Does Dressing Affect our Productivity?

February 05, 2020 6 Comments

Last week I went for a business meeting. What stood out for me wasn’t the meeting itself, but how I felt throughout the day. I ended up being quite productive and was noticeably more relaxed in the evening. My mind went, “Oh, that was a nice day”, but my intuition prompted, “Look further”.

What was different about that day? I wanted to replicate that feeling for always. And here’s one of the things I pondered on, and what I’ve decided to test out for myself this week.

One major thing different that day was the dressing. I was formally dressed.

Since leaving paid employment years back & taking up the entrepreneurial life, my work dress code had changed over time. I mean, what’s the point in dressing up to go to the store, warehouse, or office for a shop that’s online anyway🤷🏻‍♀️? And so I gradually became extremely relaxed in my wardrobe.

Is it possible that there’s a correlation between dressing & productivity. There certainly is between how you’re dressed & how you’re addressed, or perceived. Except if you’re a very well-known Dangote, of course…I think no matter how he is dressed, he will be no differently addressed.

I decided to find out more and though there are mixed opinions on the topic online, here’s what I found that made me decide to test out the theory for a week:

  • There are studies showing that people tend to adopt the characteristics associated with for-purpose garments. That is, when we put on specific clothes (exercise wear, weekend clothes, formal clothes, etc.), we prime the brain to behave in ways consistent with what the garments represent.
  • Secondly, ever notice how those that work in “millennial-y” work environments that promote relaxed work wear never seem to shut off from work? And it’s not only millennials working in those environments nowadays – increasingly we all are. And we’re all getting burnt out. Why? One of the characteristics of these environments is that it promotes casual dressing. Could it be that because there’s no marked delineation transitioning from work to home (usually occasioned by a change of clothing type), the brain doesn’t shut off from work mode? So we continue with work on our devices responding to Business DMs, work emails, & the like. Any wonder we’re burnt out?
  • Might be rambling…What do you think?
And what about you? Have you found your productivity to be directly related to how you dress? What are your rituals for getting out of work mode?



6 Responses

ZiBEuPDvgt
ZiBEuPDvgt

December 09, 2020

eNxnFWBz

tlWypKqAZvG
tlWypKqAZvG

December 09, 2020

RKDoYHTMPfU

xeSwkDHGVlLhIt
xeSwkDHGVlLhIt

December 08, 2020

QnTAGrcozEaYyd

tBuiOwTrfEP
tBuiOwTrfEP

December 08, 2020

AlqzMWwS

fnGrxgWtJkdzcKH
fnGrxgWtJkdzcKH

November 05, 2020

KTJskQhHpBqnGMd

cITzYLDyGBe
cITzYLDyGBe

November 05, 2020

PGRKeHNQDfUku

Leave a comment


Also in The Organized Lifestyle

How I Determine the Amounts of Chicken, Fish, and Goat Meat for my Grocery List

March 28, 2019 1 Comment

The Basics:

Chicken: I favor the size XL or L as sold by Chi Shoppe. This is not to say I buy my chicken only from Chi Shoppe. This is just to give you an idea of the chicken size I buy since I don’t really take note of the weight marking. It's a see, feel, buy sort of thing. That’s the size I would eyeball and get at any shop I go to.

View full article →

How a Meal Plan & Grocery List Keeps You in Control

March 22, 2019

“What are we eating?” had become a magnified PLUS Button on my stress level control. I was focused on so many things at the time and my stress tank had maxed out.From the deep crevices of my tired brain, I’d decide on a meal, only for us to realize we didn’t have the prepping ingredients. In the middle of this stressfu...

View full article →