One of the most-loved perks of remote work? Pajamas all day. But as cozy as it sounds, wearing your sleepwear during work hours might be sabotaging your focus, mood, and motivation.
While no one’s saying you need a suit and tie to answer emails, what you wear while working from home has more psychological impact than you might think.
🧠 What Science Says About Clothing and Mindset
Researchers have studied how clothing affects our cognitive performance — and the results are clear: what we wear shapes how we think.
- A study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science found that wearing formal clothing boosted abstract thinking — a key factor in creative problem-solving.
- The term “enclothed cognition” refers to the way clothes influence psychological processes — including attention, confidence, and performance.
- Another study showed that people who wore lab coats performed better on focus-related tasks — simply because of what the coat symbolized.
😴 Why Pajamas Can Sabotage Your Remote Day
- They signal relaxation, not action. Your brain associates pajamas with sleep or lounging, not performance.
- They blur the work-life boundary. Without a clear visual switch, your day can feel like one long blur.
- They may reduce motivation. Dressing casually can be fine — but dressing sloppily can lead to lower self-regard.
- They impact video presence. Even if you’re off-camera, dressing professionally can shift how you communicate.
👔 What to Wear Instead (Without Losing Comfort)
You don’t need to wear slacks and a blazer — just aim for clothes that are:
- Comfortable but structured (e.g., joggers + clean top)
- Different from what you sleep in
- Easy to move in and clean-looking
- Something you wouldn’t mind being seen in on Zoom
💡 Try the “Zoom Test”: Would you feel confident turning on your camera in what you’re wearing?
👕 Easy “Work-from-Home Uniform” Ideas
| Type | Outfit Example |
|---|---|
| Relaxed Casual | Crewneck sweater + joggers |
| Business Light | Knit polo + stretch chinos |
| Creative Casual | T-shirt + cardigan + dark jeans |
| Sporty Hybrid | Hoodie + compression leggings |
Bonus: Pick a color you like to improve your mood.
Final Thoughts
Comfort matters — but so does mindset. Dressing for the day, even just a little, can give your brain the cue it needs to switch into work mode and set a tone of intention and energy.
So… maybe don’t ditch the pajamas entirely — just save them for after-hours.
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