then to me are important to to actually increase wellness, to increase productivity. So, yeah, let's just cover those, let's cover these four things that um, I've um found that can help with, um, you know, the mood boosting elements and improving your workspace. So, as I said, I just touched on number one, which was the plants and the greenery. Number two is is natural light. So, again, um, there's points where I would just um, just put my desk where I could, or just work where I could, until I was more deliberate about where I worked. So I would then place a desk in a situation where I could benefit from natural light in the morning and in the evening, especially during times when the nights are longer. Natural light is something that I really cherish now. So, positioning your workspace near a window to maximise natural light, which can improve mood and reduce eye strain, but of course, you don't want to place your chair and your desk next to a window where you've got distractions, so you need to find a balance there. Number three is introducing mood boosting elements. So, for example, artwork or pictures, calming colours or personal mementos, even photographs, your favourite photographs of family, of friends, of occasions that you've had as well. So that can help to boost your mood as well, but it can also obviously help to enhance your workspace.
Speaker 1:
5:15
And number four on my list is comfortable furniture. So this is something that I'm a really strong advocate of is comfortable furniture. Being somebody who started out working from my kitchen table, so I would work from my kitchen table, work from a regular kitchen chair, wooden kitchen chair, with no cushioning, no support, no thought of any ergonomic sort of benefits at all of, I suppose, a more sophisticated chair. I just would just sit down on my kitchen table, on the kitchen chair. But there's so much to be said.
Speaker 1:
5:57
There's a lot to be said for investing in furniture that's comfortable furniture that can support you, not to the point that you feel so comfortable that you want to sit down all day, but furniture that is more in line with what your body needs. So invest in comfortable furniture and if you canomic furniture I know, I know, sometimes it's a bit more um, a bit more expensive but that investment, that extra money that you invest in ergonomic furniture, can support your posture, can reduce physical strain, especially if you're sitting down for periods of time, long periods of time, or required to sit down as part of your work. So yeah, by incorporating plant, natural light and mood boosting elements into your workspace, remote workers, I believe, can experience increased inspiration, improved mood and enhanced overall well-being. So it's essential to treat your remote space, your remote situation, with the level of intention as a traditional office environment would be. I mean, I think it's even more important.
Speaker 1:
7:15
So I hope this has helped in some way. If it has, please share with your networks, with your colleagues, and if you can think of anything else that I've missed I'm sure there are lots of things that I could have added Please get in touch, let me know what you think, either through LinkedIn you can find my details in the show notes or leave a review below and I'll read all the reviews. And if you feel urged to do so, please also leave a rating. But until then or until next time. I'll see you on the next edition.