For many of us working from home has become the new normal and while it was novel and exciting to begin with, it’s easy to let good habits slide as familiarity sets in. If there are no Zoom meetings scheduled and you’re only sharing the ‘office’ with your significant other and the cat it might be tempting to roll out of bed and start working in our pajamas.
But it’s more important than you might think to get dressed, even when it might seem easier not to. We take a look at some of the reasons why and also what your ideal WFH outfit might look like.
Getting In the Right Frame of Mind
When we dress for the occasion, we remind ourselves, subliminally, what is expected of us. Dressing for work will cause us to be more productive and encourage us to make the best use of our time. We’re likely not to be as distracted by social media, personal calls or the cat being particularly cute if we’re setting a clear message that now is the time for work.
We’re not suggesting you need to put on a shirt, blazer and skirt and some sensible shoes, but instead try to establish some distinction from clothes you would wear away from work; at the least something that isn’t your robe. It’s also essential to feel comfortable a coordinated tracksuit certainly ticks that box and can look smart and stylish too.
Alternatively, throw something on that you would regularly wear to the office before working from home—a smart jumper or comfortable pair of slacks—and you might feel immediately more work-ready. Even small touches like a pair of earrings can have a transformative effect.
Of course, your attire will be largely dependent on what kind of work it is that you do. There may be days when you are required to dress smarter if you’re facing clients, but the key is to establish a healthy morning routine. Get up and make the bed, get dressed and have a healthy breakfast and you’ll feel like you’re prepared to tackle whatever the day might throw at you.
Setting Boundaries
This is an extremely important one. As more of us have made the transition to a WFH lifestyle, the line between our own time and our company’s time has increasingly blurred. When we’re no longer physically leaving a place of work it becomes easier for managers to ask just one more errand of us or for us to choose to persevere with a task beyond our timetabled hours.
Just like setting an out of office auto reply when we’re taking some time off, getting dressed can establish some work/life boundaries too. When changing into an outfit for the day you’re helping to demarcate in your mind when your working hours are. Successful routines will also help to maintain a sense of normality during unprecedented and testing times.
Boost Your Self-Image and Confidence
There’s nothing quite like getting dressed up for an occasion and feeling great; while true contentment comes from within, there’s nothing wrong with feeling happy with the image we are projecting to the world. The clothes we wear can have a ripple effect on our actions and frame of mind and can be the first step on becoming a more confident version of ourselves.It might seem like it’s an extra step in our already busy days but the benefits more than compensate for those few additional minutes. Much like working through lunch can actually result in less work being completed, lower quality output and the possibility of burnout when compared to taking regular breaks and looking after yourself. So, add a couple of smart WFH options to your ward
