Working at home is not turning out to be one of my strong suits. Aside from visiting the kitchen pantry every half hour, I’m easily distracted by everything from the mailman to the dust accumulating on my office windowsill.
So it seemed fitting when a friend forwarded me an article about how to stay focused, 10 Unconscious Cues to Create a Work-Life Balance. That is, until I read author Jonathan Fields’ first tip: Get dressed. He writes:
Yes, this is one of the biggest luxuries of working from home. It's beautiful to be able to walk from the bedroom to the office in my PJs to turn on the computer, walk downstairs with bed hair to make coffee, and make it for a conference call before brushing my teeth. But it's important to cue your body and mind to take off “home” and put on “work.” Then, when you get out of your work clothes, you might be better able to get out of your work mode, too.
Is he saying my all-fleece outfit isn’t cutting it? Or that I shouldn’t spend half my work hours wrapped up in a blanket? Puh-lease. Work-at-home writers, I know you’re with me on this one: Bras are overrated.
Amen to bras! And I am definitely with you. Sometimes it’s 3 pm before I realize I’m still in my nightshirt. I work best in my pjs.
Karen Walker
http://www.karenfollowingthewhispers.blogspot.com
Clever that a post on dress begins, “Working at home is not turning out to be one of my strong suits.”
Best Regards, Galen
GalenKindley.com
How funny! I’m wearing fleece right now. I think it makes me more productive. Yesterday I had been working all morning and then I had to go pick my son up from preschool. I caught a glimpse of myself as I was walking out the door and finally realized I still had on the same t-shirt I slept in the night before! Needless to say, I can totally relate!
Goodness, there is no need to get dressed. But I am totally on board with idea #5. Don’t do chores while you work!
Its too funny
I’ve heard that advice before, and clearly it’s a very individual thing. I don’t know if clothes really make a difference for me, but I do know that there are other cues I need to keep me focused.
On the other hand, invoicing with a beer and a movie is a total treat!
Elle Parker
http://elleparkerbooks.blogspot.com/
That’s too funny. I guess I can see a certain kind of logic to the dress code thing. Nope. I’m lyin’. What I was wearing has never been that big of an influence on work productivity. In manstream office life I was just as productive on “casual Friday” as I was dressed in a skirt suit and heels ready for court (legal secretary in a former life) Bunny slippers are definitely part of the mandatory wardrobe now baby!
Actually, some of the article does make a lot of sense for focusing your “work” time vs your “home” time or the lines will tend to blend (guilty) and it definitely has an impact on your home life. But…I’m keepin the bunny slippers!!
Nancy, from Just a Thought”¦
Well Hemmkingway would’ve disagreed with that article. He wrote standing up in the nude. 🙂
Truth.
<a href="http://inspiritandtruths.blogspot.com"The Old Silly From Free Spirit Blog
Amen to that. Sometimes I’m wearing only my boxers when I’m doing my best work. Couldn’t do that at my old job. Although I have to draw the line at writing while standing in the nude aka Hemmingway (thanks for that visual, Marvin ….. not ….LOL), there is no way I could ever regress back to wearing even business casual let alone a monkey suit. Can’t get more business casual than typing in the undies.
Hey, be sure to stop by my blog and become a follower.
– Steve Tremp
http://stephentremp.blogspot.com/
I have to keep myself from going out in public dressed in my workclothes–sweatpants and a flannel shirt. I mean, it’s just a quick trip to the drugstore, right? This afternoon I have to man (woman?) the writing studio for Northern Colorado Writers and need to look presentable, even professional. I even have to wear shoes. Bummer!
I admit, I do get dressed when I’m working at home (meaning I change out of my pjs and into slob clothes). Wearing business clothes would not make me write any more or any better.
I agree–get dressed. Yes, PJs are nice sometimes, but I find I get in a rut if I don’t shower and put on some fresh clothes. Helps me feel more business-like when I’m in my office all day.