Working from home has risen significantly over the past few years. At least one day per week, 70% of professionals work remotely and over 53% work from home half the work week.
With working from home becoming more popular, countless books, seminars, and podcasts discuss tips to stay productive and on task. But one area that seldom gets any attention is the dress code. After all, who’s around to see what is being worn?
Yet part of staying productive is maintaining a professional and focused mindset. This is a lesson I have personally learned over the years running a business as CEO. And when working remotely, you become the enforcer of your own dress code.
So how should you dress? Here are some tips on how to dress when working from home:
Dress For Every Occasion
Looking at the calendar to see what meetings and group sessions are happening that day is a helpful hint when picking an outfit to wear. Meetings with potential clients should be taken seriously and how you are dressed determines your level of competence to the other parties involved.
But what is on your calendar isn’t the only bar to measure your outfit choice. Dress for every potential situation. A day full of working on a solo project can quickly turn into an immediate video chat.
Choose a Mindset
It’s tempting to want to wear pajamas when working from home. Besides, who’s going to see? But research shows that what you wear determines the attitude and mindset you have for the day. If you wear pajamas, you will take a relaxed approach to your day.
This doesn’t mean that dressing comfortable is out of the question though. Wearing clean athleisure wear on days when you do not have any meetings or conference calls work great to set the mind on completing tasks while being comfortable, too.
Be Tasteful
It’s tempting to want to wear a hat on days when you can. You don’t have to fix your hair that day, they are comfortable, and something you enjoy on days off so it’s nice to wear them on work days, too. But what you wear represents who you are to those around you, so wearing a baseball cap on a conference call gives off an unprofessional impression.
Be Clean
Just because you are in your home office by yourself, does not mean you should avoid showering or brushing your teeth. Sticking to your normal morning routine starts your day right and keeps you focused and productive. Showering, wearing deodorant, and spritzing perfume or cologne engages your senses and gives you a clean and refreshing feeling.
Wear Pants
This one might sound silly if you have never worked remotely before. But you might be surprised how many remote workers wear a nice shirt with a pair of pajama pants. As stated above, it is always best to dress with a productive mindset and practice good habits. So please, avoid pajama pants if at all possible.
Working remotely greatly improves work-life balance. Professionals who have the ability to work from home at least twice a week have reported their work-life has improved greatly. Their stress, absences, and sick days have decreased and their morale increased. 30% of these professionals said they would look for another company if their remote work benefit is taken away.
Another benefit of working remotely is the flexibility of time and the dress code. But like most benefits, taking advantage of them can cause rules and regulations for you and others. If you can include these fashion tips, you and your team come across engaging, professional, and trusted.