Day 86 - Buy a plant for your desk.

Initially when I read today's deed I thought 'oh no, here I go again murdering another plant.' You see, here's the thing ... I love plants, I think they're beautiful but I work in a bat cave with NO windows whatsoever; I have tried on many occasions to keep plants in my office to no gratification. I have read books, I've watched YouTube videos, I've even bought plant vitamins for them, but I always, always end up killing them (not purposely).

It's funny because there's this scene in a movie I once watched called 28 Days with Sandra Bullock, it's basically a movie about being in rehab, and upon leaving rehab their counselor tells the group "take small steps before getting into a relationship; first, buy a plant, if the plant lives buy a pet and if the pet lives, then you can consider loving someone else". Every time my plants die I think to myself  humorously 'there goes my chance at love.'

Jokes aside, adding a touch of green to your work space carries proven wellness benefits, from boosting productivity to purifying the air. Now if you're like me, windowless and lacking time for watering your plants having one can seem time-consuming and demotivating, but after researching a bit, I found out that there are ways to avoid getting stuck with a sad plant cemetery on your desk by choosing specific air-cleaning, mood-boosting plants. Not only are there plants that are impossible to kill, but you have a wide variety to choose from!

The following are just a few of unattainable-to-kill plants that you can add to your office space minus the responsibility and headaches:

1. The Spider Plant - These low maintenance plants thrive on partial sun or shade; making it ideal for a cubicle or windowless office. On the plus side researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa say that spider plants carry loads of benefits for improving indoor air quality and reducing stress at work.
2. Lemon Balm Plant - These plants are happy even if the nearest window is all the way across the office or if there is no window at all. Researchers from Ohio State University say that extensive research has proven Lemon Balm's improve your mood and boost workplace wellness. Not to mention Lemon Balm plants have a sweet smell that will enhance any mood. 
3. The Philodendron Plant - Not only is this plant lavish and leafy, but it is nearly impossible to kill, and researchers from the Sydney University of Technology found that these plants are not only pretty to look at but they are good for your health. Philodendrons are one of the best plants that free indoor air of VOC's and excess carbon dioxide which causes frequent headaches, drowsiness and loss of concentration.
4. The Peace Lily Plant - Peace lilies love shade so they will thrive in a windowless office; not only are they pretty to look at, but researchers at NASA say that Peace Lilies is one of the top plants that removes tons of VOC's from the air.
5. Golden Pothos Plant - This lovely plant is shown by NASA researchers to be the top air-cleansing plant and is famously low-maintenance. Its beautiful heart-shaped leaves are shown to remove up to 73% of VOC's and other pollutants from sealed chambers and was voted the "best indoor plant for low-maintenance situations" by Better Homes&Gardens.

To view a list of other impossible-to-kill plants for your office space click here.

As for me, I chose the delightful Golden Pothos plant for my office space AND I also purchased one for my nightstand table at home. Another added bonus, I've had both plants now for over a month and they are still alive!

If you could bring something into your office space that is pretty, boosts your productivity, enhances your mood and makes you breathe better why wouldn't you? It doesn't hurt to try and if worst comes to worst, you will still have a pretty plant to look at!

"Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness." - Eckhart Tolle♥