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The idea of getting dressed up and going somewhere seems really foreign right now. Even when lockdown eased slightly over the Summer, we didn’t get back to full normality or socialisation. There was an occasional meal in a restaurant which felt like a big deal. It was almost a sensory overload with noise, sights and smells we hadn’t encountered for such a long time. Whenever I did socialise it was always in very small groups and never more than between 6 or 8 people at a time. The thought of going to a wedding or large scale event with 100+ people seems quite daunting and I think it’ll take a while after things are under control to get back to a sense of normality in terms of the way life used to be.
Until then you can of course put on a beautiful dress and saunter to the lounge however it’s not quite the same as actually going out and letting your hair down. My gran used to wear her best clothes around the house and I guess later in life you take any opportunity you can to dress up or do things which make you feel good which is a really important point. If wearing loungewear is getting you down or you’re feeling sluggish there’s no reason why you can’t put on something which will make you feel more put together, more elegant or simply make you feel better. If you have a favourite outfit or something that takes you back to a fond memory / occasion / time in your life when things were better than they are right now, put it on whether it’s to sit at the dining table and plough through your emails or on the weekend to create a divide between the week/work days and your normal downtime. Although there’s nowhere to go, you can still dress up and use it as a way of lifting your spirits even if only for a short period of time.
I’m definitely more productive and motivated on the days I put on actual clothes and some light makeup. It doesn’t happen every day but I’d say more often than not on work days I’m starting to make a bit more of an effort. Don’t get me wrong, I still have days where I look truly awful and don’t turn my camera on if I have calls or meetings. I’d say this is most likely to happen on a Friday and I guess it gives that wind down to the weekend feeling. It can happen any day of the week though and at times I relish in not having to be presentable. I know in the future I might not have the choice therefore I’m soaking it up while I can. Some days I really need the structure of having got dressed and put a face on or to strike a clear difference between work/leisure when everything happens in the same space. It’s all about balance and adjusting to suit your mood and mindset. There are days when even if I put a suit on, I still wouldn’t bring my A game and that’s ok. We’re not robots and therefore we don’t churn out the exact same level of productivity or enthusiasm every single day. Some days I can get through loads of work in a short space of time while others I procrastinate even the most basic of tasks as motivation is low. It would be the same in the office but I think it’s important to remember the circumstances we’re living under are truly unique and managing to show up day in, day out when the pattern is the exact same is an achievement in itself.
xo!