Put the Pajamas Down

With many employees working at home, there may have been a brief burst of freedom that you felt when you realized you could wear whatever you wanted. Yet, as the adage goes, what you wear may influence your performance at work. The adage, “dress for the position you want, not what you have,” is never more important for employees working at home. While it may be tempting to relax in your pajamas, you may quickly find that your productivity is slipping. Here’s what you should be wearing when you work at home instead.

Why Casual Wear Should Be Ignored

The thinking behind wearing whatever you want to wear at home is due to a lack of supervision. Even if you have a boss, you feel like your own boss when you’re working at home. There’s no one there to send you back home to change your clothes. This can make donning sweatpants, pajamas, and even athletic wear an easy decision.

Yet it isn’t always the best one. Wearing comfortable clothing makes you unfocused. You’re too comfortable. Instead of pushing yourself to get work done, you may allow yourself to take it easier instead.

There’s also the problem of wearing casual wear and being pulled into a meeting. Whether you have a scheduled meeting or not, if you suddenly find yourself in a meeting while wearing casual clothes, then you are caught in unprofessional attire.

While it may be nice from time-to-time to see that you are just like the rest of the common workers, dressing too casually can diminish the reputation professionalism of a worker. When a worker deemed unprofessional it reflects poorly on the company.

What You Should Wear

There’s a healthy compromise between in-office clothes and work-at-home clothes. The outfits you wear should be deemed professional, but you shouldn’t feel like you’re wearing the modern-day corset either. Opt for blouses and dresses shirts. Since your lower-half is mostly unseen, you can get a little comfy here by wearing stretchy pants or dress pants that have some give to them.

If even that’s too formal for you, then you may be able to get away with a clean and unwrinkled polo shirt or another kind of top that looks crisp rather than worn.

Start Stylizing Today

The clothes you wear can influence how productive you are and how you are perceived by your employees, employers, and coworkers. While it may be tempting to just stay in your pajamas, you’ll likely be more productive in normal work clothes. Try different styles and see.