<h3>Clothing choices are a critical component of how we think, behave, and interact with others.</h3> In the shift to remote work, some workers kept their office uniform while others picked comfortable home attire. After two years of working from home, there is still no solution for handling the work-from-home dress code.

Work-from-home dress code

Research shows that clothes influence how colleagues perceive each other and can change how employees think or feel about themselves. It is essential that companies and their workers think critically about the office dress code, and get it right. There's now clear guidance that companies, managers, and individual workers should consider in our new hybrid work reality.

Clothing influences how you are perceived

Enclothed cognition describes how clothing and its symbolic associations affect thought and behaviour. Research found that making small changes to one's wardrobe, such as putting on a lab coat in the lab or wearing a power suit in the office can improve attention or increase one's sense of power. Wearing a suit increases testosterone levels and wearing a nurse's uniform increases empathy.

Enclothed cognition

Research shows that home attire consistently improved authenticity and engagement because workers felt more like themselves and were more engaged and productive at work. Clothing needs to be consistent with the setting in which it is worn. The setting of work matters more for work engagement than the content of the work task. Research shows companies don't have to wonder if they need to end the office dress code. Instead, to help workers bring their best selves to work, managers should encourage workers to wear clothes that fit where their work is being completed.

At home attire

If you’re among those who can still work remotely at least part of the time, you need to reconsider your wardrobe.


Stashed ideas

What to wear to maximize productivity when you’re working from home, according to science

Forgoing grooming and commuting gives at-home workers in the US an extra six hours compared to when they went into the office, according to a monthly survey of nearly 4,000 respondents put <a href="https://wfhresearch.com/">together</a> by a group of economists. Half of that extra time goes to more recreational activities, but they spend the other half working.

Giving More Work, From Home

Despite the extra work hours, many workers are reluctant to go back to the office full-time. On average, the 42,000 <a href="https://qz.com/work/1991968/how-covid-19-has-changed-how-we-work/">remote workers</a> polled since July 2020 have said they plan to work from home two days a week even after the pandemic subsidies. Employers are also warming up to a hybrid model in a post-pandemic world. While in 2020 they preferred employees work one day a week from home, they now feel comfortable with up to one and half days.

Don't Wanna Go Back To The Grind

While many employees are no longer wasting time trying to impress colleagues with clean clothes or makeup, they are also worried about losing the natural in-office interactions and social connections that would help them advance. Younger workers in particular said they are concerned working from home might affect whether or not they get a promotion.

Missing The Gossip

Half of time previously spent commuting and getting ready for the office now goes to more work; the other half goes to more free time.

WFH in your PJs adds three hours to your work week

When you work from home, it can be tempting to stay in bed until the very last minute possible. While it’s OK to treat yourself and do this on the odd occasion, wake up at the same time every day.You don’t have to wake up ridiculously early, just set your alarm for whatever time is realistic and works for you.

Wake up at the same time

You need to set boundaries between your life and your work.<ul><li>Avoid logging on as soon as you wake up — unless it’s urgent, your inbox and messages can wait until you’re ready to start working.</li><li>If you can, try not to waste too much time mindlessly scrolling on social media.</li><li>Cut your screen time as much as you can and remember you’ll get plenty of it while you’re working.</li></ul>

Avoid going online first-thing

Go for a walk, do some light yoga, go to the gym, or sign up for an online class.It’s really down to individual choice, but if you can, mix things up so that you don’t become easily bored or complacent.

Exercise

Showering and getting dressed before you start working is key. You’ll feel more confident and focused.It’s tempting to roll out of bed and sit at your desk, but before you know it, it’ll be noon and you’ll have to dash off to get ready for your video call. Don’t do this, save yourself the stress!

Shower and get dressed

Have your coffee, tea, or whatever but make sure you hydrate yourself both at breakfast and during the rest of your day.Consider getting organized and preparing your breakfast the night before. Overnight oats are a deliciously healthy option.It’s easy to stuff yourself with chocolate biscuits and crisps when you’re working from home but try and keep a balanced diet. Your mind and body will thank you.

Have breakfast

Set some time aside every morning to do some household chores. This will help you feel more productive before you start working and you’ll be less distracted by the possibility of tidying or cleaning while you’re sitting at your desk.Be time-efficient and set an alarm on your phone to avoid getting carried away. Do whatever you have time for and then stop.

House chores

Start your day with something that makes you happy. <ul><li>You could, for example, listen to music while you’re doing some housework.</li><li>Catch up with your favorite podcast and get yourself into the zone.</li></ul>Enjoying some time to yourself before your work begins will make you feel more at ease.

Listen to music or a podcast

<ul><li>Go through your to-do list and set realistic goals for the day.</li><li>Think about what needs to happen for you to achieve your goals and set yourself a clear strategy.</li><li>Try and keep the list short, though, otherwise, you’ll likely feel overwhelmed. Try and stick to a maximum of five goals.</li></ul>

Set your goals for the day

In order to meet those realistic goals you set for the day, make sure distractions like social media and push notifications don’t get a hold of you.Don’t set a vague goal like “I will drastically cut my screen time.” Instead, focus on things like “I will watch one episode of Succession per day,” or ‘I will scroll through Instagram for 15 minutes before I start my work.”

Limit your screentime and distractions

Limit the number of decisions you have to make in the morning.Prepare as much as you can the night before: set out your clothes, think about what you want to have for breakfast, or lunch. Batch cook if you can.The less time you spend on making trivial decisions, the more time you’ll have to spend on things that matter to you and make you happy.

Golden tidbit

Working from home? Here are 9 tips to perfect your morning routine to help you feel better throughout the day. Thank us later.

9 tips to perfect your ‘working from home’ morning routine

Before many office workers transitioned to remote arrangements, the thought of working from home sounded like a dream. Who doesn’t love the idea of ditching the commute and staying in your sweats? But those of us who have been working from home for years know the reality, and it isn’t always as stress-free as it sounds.
Loneliness, isolation, distractions, and Zoom fatigue are real, and they are challenges to overcome.
Effectively working from home involves five habits as below.

The Challenges Of WFH

If you must utilize more than one workspace in your home, establish the same environment, such as a pad of paper, photo, or inspirational quote, in each location every day. 
Repeating the set-up tells your brain that work is “on,” and the visual cue of returning to the same orchestrated workspace over and over will give you a sense of power.

Set The Stage

Address the “garbage work” that fills our day, like emails, meetings, protocols, and paperwork that drain the critical capacity of work-from-home teams. 
These low-value activities can become a barrier to getting to the important and meaningful aspects of your work, and reducing the burden requires a shift in mindset and language.

Ignore Low-Value Activities

Have a reductive mindset, where it becomes second nature to get rid of unnecessary things. Developing a reductive mindset means you adopt a habit—a reflex, tendency, effortless first inclination—to eliminate, or cut the unnecessary.
We must dismantle the additive instincts most companies and professionals have developed.

The Reductive Mindset

Taking breaks during the day is popular advice, but knowing when and for how long can be confusing. For example, the Energy Project tells you to follow the circadian rhythm of your body and take a break every 90 minutes, while the Pomodoro Technique suggests taking a break every 21 minutes.
Timed breaks don’t always fit well with your work. A more intuitive model suggests paying attention to your individual internal cues.

White Space: The Breaks In Between

Your inbox can derail your productivity if you let it. Instead of keeping the gateway to your email open all day long, productive people decide when they indulge and when they abstain from email.You can check at the top of every hour, for instance, or at the top and bottom of every hour. Some people check at mealtimes. Such a purposeful, periodic schedule creates vacuums between email checks into which your truly deep work can flow.

Set Aside Time For Email In Intervals

Productivity can hinge on compartmentalization, which is a vital habit of work-from-home professionals. Anytime you can put something in a box, literally or figuratively, it helps you focus.Email checking is compartmentalization. The paper anchor is compartmentalization.Use this concept to end your day visually by opening a literal compartment, such as a drawer or a cabinet, and placing all of your work-related items inside. Tuck them in and clock out.

A Clocking Out Ritual

Effective remote work involves these five habits, which prevent feelings of burnout and isolation.


5 habits of people who are especially productive working from home

Keeping your nutrition in check can be tough when your home is your office. You feel comfortable and there’s plenty of food available. 
And unlike in the office, you’re free to graze all day and the fridge is all yours. But this habit can wreak havoc on your waistline, sabotage weight loss and halt your productivity.

Work From Home And Nutrition

Try to set up your desk in an area that’s not near the kitchen. You might be tempted to wander over and check the fridge if it’s constantly in your line of vision. 
Decide that the only time you’ll be in your kitchen during the workday is when you’re getting ready to have a planned snack or meal. If this is hard to follow, hang a sign on your fridge and pantry to remind you that the kitchen is closed until the next scheduled meal or snack.

Don't Work Near The Kitchen

Just as you schedule and plan out the rest of your day (get up, workout, shower), establish when throughout the day you’re going to eat. If you know you like to eat lunch around noon, plan for that. 
And if you like to have a snack in the late afternoon, plan for that as well. Treat food like you would in the office. You can’t be grazing all day long when you’re there – so act the same way at home.

Plan Your Snack and Meal Times

Once you hit the ground running, err, working, it can be hard to take a break to actually eat. But it’s important to know your hunger signs and realize that not eating can affect your alertness and productivity. 
Plus, eating throughout the day can save you from being a big hangry mess once 5 o’clock rolls around. If needed, set an alarm on your phone to remind you to get up and eat something.

Make Sure You Eat

There’s something freeing about being able to whip up whatever you want to eat for lunch (and not having to stand in line for the work microwave is a huge bonus). 
But for some people, the freedom is too much, especially when it comes to weekday lunches. If you can, try to meal prep your lunches ahead of time, just like you would on days you physically go to work.

Make Your Meals

Balanced, nutritious food makes us more productive. It keeps us fuller longer and helps us focus. Understand that what you eat will impact your mood and energy level. 
Think about this the next time you’re feeling hungry and just want to grab a handful of chocolate from the pantry. Focus on protein, fiber, healthy fats, fruits and veggies.

Eat Real Food

Dehydration can lead to headaches and fatigue, which are both not good for your productivity. 
Just as you’d fill up a water bottle at the office to keep at your desk, keep water next to your work station at home too. If you have water readily available, chances are you’re more likely to drink it, helping you reach your goal of at least 64 ounces per day.

Drink Water

Having access to endless cups of coffee might seem like a great idea, but tread carefully when it comes to caffeine. Too much is known to cause headaches, anxiety, digestive issues and even fatigue – none of which are ever good, but particularly not good when you’re trying to work. 
Aim for no more than two cups of coffee per day to avoid the jittery feeling and avoid flavored creamers and other high calorie add-ins!

Limit Your Caffeine Intake

Don’t stock your fridge or pantry like a vending machine. This can lead to eating just because you can! 
Try you best to keep junk food out of your house, especially foods you know can trigger a binge for you. Out of sight, out of mind.

Don't Buy Junk Food

You might be tempted to continue working through your lunch break now that your co-workers aren’t physically there. But don’t do it! Being distracted during a meal can lead to over-eating and decreased satiety (satisfaction and fullness) from the meal. 
Instead, take a break from work to sit down at a table to enjoy your lunch and relax for a few minutes. You’ll enjoy the meal more, and it may even help you feel more prepared for the rest of your work day.

Just Eat While Eating

Never eat out of the bag or original container, as it’s much harder to control portions that way. Check the serving size on the container if you need extra guidance. 
For meals, try the healthy plate method: Fill half a 9-inch plate with non-starchy vegetables, one-fourth the plate with a lean protein (poultry, seafood, beans, eggs, tofu, cottage cheese or Greek yogurt) and one-fourth the plate with a high fiber carbohydrate (fruit, whole grains or starchy vegetables).

The Right Portion

Keeping your nutrition in check can be tough when your home is your office. A dietitian discusses strategies for eating healthy while working from home.

What to wear to maximize productivity when you’re working from home, according to science

WFH in your PJs adds three hours to your work week

9 tips to perfect your ‘working from home’ morning routine

5 habits of people who are especially productive working from home

10 Tips for Eating Healthy When You’re Working From Home

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