My Little Green Work Buddies: How Three MUJI Plants Make My Workdays Happier

Grass Padrique | The Fabulous Scientist

I’ve always had a soft spot for plants. There’s just something comforting about having a little bit of greenery around, especially when most of your day is spent indoors, staring at a computer screen.

A couple of weeks ago, I bought three little plants from MUJI and brought them to work. They now occupy a small space on my workstation, right beside my AGI Data Sheet. It’s an interesting combination, really: technical data on one side and three leafy companions on the other. One represents the subsurface data I’m supposed to manage, while the other three remind me that there’s more to life than spreadsheets, databases, and technical documents.

But don’t mistake these plants for mere desk decorations. They’re practically my new officemates. And considering how I treat my plants, I’d say they’re more like family.

It All Started with a Mustard Plant

Would you believe that my first plant was a mustard vegetable grown from a single seed? I was only nine years old at the time.

I don’t even remember what prompted me to grow one, but I remember being rather fascinated by the whole process. From a tiny seed, it grew into a lovely little plant. I took care of it, watched it grow, and eventually, it flowered and produced more seeds.

Now, here’s the funny part: I never actually ate it.

You see, by the time it was big enough to harvest, I had already developed an emotional attachment to it. It had become my little plant companion. How was I supposed to eat something I had spent so much time raising? It was practically my pet by then!

So instead of harvesting it for food, I allowed it to complete its life cycle and produce more seeds. I suppose I was more interested in becoming a mustard plant parent than becoming a vegetable farmer.

Looking back, I guess my plant-parent tendencies started rather early. At nine years old, I had already decided that vegetables could be family members, too. Haha!

Meet My Three New Work Buddies

Fast-forward to two weeks ago, when I found myself bringing home three plants from MUJI. They are a nerve plant, a parallel peperomia, and a dracaena.

I don’t think I need much justification for buying them. I simply like plants, and having them around makes me happy.

Each has its own personality, at least in my imagination.

The nerve plant has those beautiful, intricate leaf patterns that make you want to examine them closely. It’s my favorite plant to place in my DIY terrariums. The parallel peperomia has an interesting arrangement of leaves (my first in my plant collection I have at home), while the dracaena adds a different texture and structure to the little collection, they’re like tiny palm trees.

Together, they make a rather charming addition to my workstation.

And yes, I do occasionally check on them during working hours. I make sure they’re doing alright, look at their leaves, and probably give them more attention than some of my spreadsheets deserve.

A Little Green in a World of Data

My current job involves spending a considerable amount of time in front of a computer. There’s data to manage, documents to organize, spreadsheets to review, and occasionally, technical problems that require more patience than I initially thought I had.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy the work, and I appreciate the opportunities it gives me to learn and contribute. But like any office job, there are days when things get a little overwhelming.

That’s where my plants come in.

I sometimes keep them right beside my AGI Data Sheet (or any book I happen to be reading at work) where I can easily see them. Whenever work becomes particularly stressful, I can take a moment to look at something other than rows and columns of data.

Someone once told me that looking at greenery can be relaxing for the eyes, particularly after spending hours in front of a computer. I eventually became curious about the science behind this and came across research exploring the effects of indoor plants and green spaces on human relaxation and visual fatigue.

Whether or not my three little plants can scientifically claim to improve my productivity, I can say that having them around makes my workstation feel a little more pleasant.

Sometimes, a small distraction is all I need to reset my mood. A quick glance at their leaves, a reminder to check whether the soil needs watering, or simply appreciating their presence makes the workday feel a little less monotonous.

They don’t solve my data management problems, unfortunately. I haven’t figured out how to train a dracaena to organize technical documents or teach a peperomia to check metadata. But they’re very good at being plants, and that’s already quite enough.

Plants Are Family, Too

I suppose this is one of those little things that make working life more enjoyable. We spend so much time trying to improve our productivity, organize our workspaces, and find ways to manage stress that we sometimes forget to make room for things that simply make us happy.

For me, that’s having plants around. Even at home, I would look outside my window just to gaze at trees and the tiny birds that live in them. I also have a small collection of plants there to look at and talk to (yes, I sometimes do that as well).

I don’t necessarily need a large garden or an elaborate collection. A few little plants on my desk are enough to make the space feel more welcoming. And knowing myself, I will probably become increasingly attached to them as the weeks go by.

I just hope I don’t end up treating them like my mustard plant and becoming too emotionally attached to the point that I start considering them members of the family.

Although, to be fair, I already do.

Here’s to my three new leafy officemates. May they thrive in their little corner of the office, survive my occasionally questionable watering schedule, and continue keeping me company through spreadsheets, data sheets, and all the other adventures of office life.