The Mini Token Blog

Recent research at the University of Texas and Washington State University in the United States and Surrey University in England has revealed that distributing plants throughout the office workplace can both lower stress and enhance employee productivity.

In the Texas experiment, participants were tested while using a computer program that had been specifically created for the test. The testing was done in cubicles that had been designed to replicate the average office environment. Participants were shown a series of random symbols, and were then monitored according to their stress level, based on blood pressure, and their productivity based on reaction time.

The tests were then run in environments with and without the common types of interior plants that are often seen in office cubicle situations. The results of the Texas study showed that participants were less stressed and had better reaction times when the plants were present. A computer program to test productivity and induce stress was specifically designed for these experiments. One hundred symbols were presented in identical randomized sequences to each test subject, and the only variable in the test was the presence or absence of plants.

Plants were positioned in such a way that they could be seen within the peripheral view of subjects as they sat at a computer terminal. Besides being able to concentrate and react more quickly, the study showed that simply having plants within view increased subjects’ ability to react by as much as 12 percent, as well as enabling them to recover from stress within five minutes.

Almost identical results were obtained in a similar study conducted at Washington State University, using essentially the same testing procedure. When plants were placed around the sides of a cubicle, subjects felt less stress (as indicated by lower systolic blood pressure levels) and just as UT researchers had discovered, the WSU study showed that subject reactions were some 12 percent faster while they were taking a carefully-standardized computer test.

A third study, conducted at England’s University of Surrey, examined the effect of strategically placing plants around an office in order to reduce noise levels. Plants were found to significantly reduce noise, thereby increasing productivity among employees. Although it’s somewhat difficult to quantify, most office workers are familiar with the effects of noise pollution firsthand. If you work in an office, just think back to the last time you had to take a break because you simply could no longer stand the noise.

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Jeanette Fisher has researched the effects of environment on emotions for over 15 years. She teaches interior design college courses and seminars. Free interior design reports and more office design ideas at http://www.designpsych.com

“With a child’s heart

Just being alive makes it all so very clear”

Although this is no way is a pro-Jackson article, this is actually an excerpt from a personal Jackson 5 favorite entitled ‘With a Child’s Heart’

Sung by a pre-adolescent Michael Jackson, the words of this song made such an impact on me most recently when I played the CD a few days back.

The lyrics of the song reminded me of what the renowned psychologist: Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, once stated in his book- that children are indeed the group of humans who ironically are most gifted in the art of faith and positive thinking.

These are two essentials for overcoming depression, and it is no co-incidence that they are abundant in a child’s heart.

Children are more expert in happiness and faith than adults and indeed the adult who can carry the spirit of a child into middle and old age is truly a genius. Why?
Well this is quite simply because such an adult will preserve the happy and carefree spirit that only the young seem to be endowed with and this of course will be vital and necessary for dealing with depression and problems and keeping their effects on us minimized.

The subtlety and wisdom of Jesus Christ is truly remarkable.
When it comes to dealing with depression (or dealing with life, period-the good and the bad of it), He suggests that one should have a childlike heart and mind.

In other words, have you ever noticed how a kid believes mom’s kiss actually made the pain of a bicycle fall go away, well that same childlike faith is actually what God requires of us in believing that what He says He’ll do for us will come to pass.

Now, in regards to overcoming depression, it is clear to see that approaching our problems with a childlike yet powerful faith that things will be better would make a huge difference in our situations and circumstances.

This doesn’t mean that no work will be required of us on our part, remember
“faith without works is dead,” (James 2:26). However, it is the believing that what we are doing to make things better in addition to trusting what God says about our situations and challenges that would make the difference.

Just like a child will ask a parent for help on how to do something and totally rely on the parent’s instruction to get it done, it is very much the same way that we have to accept and follow God’s advice and help in order to deal with our problems and challenges in life.

A young Jackson ends the song above soulfully stating that
“With a child’s heart, nothing is gonna get me down!”
Indeed with the childlike faith in God and His promises and a childlike obedience to do as instructed by a wiser Being, nothing: not depression, not life’s problems can get us down.

Foras Aje is an independent health researcher and founder of Bodyhealthsoul.com For more information on Depression Treatment stop by his website today.