Why you should change out of your PJs before heading to your home office

01 April 2020 - 10:27 By Thango Ntwasa and Toni Jaye Singer
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Pyjama-inspired two-piece suits are trending.
Pyjama-inspired two-piece suits are trending.
Image: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

While it's tempting to spend the rest of the national lockdown in your pyjamas, doing so might not be the best idea if you're working from home — and not just because your colleagues might surprise you with an impromptu video call.

Here are three reasons you should change out of your sleepwear before “commuting” to your home office:

1. IT MAY HELP KEEP STRESS AT BAY

Feeling a lack of control in uncertain times can lead to stress and anxiety, says Prof Carolyn Mair, author of The Psychology of Fashion, in an interview on Today.com.

Following your regular routine, like getting dressed in the mornings, will help you maintain a sense of control and add a degree of normality to your day, she adds.

Jumpsuits are a comfy pyjama substitute for working from home.
Jumpsuits are a comfy pyjama substitute for working from home.
Image: Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images

2. IT GETS YOU IN THE RIGHT MINDSET

Balancing your work and personal lives may have been tricky before the lockdown, but it's near impossible now that the lines are totally blurred. Getting dressed for the start of your workday, and changing at the end of it, may help you to mentally separate “home” from “office”. 

Getting dressed can also kick your brain into work mode. As fashion psychologist Dawnn Karen told Bustle“We associate each place and each role in our lives with a uniform ... It’s typically hard for us to feel productive in PJs because the uniform of PJs is not associated with productivity.”

3. IT GIVES YOU THE CHANCE TO EXPERIMENT

Chances are your company's strict dress code has gone out the window as everyone telecommutes from home. Now's the time to push those uptight suits to the back of your wardrobe and wear something a little more playful, and a whole lot more comfortable. 

Try these ideas:

Pyjama party: Just because you have to get out of one set of PJs doesn’t mean you can’t wear another. Two-piece matching pyjama-inspired outfits are as elegant as they are easy to wear. Worried your less fashionable colleagues won't be able to tell the difference? Simply pop on a blazer for those Skype calls.

Keep up with the Kardashians: No family has embraced the athleisure trend quite like the Kardashian-Jenner clan. For a look that says “sports luxe” rather than “I'm off to the gym”, follow their lead by donning light layers in a single colour palette head-to-toe. A pair of co-ordinating sneakers is the perfect finishing touch.

Jump to it: If “comfort” was an object of clothing, it would probably be a jumpsuit. Those with sharp collars are ideal for a professional look, but you can always layer sleeveless varieties over a T-shirt or blouse to give them a more corporate feel. 


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