Activate your sense of smell to elevate your space and mood - with real effects on your productivity too! 

Smell is more powerful than you think. Our sense of smell is a powerful tool that can have a significant impact on our mood, emotions, and cognitive function.Certain scents have been shown to have the ability to enhance focus and concentration, making them a valuable tool for anyone looking to improve their productivity and mood. 

Before I share the best way to access the power of scent while you’re trying to finish that project, let’s take a short detour to understand how scent really works:

When we smell something, it is picked up by millions of sensory neurons in the back of the nose. They send the new scent’s information to two important parts of the brain: the olfactory bulb and the thalamus. People have about 450 olfactory receptors, which help recognize what the scent is and allows us to detect a wide variety of scents. The thalamus is like a relay station for the brain and transmits some of this smell information to the orbitofrontal cortex, which plays a key role in appreciating scent, taste, experiencing emotions, and motor function. Thethalamus also sends smell information to the hippocampus and amygdala, key brain regions involved in learning and memory. This is how scents can have such a powerful impact on our mental and emotional state. 

While the workings of smell are extremely complex, research has shown the tremendous benefits our sense of smell can play in our everyday life - from evolving memories, emotional stability, increasing focus, and relaxation. 

Now that we’ve got an understanding of how scent works and its benefits, what is the best way to tap into the power of scent proactively? How can we use scent as a tool to help us work better? 

LIGHT A CANDLE 

Lighting a quality, aromatherapy scented candle is a simple, yet powerful way to bring scent into your daily work routine. The scent is usually subtle, not overpowering, yet strong enough to create a pleasant aroma and effective enough to help you get in the right zone and mood to get your best work done. After 30 minutes - 1 hour, the consistent scent will naturally produce good effects. Scented candles can be used at all hours of the day - in the morning to bring more energy, in the afternoon to help focus, and in the evening to help unwind. 

WHICH SCENTS ARE BEST? 

While there are hundreds of natural scents to choose from, here are several popular scents with great aromatherapeutic benefits: 

• Peppermint:Peppermint is a refreshing scent that has been shown to enhance alertness and cognitive performance. Research has found that the scent of peppermint can improve concentration, increase memory retention, and reduce mental fatigue. One study even found that the scent of peppermint was more effective than caffeine at improving cognitive performance.
• Bergamot:Bergamot is a citrusy, refreshing and uplifting scent that has been shown to have calming properties to reduce stress and anxiety. It can also help improve mood and increase feelings of happiness and positivity. Additional benefits include enhanced cognitive performance - including improving memory - and helping reduce feelings of fatigue. 
• Lemon: Lemon is a bright, citrusy scent that can help improve focus and concentration.Research has found that the scent of lemon can increase alertness and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Lemon essential oil is also known for its antimicrobial properties, making it a great choice for a natural air freshener that can help purify the air in your workspace.

ESSENTIAL OILS OR FRAGRANCE OILS? 

Look for candles that use pure essential oils. While most candles today are scented from fragrance oils, many premium or luxury candles are creating pure essential oil candles or infusing a combination of essential oils and natural fragrance oils. Avoid candles with truly artificial scents, as they are just like air fresheners with no real natural benefits, and can cause headaches for certain people.

TRY GO CANDLES

Looking for a candle that fits all these requirements and is specially designed for entrepreneurs, creators, and people working from home? Check out Go Candles - a new line of scented candles to help get you in the zone to be more focused, creative, and relaxed. After a year of development with a team of professional aromatherapists and candles makers, we’ve created our first line of candles using 100% natural coconut and soy wax with unique, mood-boosting blends of pure essential oils. Visit www.gocandles.co for more details and follow us onInstagram @ Gocandlesco.