Science suggests that dressing up for work improves performance, yet amidst a slew of stress inducing tension in the world, rallying to get ready in the morning has become a difficult task for many of us. With that in mind, I wanted to discuss how clothing affects your confidence and how you can use it to boost your mood during trying times.
According to studies done in the UK, only one out of 10 employees actually wears a suit to work, and the numbers are likely similar in the US. Many people love the rising trend of business casual dress codes in the office, however science suggests that dressing up for work improves performance. You may love wearing jeans to the office, but these statistics might make you rethink your daily outfit choices, or at the very least complete your outfit with a blazer. Given that many people are still working from home 100% of the time, work attire has become even more casual to the point that many people are staying in pajamas for work, however this might not be very beneficial to productivity.
Formal business attire increases abstract thinking abilities
This is thought to be related to feeling more powerful when wearing formal business attire. A paper in Social Psychological and Personality Science suggested that subjects did better with abstract thinking and strategizing when they were dressed up. The saying goes, “dress for the job you want, not the job you have,” and it turns out that there’s some science behind that statement!
I talk a lot about how feeling confident in what you’re wearing improves your capabilities, and the data goes hand in hand with this belief. When you begin to feel more confident in yourself, you’ll likely push yourself to accomplish more and put your best foot forward. This will benefit you in your career, but also in every other aspect of your life.
Dressing up improves your ability to negotiate
Again, this probably stems from feeling powerful in better clothing. Subjects were asked to wear casual clothing, sweats, and suits, then were placed in a negotiation game. The ones who dressed up secured more profitable deals than the other two groups.
This is why it’s always important to dress up for a phone interview or phone meeting. If you want to be at the top of your game, it’s important to dress well in order to put yourself in the right mindset. If you’re in pajamas, it will likely be harder for you to focus. When working from home, it’s understandable that people want to be comfortable, but consider changing out of pajamas to increase productivity. There’s no need to put on full work attire, however putting on a nice top, or even changing from pajamas into activewear can benefit your productivity. When working from home, it is important to continue to execute deliverables as required, and wearing the same pair of pajamas 24/7 might hinder your ability to work effectively.
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Wearing sweatpants while working from home has become the norm during the pandemic, and many people will argue that wearing more casual clothing makes them more comfortable and therefor more productive. On the other hand, science suggests that dressing up for work improves performance, so it might be worth your while to strike a balance between the two concepts. Whether it’s something as small as putting on a blazer or nice shoes, wearing clothing that makes you feel more confident and more powerful will help keep up your motivation and productivity, even amidst trying times.
You don’t have to consistently opt for business formal clothing (some offices might discourage it) but consider dressing up for a big meeting or event (even if it’s virtual!) to ensure that you are giving your best effort.