In China, young professionals have found an innovative way to destress themselves and deal with office anxiety. To soothe their minds and decrease workplace stress, the burned-out employees are now cultivating bananas right at their desks.
This latest trend is whimsically called “stop banana green” or ting zhi jiao lu in Mandarin, which in English means “stop anxiety.”
The idea was born on Xiaohongshu, Instagram’s Chinese counterpart. Posts about this banana-growing hobby on the platform have amassed thousands of likes.
What do the employees do in this trend?
The process of growing bananas on the work desk is simple but has proved satisfying for the workers. Green bananas, which have their stems intact, are purchased by the workers and then kept in vases of water on their desks.
Nearly a week after nurturing the plant carefully, the bananas ripen and are good enough to be consumed. The gradual change from green to yellow bananas has proved to be fun for many and also a kind of therapeutic distraction from their daily stress.
“From lush green to golden yellow, every moment is filled with endless hope and surprises,” said one enthusiast on social media. The user added, “Eat away the anxiety and let your troubles vanish.”
Desktop bananas – a catalyst for better workplace relationships
It has been observed that growing bananas on desks has worked as a good catalyst for better workplace relationships. When colleagues share bananas, it sparks conversations and builds camaraderie between them.
“Desktop bananas naturally generate conversation,” said one observer. This trend has reached the e-commerce giant Taobao, which is operated by Alibaba Group. The e-commerce giant’s hundreds of stores are now selling bananas specifically for this purpose.
“Are bananas not selling well this year? I’ve seen this type of banana being advertised more than once, and they are more expensive than buying them directly,” said one skeptical user on Xiaohongshu.
Explaining this trend to Shanghai’s Youth Newspaper, psychologist Yu Guangrui said, “Customising workstations according to personal preferences allows young people to create a sense of belonging and security in their own little space, helping them feel happier at work.”
In China, an average working week often exceeds 49 hours and young workers constantly seek innovative ways to reduce stress.