7 Scents to Boost Productivity

More often than not, we associate aromatherapy with stress management or creating an environment that is soothing and relaxing. While true, aromatherapy can also be used to enhance one’s productivity level at home or in business. Our sense of smell, after all, is the strongest of all our senses and is therefore the one that influences brain activity best.

One scent can easily trigger a memory, while another can increase your alertness, and both of which can help you become more productive. Here are the scents that do just that, and more.

1. Lavender

One of the essential oils known for their calming properties, lavender can soothe nerves and help you fight depression, nervous tensions and all kinds of emotional stress. It is also great for treating headaches and migraines, which often get in the way of one’s productivity.

2. Lemon

The incredibly strong smell of lemons is known for helping enhance concentration and focus, particularly when you’re angry at something or feeling anxious. The mind of anyone who smells lemons tends to get jolted into action, which attests to its rather powerful scent.

3. Cinnamon

Cinnamon posses stimulating properties that help calm a tired mind. Many people also use cinnamon to improve their sense of alertness and enhance concentration and focus in the process.

4. Rosemary

Rosemary is a stimulant which, according to various studies, improves a person’s memory retention. Some studies even claim that people who have inhaled the scent tend to have quicker minds and have become smarter especially when put in nerve-wracking situations. On top of that, rosemary is also good for relieving muscular aches and pains when applied topically.

5. Peppermint

When you find yourself in a brainstorming situation, try smelling the scent of peppermint. Apart from invigorating the mind, peppermint also boosts your attentiveness and helps you think more clearly.

6. Jasmine

Jasmine is similar to lavender in a lot of ways. Apart from calming your nerves, the scent of jasmine can also be used as an antidepressant, as it possesses properties that can boost one’s feeling of optimism and confidence.

7. Orange

Naturally, the smell of oranges is akin to the smell of lemons, both being citric in nature. A great scent for reducing stress, oranges could also be overwhelming, so some people have taken to combining it with cinnamon in many candles and essential oils.

For all their wonderful effects, remember that these scents could be overwhelming—even offensive—for others. So if you plan to do some aromatherapy in the workplace, talk to your colleagues first and if they’re fine with it, only then should you proceed with bringing essential oils with you to work.