Burned-out Chinese workers growing bananas on desk to combat office stress

The trend of cultivating bananas on the desk has also proven to be a catalyst for better workplace relationships.

Burned-out young professionals in China have discovered a unique and soothing method to alleviate workplace stress: cultivating bananas right at their desks.

This trend, whimsically referred to as “stop banana green” or ting zhi jiao lu in Mandarin, means “stop anxiety” in English. The idea has taken root on Xiaohongshu, China’s version of Instagram, where posts about this banana-growing hobby have garnered over 22,000 likes.

The process is simple yet satisfying. Workers purchase green bananas with their stems intact and place them in vases of water on their desks. After about a week of careful nurturing, the bananas ripen and are ready to eat. This gradual transformation from green to golden yellow offers a fun and therapeutic distraction from the daily grind.

"From lush green to golden yellow, every moment is filled with endless hope and surprises," shared one enthusiast online. They added, "Eat away the anxiety and let your troubles vanish."

The trend has also proven to be a catalyst for better workplace relationships. Sharing bananas among colleagues can spark conversations and foster a sense of camaraderie. “Desktop bananas naturally generate conversation,” one observer noted. Some employees even personalise their bananas by writing colleagues’ names on the skins to “reserve” them, adding a personal touch to this communal activity.

The craze has extended to the e-commerce giant Taobao, operated by Alibaba Group, where hundreds of stores now sell bananas specifically for this purpose. The top-selling store alone has sold over 20,000 bunches. Some speculate that this trend might have originated as a marketing move by banana farmers to boost sales during a slump. "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," commented one skeptical user on Xiaohongshu.

In addition to bananas, some office workers have expanded their indoor horticulture to include pineapples. A 30-something worker, surnamed Yang, shared her experience: “My workstation is like a tropical rainforest, it feels like I’ve stepped into spring early.” Yang plans to add more fruit to her desk garden, finding joy in the personalised touch it brings to her workspace.

Psychologist Yu Guangrui explains this phenomenon to Shanghai’s Youth Newspaper: “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.”

With the average working week in China often exceeding 49 hours, young workers are constantly seeking innovative ways to reduce stress. Just last month, the “20-minute park effect” trend went viral on Xiaohongshu, highlighting the benefits of brief visits to urban parks. Additionally, tree-hugging emerged as a popular stress-relief activity among Chinese youth last year.

In a high-pressure work environment, these creative and natural stress-busting trends offer a much-needed respite, transforming ordinary office spaces into oases of calm and connection.