1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:23,279 Speaker 1: tip is to green your space. Having a plant or 4 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: two in your workspace can reduce your stress, and greenery 5 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 1: just looks pretty too. I am writing this from my 6 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: home office, where I have three nice succulents on my 7 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 1: window sill. I also look out that window at lots 8 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 1: of lovely trees. Whenever I am feeling stressed, I look 9 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: out the window and feel at least a little bit 10 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: more relaxed. There is pretty good evidence that people do 11 00:00:55,840 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 1: report feeling lower stress levels when they have plants in 12 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: their workplaces. Humans like being outside, and given that a 13 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: lot of our work happens inside these days, having plants 14 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 1: nearby is one of the best ways to approximate the experience. 15 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 1: Rooms with plants are perceived as more cheerful, pleasant, and inviting. 16 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: If you work from home, this is easy enough to 17 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: pull off. Get a few easy houseplants. The upside of 18 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: my succulence, for instance, is that they really don't require 19 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 1: a lot of care. There is no need to water 20 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: them frequently, and they tend not to lose a lot 21 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: of leaves. Randomly or see the leaves go brown. But 22 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: there are plenty of others that can work too, like 23 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 1: snake plants, alo jade, cast iron plants and such. Just 24 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: google easy houseplants. Also, be mindful of what you see outside. 25 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: If possible, position your desk so you can look out 26 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: a window, then curate what you see out that window. 27 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: If you can move furniture or cans or kid bicycles 28 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: so you can see more greenery, you will probably be 29 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:26,799 Speaker 1: happy about that. If you can plant something ever green 30 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 1: in your view so that even during winter you'll see 31 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: at least some green. Skip laurels and leyland cypresses are 32 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: two plants that are used a lot in landscaping because 33 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 1: they grow quickly, grow densely, and provide privacy even after 34 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: other plants lose their leaves. But of course you can 35 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: google options for this as well. If you work in 36 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: a corporate office, this is obviously a different matter, but 37 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: as long as you can have your own desks, you 38 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 1: can probably get away with at least one small plant. 39 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: Choose a tasteful container, and plants that don't have a 40 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: strong smell or tend to inspire allergies. It is much 41 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 1: like having a family photo. Most likely no one will 42 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: object if you and others in your organization do work 43 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: that doesn't involve desks. Maybe it would be possible to 44 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: green up and employee breakroom put a few pretty plants 45 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: in that communal space so people can enjoy the greenery 46 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: in between shifts. You might volunteer to care for the 47 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: plants if it would help make this happen, and if 48 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: you choose easy ones, they won't need watering more than 49 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: once a week or so. It truly is a big 50 00:03:56,240 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: payoff for not much effort. Sometimes we accept that work 51 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: is just what we have to do. People aren't necessarily 52 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: going to enjoy it, and maybe that's true, But we 53 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: enjoy everything more when a space is calming, and pretty 54 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: plants can make that happen while making very few demands 55 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: of the people caring for them. So green up your 56 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: space and work will feel a lot less dreary in 57 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's 58 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd 59 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: love to hear from you. You can send me your tips, 60 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 1: your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, 61 00:04:55,200 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b the 62 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 1: number four then breakfast pod. You can also shoot me 63 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 1: an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com 64 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: that before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 65 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:15,039 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, should I look forward to staying in touch. 66 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,919 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts 67 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:29,840 Speaker 1: from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 68 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.