Do You Dress for "Work?"

[Elizabeth Ann West]

I am a stay at home Mom and part-time writer. I guess really I could describe my writing as a profitable hobby. I am working on changing that as my daughter is getting older and more self-entertained.

One new goal I have is a combination from various aspects of my life, but essentially ties "Reclaiming my pre-baby life" and "Dressing to be Productive." In other words, I am actively dressing for my day. If it is a day I will concentrate on writing, I try to dress business casual. If it's clean the bathroom day, then sweatpants and a grubby T-shirt work. I am trying to stay away from some bad habits I've developed from my daughter's spit up days. I really didn't realize how little I was caring about my appearance until my husband described my day as "hanging out in PJ's all day."

Anyone else have ways to keep focus on writing/keeping up professionalism to improve productivity?

[4rumid]

My only rule as a freelancer is "No PJs." Other than that, if the sweats I'm wearing aren't ripped, I'm doing pretty well.

[Antonia]

I do like to get dressed every day, although I tend to dress pretty casually no matter what I'm doing. One thing that really helps me as a freelancer is having a designated space for work. Since I'm a working nomad, that space changes, but as long as I have a desk and some privacy I can be productive. I really like my work space at the moment: a room at the top of the house where nobody else goes, a coffee table just big enough to set up my laptop, huge bookshelf on the facing wall, reclining couch for when I need a break, wide windows with plenty of natural light.

Oh, RescueTime is a good productivity app for tracking your computer usage. It's free and runs in the background.

[eek]

Clothing does seem to affect my frame of mind, so I make a point to choose something that feels somewhat professional first thing in the morning - but it's business-casual-Friday every day for me. Besides, we live in an area where friends and neighbors tend to stop by without calling first. And it's just not cool to be in PJs when that happens.

When I was in high school, my dad required my sister and I to wear a dress or skirt 3 days of the week, even though the unspoken dress code at our small town school was jeans and t-shirts. It was mortifying, and bless his heart, I don't think he ever understood how we felt because we just didn't talk back to Dad. His reasoning was that if we dressed more formally, we'd be in a good mindset for learning. Our grades were high, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't due to wearing skirts. Gratefully, there were no mean-spirited kids in the school, and the only comment I ever heard was from another girl who said she thought we were "classy".

And I have to agree with Antonia that the work area is also key - cup of coffee, daylight, privacy ... we're not hard to please.

[Celeste Stewart]

Having worked from home for ten years now, I know that dressing for work has a pyschological effect too. Right now, I'm in my jammies with a cup of coffee checking the forum and my email but NOT working. Once I shower and get dressed, I'll be ready to actually go to work. My clothes and shoes subtly signal my brain that it's time for business. The same is true after work. Changing into more comfortable clothes or performing some sort of 'end of work' ritual helps signal that work is over.

I do well with the first part, but the end of work ritual still gets me. When you have a regular job, you shut down your computer, close the office door, lock it behind you, and drive home. This ritual eases you back into your personal world. Working from home, you don't have that transition. Taking my shoes off at the end of the day is one thing that I do to try to ease by way out of work mode.

[KinsleyRoyale]

I have no problem writing in my bathrobe. I write when the spirit moves me. I often don't shower until noon or even later (before i have to pick up my kids). But sometimes I dress first thing. Depends on what else is going on because I have a few other things on the go.

I'm interested to hear who others are writing for to keep them locked in their room all day.

[Lysis]

I shamefully (or not ) work in my bra and panties. I really hate clothing. xD

[Debbi]

I unashamedly work in my pj's. My brain works better when I am as comfortable as possible.

[isande]

A lot of it depends on your background, I think. People who spent a lot of time in a W-2 job before going freelance probably (usually) have strong associations between getting fully dressed and working.

I've been working from home in various capacities for a long time (punctuated with a couple of short stints at W-2 jobs) so there's not much of an association there for me. I was also homeschooled (and my parents didn't make me get dressed for that) and never went to college so I have no real association between being dressed and being productive. I normally work on a sort-of schedule... 6 hours a day, 6 days a week (I don't take breaks) but I don't have a specific start time.. just "before noon". (Right now, I'm extremely part time because my husband is finishing off his degree and I've taken over the housework and kiddo-care temporarily... I'll be back to full time over the summer and then again permanently after the fall/winter semester.

I do have to shower before I start working or I feel too grungy to concentrate. I definitely work better in comfy clothes, but it's way too hot where I live (even during the "winter") for sweats, so I wear yoga pants and a black t-shirt (or a tank top in the summer). On the other hand, that's what I wear when I go out too, except that I add a bra before I leave the house I'd rather be barefoot inside but the duplex I've lived in for the last few years has ceramic tile floors and my bare feet hate them.

I transition out of work pretty easily, but as I said, I've been working out of my home for many years. I just take 15 minutes at the end of the work day to goof off on the computer doing non-writing-related stuff and my head is clear after that.

Peggy

[jadedragon]

There is too much information in this thread now.

[Debbi]

I wondr if there's an article out there with interviews of famous writers about what they wear when they write. If anyone stumbles across one online, please post it here

[Antonia]

oooh, that would be a fun one to write!

[Debbi]

Go for it, Antonia! You could probably find some contacts through HARO

[Antonia]

oh, how well you know me, Debbi