Household plants can enhance your academic performance

Studies suggest that taking care of household plants is a simple method to take care of yourself and enhance your performance in university

The beginning of the academic year often has students seeking ways to improve their study habits to the benefit of their performance relative to their previous years. Many students are researching productive note-taking methods, watching videos on active study techniques, or experimenting with various ways to stay organized.

What you might not have expected is that investing in houseplants for study spaces can be a great way for students to become the best they can be academically.  

The benefits of caring for houseplants within a study space are vast. Ke-Tsung Han, a member of the department of landscape architecture at the National Chin-Yi University of Technology, published several articles researching the benefits of the presence of plants on humans' well-being and cognitive function.     

According to their research study on the benefit of plants, houseplants improve emotional states, health and reduce mental fatigue.  The study also showed higher test scores for students that had many houseplants within their study space.

Having and taking care of houseplants have also been shown to improve mental and physical health, contributing to enhanced academic ability.

For example, Neil A. Bradbur uncovered that an increased capacity to pay attention allows students to study attentively for longer before losing focus. A longer attention span also helps students obtain more information and complete tasks efficiently because they can focus on the goal for an extended period.   

Furthermore, by preventing mental fatigue, plants can help combat burnout, a phenomenon most students experience during the school year. 

Within elementary classrooms, a study conducted by Ruth K. Raanaas and her research group, discovered that plants within a study space increase attention capacity, decreasing the consequential fatigue that follows tedious and demanding work.  

Another study concluded that regular interaction with houseplants reduces stress. In addition, it was stated that houseplants suppress diastolic blood pressure and activity of the sympathetic nervous system resulting in feelings of calmness and of being in control. 

Although there are numerous scientific papers published on the vast benefits of having and caring for houseplants, many individuals may still be skeptical. While houseplants can't spontaneously make you do better on a test, they improve your mental state of being to improve your ability to focus and learn. So, when someone tries to criticize the number of plants you have in your study space, tell them that becoming a plant person transformed your academic abilities for the better! 

At McMaster, there are many opportunities for students to purchase plants through the pop-up booths at MUSC. For example, I bought an aloe vera plant for my desk due to its ability to encourage a sense of optimism.  

I don't have a green thumb, and as a busy university student it makes me the worst plant mom ever. However, if you're starting out and are looking for some easy to care for plants, I have suggestions that may be worthwhile!

Succulents are amazing because they're tough to kill. They don't require much water to survive, and they help to reduce stress. I also would recommend buying an aloe vera plant because they're resilient to their environment. Lastly, snake plants are another great addition to your study space. They're low maintenance and they have been shown to boost productivity and concentration.

Considering the evidence, it may be beneficial to incorporate some greenery into your study space to improve your state of being and in turn boost to your academic abilities. Having this study technique in your back pocket may be just what you need to achieve that 12.