3 Ways Having Flowers in Your Office Improves Business

Whether you work from home, have a corner office, or share a communal space, there are multiple benefits to having flowers in your work environment. You may think that something as simple as a couple of flowers couldn’t possibly make a difference. But you’d be wrong! Here are three ways your business will improve just by starting this simple habit:

Less sick days:

Major universities, (Harvard; University of North Florida), have conducted studies that prove flowers significantly reduce stress. Just a vase with a few stems of flowers on the corner of your desk will give your eyes a place to rest throughout the day and provide a moment of calm. This brief encounter with the natural world is all it takes to help decrease stress and anxiety. Decreased stress and anxiety, means less time taken off work. Less time taken off work saves you time and money.

A happy workforce:

Business experts say the key to having a successful business is to have a happy workforce. Research shows having flowers in your work environment will automatically enhance the mood of whoever sees them. It’s almost a subconscious reaction. You see the flowers, your mood brightens, and that positive feeling stays with you throughout the day. Happy workers = successful business.

Increased productivity:

This is a big one. If you have a business, productivity is everything. Studies show both men and women who are exposed to flowers at work have more innovative thinking, creativity, problem-solving skills, and a stronger memory recall. All these benefits increase the overall productivity accomplished at work.

If you’re ready to improve your business by adding flowers to your office but don’t know where to begin , take a look at my previous blog post, Happy and Healthy at Work with Flowers . You’ll find many suggestions on how to easily get started. One thing I can guarantee - you’ll never regret you did!

Happy and Healthy at Work with Flowers

To have a successful business, you need a happy productive work force. Something as easy and affordable as adding a few fresh flowers to your workplace sets the right tone.

Maybe you have doubts that something as simple as having flowers at work can improve productivity. But scientific research proves this is the case. Whether you work from home, have a corner office, or share a communal space, having flowers around will offer a multitude of positive benefits. As well as increasing productivity, flowers reduce stress, improve innovative thinking, boost creativity and increase everyone’s level of wellness. 

Whether you are an employer or an employee, there are things you can do to incorporate flowers into your work life. Here are some suggestions:

For the employer:

1 – Have flowers in all common areas. If this isn’t a task you want to take on yourself, and you don’t want to delegate it to one of your employees, contact your local florist. Most florists offer a weekly floral subscription. They’ll bring fresh flowers to you every week and take away the old bouquet so you don’t have to deal with it.

2 – Get into the habit of giving flowers to your employees. It could be to celebrate a birthday, a thank you for a job well done, or just to say ‘have a nice day’. You should also consider sending flowers to your clients to let them know you appreciate their business. This personal touch will build a loyalty between you and your employees and you and your clients. It’s a very simple gesture, but one that will benefit everyone.

3 – Host a bouquet-making workshop. Call your local florist and hire them to teach your employees how to make a bouquet and then deliver the flowers to nearby care facilities. This is a great team building activity, as well as a way to reach out to your wider community.

For the employee:

1 – Keep a vase of flowers on your desk. Even just a bud vase with a bloom will brighten your workspace and make you smile every time you glance at it.

2 – Share the happiness. When you purchase a fresh flower for yourself, purchase a second one and put it on a co-worker’s desk. 

3 – Model positive actions and give a bouquet to your boss. Everyone feels the positive impact from flowers – including the person in charge!

Let’s all start to fill our offices with the joy that flowers bring. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. Either comment below, or send me an email.

Make Flowers a Daily Habit

“I must have flowers, always, and always.” Claude Monet

Science has proven over and over again that flowers make us happier and healthier. They lift our spirits both immediately and long-term.

In the past few years I’ve learned a lot about the power flowers have on our well-being. They boost our mood, decrease our anxiety, improve our sleep, brighten our environment, increase our productivity and strengthen our memory. And the best part is, it’s doesn’t require a lot of effort or a big budget to reap the benefits flowers offer. A few stems from the garden, a small arrangement from your local florist or a quick grab-and-go bouquet from the grocery store – all will work their magic on you.

Flowers mean different things to us at different times in our lives. Whether for birthdays, weddings, promotions, sickness or in sympathy, flowers are there with us to celebrate the good times and comfort us during the sad times. Let’s learn from those memorable moments in life and start to include flowers as a natural way of improving the quality of our daily lives. 

Having fresh flowers around you every day is a small step you can take to create a positive and uplifiting environment for yourself, and those around you. May you always have flowers in your life.

Flowers are Not a Waste of Money - My Top 3 Reasons Why.

“Just living is not enough…one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.” Hans Christian Anderson

Wise words from Hans Christian Anderson. Intuitively we know that flowers make us happy. Scientific research backs that up. Flowers boost our mood, brighten our environment, improve our sleep, decrease our anxiety, increase our productivity and strengthen our memory. Flowers make life happier and healthier.

Unfortunately, there are some people who think that flowers are a waste of money. The reason why? They think because flowers die, you shouldn’t spend your hard earned money on them. If you think about that, that reasoning doesn’t really make sense. You’ll spend money on a movie, but that experience is over in about two hours. You’ll pay to go out to dinner at a restaurant - again, over in a couple hours. You’ll pay for a bottle of wine, that you’ll drink, and a box of chocolates that you’ll eat, but neither of those last for long. I could go on and on with examples of how we spend money on things that don’t last. But instead, here are my top three reasons for why I think we should have flowers in our lives, and why they’re worth every penny we spend on them:

1 - Flowers spread joy: Flowers are instantly mood-boosting, brightening the day of whoever sees them. When I delivered flowers for my floral business, not one person receiving them ever responded with a frown. The added bonus is, giving flowers not only boosts the mood of the one receiving the flowers, but also the one giving them. So right there you’re doubling the value of your money. And the great thing is, this works just as well with a massive bouquet as it does with just a few stems, so you don’t have to spend big money to feel the positive benefits. 

2 - Flowers are suitable for every occasion: No need to waste time wondering what to get for a birthday or anniversary gift, or to thank someone for helping you out, or to congratulate someone for a job well done, or to send your condolences – flowers work for all these occasions. You don’t even have to think about it, flowers suit the occasion. Knowing this saves you time - and time is money, they say! So once again, your money is well spent.

3 – Flowers create lasting memories: Research shows that flowers, with their vibrant colours and fragrant scents, have the ability to recall memories more than other objects. In fact they have such an impact, they create a ‘memory picture’ of the day that is called upon again and again. So you give flowers one day – creating warm, happy feelings – and this moment is relived over and over, for years to come. So…pay for one gift, and that gift is enjoyed multiple times. That’s well worth your money.

If you’re one of the people who think that flowers are a waste of your hard-earned dollars, I hope you’ll now reconsider. Make someone’s day (and your own), better and brighter with the gift of flowers.

Up next on ‘The Floral Prescription’ - all the tips and tricks you need to give flowers the longest vase-life possible.

Layers of Lavender

 Ahhhh……bedtime. The end of a long hectic day. Time to completely wind down and fall into a long deep sleep. You snuggle into bed and, suddenly, your eyes are wide open. What happened? You’ve had a busy day, you’re tired out, you welcome sleep – but it’s just not happening. You’re wondering what can you do. Once again- flowers to the rescue!

There’s a few flowers that aid with sleep. But when you think of sleep, what’s the first flower that comes to mind? You got it - lavender. There have been a lot of studies done on lavender and whether or not it really does work to help bring about sleep. The good news is – it does. It’s a natural alternative to help you relax and unwind. The familiar rich yet mellow scent is instantly calming, while the muted shade of purple gives a gentle place to rest your eyes.

There are many ways you can incorporate lavender into your night time routine. My technique is to use layers of lavender. I’ll share with you what I do, and then you can give it a try and see what works for you. In no particular order, this is my personal ‘Layers of Lavender’ technique”:

* I place a bunch of lavender on my bedside table. Fresh lavender when it’s in season, otherwise dried. 

* In the evening I sip a cup of lavender tea. Right now I have two lavender teas I’m enjoying. The first is Organic Serenity Now, from David’s Tea, and the second is an Organic Chamomile with Lavender, from Traditional Medicinals Herbal Teas. I find both of these calm my mind and ease any tension;

*  I place a lavender sachet under my pillow. This allows the fragrance to be close to me while I’m sleeping, but not be overwhelming. The sachet I have right now is from Provence En Couleur. I bought this sachet from a local business that imports lavender to Vancouver straight from Provence. 

*  I use a roll-on of high quality essential oil on my wrists and the back of my neck just as I’m about to go to bed. This I also purchased from Provence En Couleur; 

* I really enjoy relaxing in a warm bath filled with lavender-scented bubbles. The  Lavender Foaming Bath from L’Occatine, gently perfumes my skin leaving me feeling very tranquil.

* Following the bath I smooth a lavender-scented body lotion on. I was recently given a gift of Thymes Lavender Body Lotion. This adds yet another layer of soothing fragrance.

* And I always set a diffuser with a pure lavender essential oil. The two I’ve been using recently are Lavender High Grade from Saje and AOP Fine Lavender Essential Oil from Provence En Couleur.

These are my ‘Layers of Lavender’. I suggest choosing just one or two things to start, and then try adding in a few more. I’d love to hear what works for you, and if you have any ‘layers’ that you can introduce to me.

Important note: If you have an allergy to flowers or are sensitive to scents, this is not recommended for you.

Boost Your Morning Mood With Flowers

How did you feel when you woke up this morning? Did you drag yourself out of bed, not quite awake yet? Were you a little bit grumpy? Did you stumble into the bathroom, splash some water on your face, and still feel groggy? If you did, I feel for you. That’s not a pleasant way to start the day, especially if you feel like that every day. But all is not lost - flowers to the rescue!

If you’re not a morning person, recent research confirms that flowers might be the perfect pick-me-up. Seeing flowers in the morning can boost your mood, making you happier and more energetic - not only right away, but throughout the day.

When choosing flowers to boost your morning mood there are two main things you will want to consider - colour and location.

Colour: The colour of a flower generates specific moods. If you need energy in the morning choose bright, bold coloured flowers. Bright red or yellow, intense violet, and neon green are all excellent choices. These colours will grab your attention and make you feel more alert.

Some flowers I like to use are daffodils, sunflowers, gerberas and tulips. All are ‘cheerful’ flowers and come in the bright colours that give energy.

Location: I don’t recommend putting a vase of brightly coloured flowers in your bedroom, because while you want to wake up and feel energized, you also want to be able to fall asleep at night. The two best places to have flowers to help you wake-up in the morning are the bathroom and the kitchen. Place a small vase on the bathroom counter. The brightness and freshness of the flowers will greet you as you walk in and get your day off to a good start. That feeling will continue as you walk into the kitchen and see another vase of flowers on the table - one that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

It’s important to remember - you don’t need to get fancy or spend a lot of money. A small bouquet in a glass jar, or a single stem in a bud vase is all that’s needed to get the positive, energizing effect that brightly coloured blooms have on your mood.

Flowers….good for the soul!

Flowers are good for the soul! They’ve stood the test of time, across all cultures, proving that they’re something we need in our lives. That’s right – we need flowers!

Science has proven over and over that flowers make us happier and healthier. Something as simple as looking at a flower can boost your mood. The impact is immediate; that’s powerful! And yet the impact is also long lasting. Your mood will be better throughout the whole day and the memories can last a lifetime.

It’s really interesting to think about. Flowers are often seen as something for special occasions, but they have proven health benefits.  If you can actually improve someone’s mood with flowers, why aren’t they seen as a daily necessity?

When I delivered flowers for my floral business I saw this positive impact hundreds of times. Not once has anyone ever opened the door to me and frowned because they’re receiving flowers - everyone smiles!

Try this: Walk down a busy street as you normally would. Look at the faces of the people walking towards you. Most people will keep walking by, busy with their own thoughts. 

Now, walk down the street again, but this time carry a big colourful bouquet of fresh flowers. The difference is amazing! People’s faces light up! Just the sight of the flowers as you walk past makes them smile and brightens their day. The added magic - you’ll find yourself smiling, too. How could you not with all that happiness beaming your way!?

Adding flowers to your life doesn’t have to be a chore or be expensive. There’s a multitude of easy, affordable ways you can do it. As the weeks go by I’ll share idea after idea with you. You’ll find it’s much easier than you think to incorporate this healthy habit into your life. You’ll see - it won’t be long at all before you (and those around you) start benefiting from the restorative nature of flowers. 

Flowers - at the Heart of it!

The heart of The Floral Prescription is the restorative nature of flowers on our mental, physical and emotional well-being. Up until now you may have thought of flowers as an indulgence, only for special occasions. But science has proven that flowers have undeniable benefits on our well-being so we should be thinking of them as a necessity!

I’ve broken down six ways in which flowers have a positive affect on us – mood, environment, anxiety, sleep, productivity, and memory. This is an overview to set us up for more in-depth discussions about each individual area in the weeks to come.

1 – Mood: Flowers boost our mood: Instinct tells us that flowers make us happy. Scientific studies have proven it. We can literally change our mood or someone else’s with fresh flowers. When you see flowers, the positive effect on your happiness is immediate. Your spirits will be lifted, and that in turn will improve your mental and emotional well-being for the rest of the day.

 2 – Environment: Flowers brighten our environment: It’s scientifically known that adding flowers to an interior promotes well-being. Flowers brighten up a space, creating a more positive atmosphere, making it more welcoming. Think of flowers as a form of natural art. They evoke emotions and feelings. And, like art, there is some strategy involved in where to place them to reap the most benefits. You don’t need to get fancy. There are simple tips and tricks I’ll share with you on how to best display your flowers and how to get the longest vase life.

3 – Anxiety:  Flowers decrease our anxiety: In a life that moves at a frantic pace, flowers provide a moment of calm. Research studies show that the presence of flowers can decrease anxiety, making them a must-have at home, work and in the classroom.

 4 – Sleep: Flowers improve our sleep: Some of us struggle with sleep every night and some just occasionally, but either way there are things you can do to improve your chances of having a good night’s sleep. Something as simple as having the right flowers in your bedroom can make a difference. While lavender has the best reputation as a soothing flower to help you relax, there are plenty of others. In the upcoming weeks I’ll share all the different varieties of flowers that are known to aid sleep and relaxation, as well as the specific ways to use them.

5 – Productivity: Flowers increase our productivity: Whether you work from home, in a small business or the corner office of a big corporation, research has shown that employees’ creative performance, problem-solving skills, and creative thinking improves when there are flowers in the environment. I’ll share with you specific ways to use flowers to promote your staff’s well-being and to make a connection with your surrounding community.

6 – Memory: Flowers strengthen our memory: Flowers, with their vibrant colours and fragrant scents, can conjure memories more than other objects. The memory of the sweet scent of flowers can cause a powerful emotional reaction. Creating these moments in childhood will strengthen your memory when you’re older. I can’t wait to share the research that has been done and the techniques you can use to promote a strong memory.

I look forward to not only sharing the research with you, but sharing how I’ve taken what I’ve learned and used it to promote a healthy, happy atmosphere in my own home.