Working from home most of the time these days, means that it’s easy to get into a dressing rut. I mean no one else is going to see me. I don’t have to wear suits. Don’t have to wear make-up. Don’t even need to make sure that my clothes match.
Unless I want to.
I realized very quickly that in this new lifestyle as a consultant – getting dressed first thing in the morning is important. Walking into my office is walking into my job and I should treat it as such. Besides, being dressed early means that I am prepared for whatever the day brings – an impromptu invitation or opportunity doesn’t phase me because I’m ready to go.
So while I may not dress as fancily as I did when I was going to an external office, I do make sure everything is pressed and matches.
Recently I decided to do what I used to do when I was working in an outside firm by putting on earrings to match my clothes. Have to be coordinated (or “coORdin-ated” as the comic John Witherspoon intones).
I put on my pearl drop earrings and wore them all day on Tuesday, (They aren’t real pearls but they are really nice imitation ones that I purchased from the Museum of Fine Art-Boston a few years back…on sale.)
- Why should they (and my other jewelry) languish in my dresser?
- Why shouldn’t I make more of an effort to look saucily self-employed?
- Why would I dress better for the eyes of others than for my very own eyes?
- Who deserves to wear pearl earrings “just because” more than me?
I swear this is having a positive impact on my work because I’m working with more vigor and creativity.
Another “pick-up-your-power-and-use-it* lesson learned!
(*if you search this blog there’s an earlier entry titled “Pick up Your Power and Use it!” that you might also like.)