In recent times, all thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, more companies have resorted to having their employees work from home. With the massive shifts happening in the business world and the need to self-isolate, it feels safer incorporating a more flexible work arrangement like this one. While this may sound so effortless to the keyboard worriers who are used to working from their comfort zones it is an uphill task to the blue-collar personnel who have a third eye always monitoring their production.
To many people, working from home means freedom, more hours in bed than usual, work at power nap intervals with your laptop by your side in bed and in the worst case scenario postponed shower hour and stay in pajamas. Well, that sounds enticing until you realize your productivity’s exponential growth is tampered with and your scale drops to zero rapidly. The best thing you can ever do to yourself every day while working from home is to get dressed early every morning.
When I say get dressed, I do not mean wear sweatshirts or yoga pants. I mean gain the wherewithal and grab a decent outfit that can give you a positive attitude to articulate your duties. This will set your go-getter mind straight and have your eyes on the ball. In a nutshell I mean, adjusting to working from home can be very challenging, but you have to step out of your comfort zone and do justice to your wardrobe. Unknown to you, dressing up decently as you work from home helps:
- Build your Image
Severally we are reminded to dress how we want to be addressed; your dressing determines the first impression anyone will have on you at first sight. Your look depicts your hygiene standards, and also controls your mood, it’s easier to feel frumpy just by spending your day in a frumpy sweat. You do not want to answer the doorbell looking like you just rolled out of bed.
- Save time
Working from home means your supervisor may occasionally need to call in for a few clarifications or updates. It saves to always be ready and presentable for a Skype call. Yet again you won’t scramble your way through to look presentable before answering the door or stepping out for a quick errand in between work.
- Fuel your Productivity
While comfort is easy and beautiful, it slows down the production rate of a person as it lacks motivation. Work needs a drive and personal drive is paramount. This is derived from a positive energy only got from within and can easily be put together by an enthusiastic and positive attitude. Your look may not inspire your attitude, but it plays a big role. How you look may either boost or break your productivity.
However, dressing up does not mean you get all suited up like you are going to some bidding conference meeting with the hope of winning the contract through your look. You do not have to be extra, but decent, play around with your outfits; make it easy enough to maintain flexibility while upholding your dignity.
Here is how to be fashionable while working from home.
- Keep it casual but classy
As much as no employer cares about what you put on while working from home, they always want work done on time and appropriately, this means you must also avail yourself for video call meetings whenever there is a need for any. Appearing in your pajamas is a no hence you need to always be ready. Pair easy outfits that will grant you both comfort and class such as formal tops paired with jeans, vest top paired with sweat pants or tights, and wrap dress for the casual official look.
- Mind your grooming
Working from home may mean a break from the heavy makeups and salon visits, but it certainly doesn’t mean you forget your grooming entirely. It’s advisable to look presentable all the time. Health is wealth, so they say and a good health starts with good hygiene and grooming. You do not need to have your hair well braided or weaved but keep it well combed neat always. Also dust some powder on your face to avoid an oily face, keep your nails well filled and neat. Good grooming helps you feel well put together and presentable.
- Invest in cover-ups
The most suitable thing about working from home is that none keeps tabs of how many times you repeat an outfit. For this reason investing in cover-ups may just save your day. Things like blazers, kimono, jackets and ponchos can be paired with literally everything for a cozy look. It is easier to throw up a blazer on top of your vest top for a stylish business look and sit pretty for a zoom conference meeting. On the other hand, a kimono saves you much effort of changing from your short, and top whenever you need to run a quick errand. For the cold seasons, a stylish woolen sweater or a poncho may replace a trench coat and still stay safe off the borderline look.
- Retain your casual evenings
Be sure to maintain your work balance to allow comfort by evening. Your off business hours shouldn’t be eaten up. Stick to your evening shower and slip into a more comfortable casual look. Your seat pants, tights, booty shorts and deras occupy this hour. This distinct shift should be the reinforcement you need to mark the business hour boarders.
- Explore your wardrobe.
As the adage says, you have to dress your mood. Daily professional dressing puts us in a fixed box hence limiting our creativity. We feel more alive when we dress to suit our moods. This may just be the time to try out the numerous ideas you’ve saved up your memory for ages. Try out your vintage dress and determine how you feel in it. Get out of your comfort zone and try out new outfits just for curiosity, you may strike a new fashion sense for yourself. Be sure to boost your mood while at it.
Dressing down may make you feel easy, flexible, and comfortable, but it may also make you lazy. You still need a job to go to by the end of all these, do not write your own sack letter, dress up and be functional enough to save tomorrow.