While working from home and sheltering in place, it can be easy to forego effort in your appearance, but this can negatively impact your mood and productivity. Here are three ways to make yourself feel more put together while working from home so you can maintain your sanity and improve your overall well-being.
Maintain your morning routine
“It’s important to stick to your routine as closely as you did before because our brains run in patterns and have associations with what we wear and what we do,” says Psychotherapist Teralyn Sell.
As someone who has worked from home for years, I have always made it a priority to get dressed in the morning, however prior to the pandemic, I would usually take daily outings either to grab groceries, take an exercise class, or meet up with other people. That routine drastically changed when covid hit, as did my routine. While I still got up and got dressed, I stopped putting on makeup or doing my hair. This was nice for a while, but months into the pandemic, I started missing the methodical routine of getting ready in the morning. I adjusted my routine to a much more relaxed version, but swiping on a little mascara and putting a bit of effort into my hair has made a big difference on my mood, and even my productivity! When you want to make yourself feel more put together while working from home, consider your old morning routine, and how you can integrate aspects of that into your new daily schedule.
Get dressed
When you want to make yourself feel more put together while working from home, get dressed in the morning. The simplest reason why you should get dressed every morning during the pandemic is that clothing affects your ability to communicate and can increase your confidence levels. It’s important to maintain some semblance of normalcy amidst very uncertain times. Getting dressed will help you maintain a routine (even if it’s a very relaxed routine), and will help you start your day with an accomplishment. Even though it might seem trivial, getting out of bed, getting ready, and putting on a fresh set of clothes are all accomplishments that you can check off your daily to-do list. During a time when we’re all trying to navigate this new normal, it’s important to acknowledge even the smallest accomplishments.
Create a workspace that makes you happy
Aside from your routine, one way to make yourself feel more put together while working from home is to fix up your workspace. Creating a space that makes you happy will help you feel better overall, and will help you feel more productive. Consider getting a matching desk set to pull together your space, or try working outside for a mood boost! (Scientific reports show that spending less than 20 minutes a day outside can benefit your health and well-being.)
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Everyone is facing different challenges amidst the pandemic, but your mental health and overall well-being should be a priority. If you feel like you need a little boost of confidence, consider these three ways to make yourself feel more put together while working from home.