I recently noticed that I’m happier, calmer and more productive when I’m at work. And it’s not just me; my employees have experienced the same phenomenon. In fact, I have one employee who habitually shows up 30—45 minutes prior to her shifts, just to hang out.
I’d noticed that my anxiety was going up when I headed home each day. Now, I love my family to bits— no one has ever made me laugh the way my spouse and kiddo do. We have three awesome pets. And the original sweet Alice? She’s amazing and goofy and wonderful. I began wondering, what on earth was wrong with me? Why is my anxiety higher at home, when I’m in a relaxed, low pressure environment? So I began looking at my environments. The major difference I noticed between home and the shop was simple: I didn’t usually have flowers at home. Why would I need flowers at home? I’m around them every day in the shop.
So, in true Sara fashion, I began to dig for information. What was it about being around flowers that made me so calm, so creative, so productive? As odd as it may seem, there’s actually scientific research on this phenomenon. Rutgers, Harvard and Texas A&M have all conducted studies on the impact of flowers on life satisfaction, productivity, and creativity. The results astonished me.
Rutgers conducted two studies: one on the emotional impact of flowers, another on the power of giving flowers as a gift. When it came to the emotional impact of flowers, researchers discovered that the presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, increases feelings of life satisfaction, and has a positive impact on pro-social behavior. The flower power associated with giving flowers as a gift is also worth noting; researchers studied what the gifts we choose to give say about who we are, and how they affect others’ perceptions of us. They discovered that those who gift flowers, in comparison to other possibilities, are viewed as successful, compassionate people with high EQ.
The Home Ecology of Flowers Study, conducted by Harvard University researchers, considered the effects of flowers at home on well being to determine: flowers’ impact on mood, energy and feelings of capability. They analyzed the emotions of participants over the course of a day. What did they find out? That flowers in our home environments increase feelings of compassion and kindness for others. They also discovered that flowers were effective at lowering anxiety, as well as feelings of sadness and depression.
The Texas A&M study clinched it for me. Researchers studied the impact of flowers and plants in the workplace. Their research showed that flowers and plants provide a catalyst for innovation. Performance improves considerably in working environments that include flowers and plants. In addition, flowers and plants help people work smarter, not harder. Men in the studies generated 30 percent more ideas when exposed to plants and flowers. Flowers and plants increased women’s ability to problem solve in a creative, adaptable way.
Flowers really are a form of self care, and caring for others. They enhance our mental and emotional well-being, and improve our creative abilities. So now I wake up to a bouquet of beautiful blooms every day. I put flowers in our dining room, for our family to enjoy. And I encourage others to do the same. Because flowers really do make us better human beings.
Wishing you a blooming beautiful day,
Sara
