We often find ourselves complaining about uninteresting and repetitious workplace infrastructures, constantly wishing for a modern age energy-efficient and eco-friendly work environment that makes working an enjoyable experience. Well, honestly there is not much that can be done about the fundamental office structure but who said the vibe of your workstation can’t be changed for good? Maybe this time, we can use the color green!
Unlike every year, let’s recreate the fun you had in your craft class as a kid on World Environment Day. “Let’s pull a Monica”, Phoebe style and change the meaning of celebrating World Environment Day – from drab to cool!
Unconventional Pottery
So much can be done by just playing around with pots! Here’s how –
Put a twist on the conventional flower pots by replacing them with the creative new ones.
Use that boring office pen stand and that broken drawer from the dumped articles and create an uncustomary space for your plant buddy. You may use clay and create your favorite shapes as well – and no, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Your handmade elephant is allowed to look like a disoriented buffalo and it will only make everybody laugh. You can add plants like lemon balm, African violets and Cactus to add both color and fun to your boring desk, which (let’s be honest) is probably, currently occupied with monochrome gadgets and stationery only.
Fish Bowl DIY
Grab the old fishbowl from under the sink or maybe buy a new inexpensive one, place a layer of gravel, some soil and add few leaves of Tillandsia and you’re good to go.
Blooming house flowers like Gerber daisy, azalea, hibiscus, maple, and peace lily is beautiful to look at and are easy to take care of. Plants like Lemon Palm, Fittonia, umbrella tree and spider plant, all require less sunlight and are best suited for office space.
Fill the cracks with Green
Okay, so someone broke your favorite cup at the office and the rule book says, you can’t kill them? Well, that’s unfair and we sympathize. But we also have an interesting idea to convert the broken into a blessing. Use it as a piece of art and add few clumps of mosses in it along with a few pebbles and some soil from your office garden and bam! Suddenly you’re the most creative employee in the office with an inspiring green work desk.
Ah, breathe fresh!
The Eye Candy Corner
So you observe your boss telling the office keeper to toss out the broken table – why not stop them and create a relaxing nature-friendly beautiful corner instead? Maybe all your employees can bring one plant each and redesign the useless table into the most pleasing site at your office. Who knows, your creativity and team building exercise might encourage your boss to give you a raise?
Empty Space = Plants
The least you can do is to fill in the empty spaces in your offices with fiber and terracotta pots because the greener the better. You may write inspiring quotes on the pots to keep the optimism flowing as there is no bad time to take and spread good vibes.
I tried a few of these ideas in my office and trust me it was way more fun than wishing people “A Happy World Environment Day” on Facebook while doing nothing about it. Plants in the workspace make you calmer, happier and more productive. I’m not the only one to say it, it’s the intelligent researchers from Queensland University, Australia claiming “greenery in office makes employees 15 percent more physically, mentally and emotionally involved in work”.
So I guess we all become winners here. Plus the DIYs are so much fun and creative to work at.
Let’s go green the happy way!
