Why Telecommuters Should Get Dressed for Work

Updated April 28, 2023

Have you ever wondered as a remote worker why telecommuters should get dressed for work? While working remotely is a great way to earn a living from the comfort of your own home, those of us who have been telecommuting for years know that it’s not at all about watching daytime television and eating bon-bons. The world has come a long way since the days we would regularly get comments from friends saying how nice it must be to sit at home in our sweats, eat Cheetos all day, and get paid. People might have thought that many years ago, but since studies have shown the positive impact that working remotely has on our productivity, many people’s views about telecommuting have finally changed.

The truth is the vast majority of remote workers don’t sit around in our pajamas all day. In fact, we don’t even wear them part of the day. Even though we are working from home, we get dressed for work. You might be thinking why telecommuters should get dressed for work. After all, isn’t a benefit of working from home being in your jammies all day? Not from where we sit.

Here are five reasons why telecommuters should get dressed for work:

1. It Makes You Feel Good

If you wear sweats and let your hair run wild, you’ll feel frumpy, which can affect your performance. Think about it — when you dress nicely it helps you feel good about yourself. When you feel good about yourself, your positive outlook will naturally translate into your work attitude. When you have a good work attitude, it will be reflected in the quality of your work. And who doesn’t want to feel good and do good work?!

2. It Increases Productivity

As mentioned above, an important element that contributes to productivity is attitude. When you feel good about yourself, you are more productive at your job. When you don’t take care of yourself or your appearance, it will have an impact on your attitude. You may start to feel sluggish, which will affect your quality of work. When you’re dressed, you’re sending a message to your subconscious that you’re ready to go.

3. It Establishes a Routine

While routines may feel like the quickest way to kill creativity and innovation, nothing could be further from the truth. Routines eliminate wasting time and energy on accomplishing basic tasks. Having a routine can also reduce stress and anxiety, improve productivity and focus, create a sense of stability and control, and promote good habits and self-discipline. The routine of getting up, taking a shower, doing your hair, and getting dressed prepares you for the day ahead.

4. It Reinforces the “Dress for Success” Concept

We’ve all heard the advice about dressing for the job we want, not the job we have. How you dress helps determine your mindset, so whether you’re a janitor or a CEO, you should always dress for the job you want. But some of the most successful CEOs have worn their own “uniform” of a black mock turtleneck and jeans every day so they could focus on the more important stuff.

5. It Prepares You for Impromptu Video Conferences

There’s nothing more embarrassing when you work at home than having your boss ask you for a video meeting and not being prepared. You don’t want to ask for a minute to go change your clothes because you’re not dressed properly. Showing your boss you are prepared for the unexpected is valuable when working from home. Video conferences are the only way your supervisor has to make an impression of you in a visual way. There’s no reason you can’t wear comfortable, work appropriate clothes. This way you won’t feel nervous about being caught in your PJs on camera.

Getting dressed for remote work can have a significant impact on your overall productivity, mood, and well-being. By following a routine and putting on work clothes, you can create a clear boundary between work and leisure time, boost your self-confidence, and set yourself up for a successful and productive day. That doesn’t mean you have to give up your yoga pants in you’re planning on working out at lunchtime or that you have to go back to wearing hard pants! But linen pants and a blouse can be just as comfortable and make you feel like the high-performing employee you are — which is one of the best reasons why telecommuters should get dressed for work. So next time you log on to your computer for remote work, take a few extra minutes to dress for success!

Feeling good about yourself and taking pride in your appearance every day translates into your greater productivity at work. Do you get ready for work every day or roll right out of bed to start your day in the home office? Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to tell us. We’d love to hear from you!