People in office cubicles have put
photos of nature up on the walls or brought in green plants to help
personalize their space since cubicles were first invented.
The impact turns out to be more than just aesthetic. Adding a plant
or two can boost productivity by 38% or more. Scientists at the
University of Exeter conducted ninety experiments and found
houseplants not only improve creativity (45%) and overall well being
(47%), they also provide a boost to focus. As an added bonus, rooms
filled with plants have an average of 50% to 60% less bacteria.
Environmental odors appear to impact how productive we are. As the
most powerful of our senses, smell might have an impact. One
corporation says to chop up some lemons. In studies, workers made
54% less errors when they smelled lemons, 33% fewer mistakes with
jasmine, and 20% fewer with lavender.