In the post-COVID-19 era, many people still continue to work remotely. A common topic of conversation is what people wear when working remotely, especially with no online meetings.
What do you wear? Do you still get “dressed up” in a suit or jacket?
Do appearances really matter anymore?
Many IT and translation businesses have embraced remote work from the beginning because their work can mostly be done online. During online meetings, their marketing teams often wear a wide variety of clothing styles. Some choose the more formal style of shirts and ties, while others are more relaxed in sportswear and casual clothes. In these situations, how you look or dress is much less important than your productivity and collaboration.
What do the people say?
In a survey of 822 women about what they wear during remote work conducted by an apparel brand, 40% reported that they change into clothing suitable for online meetings first thing in the morning. 32% indicated that they only change right before online meetings. Not surprisingly, approximately half also said that they only dress up the upper half, perhaps an indication that many remote workers still take into consideration what others might think of them based on their appearances.
Now, let’s look a little deeper into the transition from “not working” to “working.”
Sleeping: A popular pre-work activity!
In terms of clothing that we rarely wear in public, pajamas would seem a common choice.
Wacoal, a clothing company, surveyed 1,029 men and women ranging between 20 and 40 years of age in Japan in regards to what they wear to bed in 2012. According to the results, 60% reported that they wear T-shirts and shorts in summer, while only 22.7% wear pajamas. In comparison to the older generations in Japan, it seems like fewer and fewer people wear clothing that is specifically designed for sleeping, such as pajamas or yukatas, an unlined cotton summer kimono
However, research indicates that people who wear pajamas fall asleep faster and wake up less in the night.
On a physical level, pajamas can help with sweating and rolling over while sleeping. However, there is a psychological aspect to pajamas. When we put on this clothing, we mentally switch to “sleep mode,” making a clear distinction between when we are awake and asleep. Basically, changing into pajamas serves as a type of ritual for falling asleep.
Turn on your brain by getting dressed
Most people think that an external event causes us to have an emotional response and a subsequent physical reaction, for example, “I saw a snake which scared me and caused my heart to start racing.” However, the James-Lange psychological theory proposes that it is in fact something different, that emotions occur as a result of physical responses to external events. In other words, seeing the snake caused your heart rate to increase dramatically which makes you realize you’re afraid.
If this theory is correct, then putting our pajamas on before bed and getting dressed before starting work would seem to be the right choice. To help yourself achieve your goals, you can take the appropriate action to achieve the results you want. By changing from pajamas into work-appropriate clothing, we can change our brains from sleep mode to work mode.
Some may say that it is too much work to change clothing where there is no real need to do so. Or that it is acceptable to dress in loungewear throughout the day if possible. While it may seem to save time and energy, from a psychological standpoint, it creates no difference between the time for being awake, relaxing, and working, making it too easy to lose motivation and productivity.
Learning how to live with the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed us to explore new options for work and play, creating exciting opportunities. Either way, if you start the day by formally dressing for work or not, creating daily rituals and routines is an excellent way to establish your own habits and rhythms.
WorkFunky: Rethinking business casual
Here at WorkFunky Clothing, we are working hard to create new and fresh options for work wear!
Come on over to our WorkFunky website and see our unique and exciting designs.
If you have to work, why not WorkFunky?
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
Author Profile
RICH BAILEY - Product Copywriter at WorkFunky Clothing
Originally from Ohio, USA, Bailey is an experienced freelance writer and editor, especially for technical and scientific content. With an MA in English and a background in science, he also has more than 20 years of experience in teaching English around the world.
コメント