3 Steps to Easily Implement Biophilic Design into your Office Space

You may or may not have heard of the term Biophilic Design.  It was probably a few years after I became certified in Feng Shui that I began to hear about Biophilic Design in the Interior Design community.  Wow, was I ever excited!  The design and architecture community was promoting some of the same principles that we use in Interior Alignment Feng Shui.  That having a connection to nature while indoors working in offices and inside our homes and apartments is of the utmost importance.
 
Merriam Webster defines Biophilia as the following:
 “a hypothetical human tendency to interact or be closely associated with forms of life in nature.”
 
Take a look around you.  Do you see any nature represented?  Maybe a wood grain floor, stone countertop, or natural light?  You’re on the right track.  If you’re in a sea of cubicles in an office building with fluorescent lighting, we need to talk!  We get it, a cranky co-worker might complain about essential oil scents, most companies won’t re-paint just to make you happy, nor will they be willing to bust into the ceiling to add some skylights.

Here are three super easy ways to bring nature inside your office space.  These easy fixes won’t bother anyone or cost the company anything!​

1)      Bring a plant inside.  Yes, this is probably obvious, but many of my clients  just never break down to actually buy a plant and transport it to their office space.  Keep in mind that depending on the natural light available in your office you might have to occasionally place it near a window sill or take it home to give it extra love.  So, someone in your office has an allergy?  Opt for faux flowers or a silk plant.  They’ve come a long way with silk floral arrangements, and do they ever look real!
2)      Bring a lamp into your office space.  Whether it’s a desk lamp or corner lamp, if you don’t have access to natural lighting a lamp will bring you much better lighting than fluorescent overhead bulbs.  It’s another way to trigger your body into a much more comfortable feeling while being at work.
3)      Bring artwork of nature into your space.  Do you dream of the ocean while at work?  Maybe you have a wooded retreat that you love.  Make a collage or simply frame a photo or two.  Having views of nature around you will make that vacation time seem not so far off.

Here’s a bonus:
Just as you schedule time for a meeting or for a lunch break, schedule even five minutes per day to be outside breathing fresh air.   Make this part of your schedule every single day that the weather allows.

Whether you're a fan of Biophilic design, Feng Shui, or just a nature lover, making these changes will lower stress and bring you an overall feeling of well-being. 

Now we'd love to hear from you! Do you have some great examples of how you bring nature into your office space??? Please share in the comments. 

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