Social distancing is increasingly becoming a keyword in our modern society, especially since the spread of COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, has become more and more prevalent within the United States. Due to this, many colleges across the country are moving to an online format, going completely digital and moving toward video conferencing to complete lectures, class discussions and participation. This can lead to you wearing sweatpants and pajamas to your classes every day, but many people who regularly work from home swear that getting dressed for work, even if you work from home, aids in productivity and getting in the mindset for completing actual work. That being said, this doesn’t mean that you have to put on your best clothes and outfits that are meant for the office, it simply means that you should change your outfit into something that is productive, yet comfortable—the simple act of changing outfits aids in improving workflow, leading to a more fruitful and successful day.
Getting dressed for class while working from home allows you to try out new styles and outfits that you may not be quite comfortable wearing out in public. It allows you to immerse yourself into a new style and see how you like it and if it works well with your typical workflow and routine for classes. It also lets you wear those clothes that are sitting in the back of your closet that you haven’t worn in a while or haven’t worn at all to see if you like them, as well as experiment with the fit before you wear them for the general public.
An article from Quartz states that getting dressed for business makes employees feel more powerful and capable. Another states that having a dress code while working from home allows you to be able to set boundaries between your work or school and personal life. It also allows you to maintain a more professional perception, as well as allowing you to be more focused on your work
Getting dressed while working from home and attending classes from home also gives you the freedom to wear whatever the f*ck you want. That prom dress from high school? Wear it. A sweater your grandma made you that you adore the sentimentality of, but doesn’t quite go with your style? Go for it. You can literally wear whatever you want. Drew Millard, who regularly works from home, changes outfits multiple times a day while working from home, with the goal of dressing like a lunatic in order to fight the monotony and stimulate his productivity. I mean, why not? At the end of the day, nobody cares now that everything has been switched to online and the likelihood that you run into any of these people after the semester is over is slim to none. And how likely are they to remember an outfit you wore while working from home. You might as well make the most out of a bad situation.
The point is, you should make an effort to get dressed while attending online classes. Whether you want to dress in more professional attire or change into your wackiest outfit, getting out of bed and changing clothes aids in boosting productivity and can add something more to your daily workflow.