There are plenty of prescriptions out there to help reduce stress at work—talk to your supervisor, take a power nap, go for a short walk, listen to music. But, if you ask Mumbai-based urban farmer Dipen Dedhia, his answer is simple: get an indoor plant and gaze at it occasionally. This winning formula is backed by research. Scientists at the University of Hyogo in Awaji, Japan, conducted a study to ascertain whether plants can improve your mental health at work. They instructed 63 participants, who had full-time desk jobs to take a short break when they experienced fatigue, and spend a couple of minutes intentionally looking at a desk plant. The findings, published in the HortTechnology journal, showed that over the course of four weeks, about 27 per cent of participants reported a significant reduction in anxiety after the intervention. 

No surprise then that corporate biggies like Infosys, TATA Motors, TCS, Thomas Cook, Navneet Publications and Adobe are on Dedhia’s roster. “While researching for these firms, we realised that the working hours at most corporate offices are nothing less than eight to nine. By the end of the second half, employee productivity drops invariably. Which is why architects have now started installing plants in walkways, passages, dining and recreation areas. Scientifically, plants are the best stress busters.” Dedhia says the tried and tested way of gazing at a plant for 30 seconds after sitting in front of the screen for 30 minutes, can improve your state of mind. “You’ll notice how your eyes will begin to relax and you’ll feel refreshed enough to return to your desk.”