Work from Home Success Program – clothes for home working

Module 1 Part 5 Clothes for home working

The last three parts of Module 1 consist of lifestyle tips to make sure you’re fit, healthy and confident while home working. We start with that ever-popular topic, what to wear when you work from home.

It’s important because your clothes for home working have a huge effect on your mood and your confidence. And it’s not just me saying that! I recently interviewed a business psychologist for an article for The Guardian called Is working at home in your pyjamas bad for business? and she confirmed it.

Since making the podcast I’ve come across a couple of home workers who say they work in pyjamas, but I think more of us are guilty of wearing old, sloppy clothes long past their best.

I have to admit I have trouble letting old favourites go, wearing jeans and linen shirts until they have holes in. Do you have a weakness for lived-in garments?

The other day I was chatting to a business owner who’s been so successful she’s on the point of moving out of her home office and getting premises. She told me that when she had a tricky phone call to make she got dressed up as though she was going to a top level meeting because it gave her the confidence to say what she needed to say in an assertive way.

In the podcast I mention the writer who has different pairs of glasses for different jobs – use whatever props work for you!

Years ago a friend of A gave me a colour consultation and took me shopping, and I’ve had so much benefit from it ever since. She also explained what style of clothes suits me best (so obvious when you know!) and it’s saved me lots of disappointment, not to mention time and money.

I’ve written before how easy it is to fall into an inferiority complex when you work from home, and this applies to clothes as well.

I know that when I go up to London I tend to think everyone is going to be super-smart, but that’s not generally the case. In fact they are often much more casual than I’m expecting. We think people who work in offices are suited and booted, while they imagine we’re all slobbing out in pyjamas, when actually we probably wear much the same clothes!

And the podcast ends with the subject we’ll all too soon be thinking about – how to stay warm in the home office. Once autumn starts nipping round your toes don’t forget our reviews of cost-effective and environmentally-friendly ways to keep warm at the keyboard.