Working in the days of the home office: The pandemic may have contributed to the indoor plant trend.
Image: obs
Whether monstera, fern or cactus: indoor plants are trendy. The environmental psychologist Claudia Menzel researches the stress-reducing effects of fresh greenery and plants as companions in times of pandemic.
Ms. Sperl, why are indoor plants so popular again?
In my opinion, this is not a completely new topic, it is only communicated now. Plants come back to consciousness more strongly. Maybe through social media and people who take photos and film a lot at home. Another big aspect is that our everyday life is becoming more and more stressful. Many people work very top-heavy, the smartphone wants a lot of attention. Plants and nature can counteract this.
How can they do that?
When staying in nature, it is well studied. A walk in the country can restore our attention and our ability to concentrate. Because that is very much used up in everyday urban life. It is probably similar for houseplants, but not as well researched. It is well described that they can lift the mood. Mainly because they make rooms more attractive. When plants make an empty office more homely and cozy, this can trigger positive feelings and stress-reducing effects.
.