When I first started working from home during the pandemic, I literally set up my laptop on my kitchen table facing a brick wall. My one window shows nothing but my neighbor’s building three feet away, so basically I was staring at screens surrounded by more walls. After about six months of this, I felt like I was losing my mind.
I kept thinking about how different this was from my old office downtown, which at least had decent windows and I could take walks during lunch. Now my “commute” was rolling out of bed, and my “nature break” was maybe catching five minutes of indirect sunlight if I timed it right.
I’d been following a bunch of plant accounts on Instagram, and I kept seeing posts about biophilic design – basically the idea that humans need connection to nature to feel good. Made sense to me, since I felt terrible in my cave-like setup. But when you’re stuck in a 400 square foot studio with no outdoor access and terrible lighting, bringing actual nature indoors has limits. That’s when I started wondering if there were digital ways to get some of that nature connection while working.
**Starting Small: Wallpapers and Sounds**
My first attempt was super basic – I changed my laptop wallpaper from the default blue blob to a photo of some mountains I found on Reddit. Sounds silly, but having something green and expansive to look at when I minimized windows actually did make me feel less claustrophobic.
Then I tried switching up my Zoom background for team meetings. Instead of my messy kitchen, I used a video of a waterfall. My coworkers loved it, and honestly, even though I knew it was fake, something about having moving water behind me made the whole video call experience feel less sterile.
I found this website that plays ambient nature sounds – rain, forest sounds, ocean waves, that kind of thing. Started playing them quietly in the background while I worked. The bird chirping sounds reminded me of mornings at my parents’ house, and somehow made writing emails feel less soul-crushing.
There’s also this app I discovered through a productivity blog that plays different nature soundscapes designed to help you focus. The “coffee shop rain” setting became my go-to for getting through spreadsheet hell.
**Getting Weird With It: VR and Apps**
My building’s rooftop garden project got me thinking about more creative solutions. One of my neighbors mentioned trying VR meditation apps, so I borrowed a headset from a friend to test it out.
Okay, so putting on a VR headset to virtually walk through a forest while sitting in your studio apartment is definitely weird at first. But I tried this app that lets you wander around different natural environments – redwood forests, mountain tops, tropical beaches. For like fifteen minutes, I could actually forget I was trapped in my tiny space.
The crazy thing is it actually worked for stress relief. When I was having a particularly awful day dealing with difficult clients, taking a “VR walk” through a virtual forest genuinely helped calm me down. It’s not the same as real nature – you can’t feel the breeze or smell anything – but your brain still responds to the visual and audio cues.
I also found this productivity app that gamifies your to-do list with a virtual garden. Every time you complete a task, your digital plants grow. It’s kind of silly, but seeing my virtual garden flourish as I got work done was surprisingly motivating. Way better than just checking items off a boring list.
There are AR apps too, though I haven’t gone that deep yet. Saw a demo where you can overlay animated butterflies on your workspace or turn data into floating nature elements. Seems cool but maybe too distracting for actual work.
**When Digital Nature Backfires**
I definitely went overboard at first. Downloaded like ten different nature apps, had forest sounds playing constantly, changed my wallpaper daily. Instead of helping me focus, all the digital nature stuff became another distraction.
The worst was when I got too into a VR beach meditation during my lunch break and completely lost track of time. Missed the start of an important client call because I was virtually watching waves crash. Had to explain to my boss why I was five minutes late to a meeting because I was “at the beach.” Super professional.
You also start to realize how artificial some of this stuff feels. Like, there are only so many stock forest sounds before you start recognizing the same bird chirp loops. And some of the VR environments are so obviously fake that they’re more jarring than calming.
The other thing is that digital nature can become a substitute for actually going outside, which isn’t great. I caught myself skipping trips to our rooftop garden because I’d already “been in nature” through an app. That’s missing the point entirely.
**What Actually Works (And What Doesn’t)**
After a year of experimenting with different digital biophilia approaches, here’s what I’ve figured out:
Simple background changes actually help. Having nature images as wallpapers or Zoom backgrounds does make virtual spaces feel less sterile. Just don’t go overboard switching them constantly.
Ambient nature sounds work great for background focus, but keep them subtle. Heavy rain sounds are perfect for drowning out upstairs neighbors, but chirping birds can be distracting during video calls.
VR nature experiences are good for short stress-relief breaks, but they’re not replacements for real outdoor time. I use them maybe once or twice a week when I’m feeling particularly trapped indoors.
Gamified productivity apps with nature themes can be motivating, but only if the underlying task management system actually works for you. Don’t pick an app just because it has cute virtual plants if the interface sucks.
The key is using digital nature to supplement real nature connection, not replace it. These tools help make my tiny apartment workspace feel less oppressive, but they work best when combined with actual outdoor time on the rooftop or walks around the neighborhood.
**Companies Getting Creative**
I’ve been reading about some companies doing interesting things with digital biophilia for remote workers. Saw an article about a tech company that offers virtual retreat backgrounds for brainstorming sessions – coral reefs, northern lights, cherry blossoms. Employees reported feeling more creative and less burned out.
Makes sense to me. If you’re going to be stuck on video calls all day anyway, might as well look at something beautiful instead of everyone’s messy home offices.
Some companies are also experimenting with VR team meetings in natural environments. Sounds gimmicky, but I’d rather brainstorm ideas while virtually sitting by a lake than staring at a grid of tiny video windows.
**The Future Is Probably Weird**
I keep seeing articles about AI systems that could adapt virtual nature experiences to your mood, or holographic displays that could make your workspace look like you’re in a forest. Part of me thinks this sounds amazing – imagine if my kitchen table could look like a desk in a treehouse. Part of me thinks we’re getting a little too deep into replacing reality with digital versions.
But for people stuck in small urban apartments with no access to good natural light or outdoor space, these technologies could genuinely improve quality of life. Not everyone can afford a place with good windows and a yard. If virtual nature can help bridge that gap, even partially, that seems valuable.
**Bottom Line: It’s Supplement, Not Solution**
Digital biophilia isn’t going to solve the fundamental problems of working from a tiny apartment with no outdoor space and terrible lighting. But it can make the experience more bearable.
The nature sounds help me focus. The VR forest walks help with stress. The virtual garden productivity app makes boring tasks slightly less boring. My mountain wallpaper makes my laptop screen feel less claustrophobic.
None of this replaces time in our rooftop garden or walks outside when the weather’s decent. But when you’re stuck indoors during Chicago winters or having a particularly overwhelming work day, having digital tools to create some sense of nature connection is better than nothing.
I think the key is being intentional about it. Use these tools to enhance your workspace and wellbeing, not to procrastinate or avoid going outside. And remember that real plants, real sunlight, and real fresh air are always going to be better than virtual versions – but virtual versions can help fill the gaps when the real thing isn’t accessible.
Robert is a retired engineer in Michigan who’s spent the past few years adapting his longtime home for accessibility and wellbeing. He writes about practical, DIY ways to make homes more comfortable and life-affirming as we age — from raised-bed gardens to better natural light.
