Cozy + Home + Hibernation = pjs all day. Right?
Well, most of us have read a study or two around changing out of our pajamas & productivity.
Here are two studies/stories/advice, just in case you need a little motivation:
What Happens When You Wear PJs All Day, According to a Psychologist (Favorite Line: “Wearing pajamas all day and not sticking with our usual schedules for work could cause a disruption in our internal biological clock and lead to sleep problems, along with low energy and moodiness,” says Dr. Dragonette. “All of these symptoms can lead to mental health problems down the road.”)
Why You Shouldn't Stay In Your PJ's All Day (Favorite Line: "To avoid the above, set your alarm for the same time everyday and stick to it. Get dressed as soon as you get up to avoid staying in your sleepwear too long, brush you hair and spritz on your favourite scent to get you mentally prepared for work, even if it is just from your sofa!") *And there is always the option of wearing super snazzy PJs all day - Pajamas are the new sweatpants.
Anywaysssss.....the studies are clear: changing out of your jama-jams is critical for a productive day at work.
And the studies make...err...made all the sense in the world to me. When I "worked" from home.
I worked as a Recruiter and so often took my calls walking around, or dodging in and out of cafes. And then there was the Zoom meetings and the deadlines and so being dressed for productivity made all the sense.
However, now my days consist of the steady rhythm of books, dirt, coffee, cuddles, art, flour, and tea. There are days on end that I don’t see the inside of a car. And I don't have any looming deadlines or any particular reason to be "productive." And although I’ve always been a sweatshirt gal, I typically paired the sweatshirts with tight high rise jeans, painted nails, and my hair in loose styles or a high bun.
Nonetheless, in this season, that outfit doesn’t feel as comfortable at all. The sweatshirt gets hot, the short sleeves get me eaten or are too cold, the jeans slide down or feel too tight as I move around throughout my day.
Pause.
Auggghhh Ha! Now, I get the utility of overalls.
And my fingernails… oh my hands and feet. As I write this, my hands are so itchy. I’m pretty sure one of my sweet plants or the soil that I was happily digging in (WITHOUT MY GLOVES - rookie mistake😏) caused me a reaction. And this is in addition, to whatever the heck attacked my right arm causing an eczema flare-up that looks like I got into a fight with a vicious feline that scratched and bruised me raw. But I LOVE this life. I love my little cottage, farmhouse, urban oasis - whatever you want to call it. And the rhythm suits me well, but... the clothes...oh the clothes. I have no reason to wear anything but PJs or a constant rotation of sweats.
SIDENOTE: Yo! The following article is so fun & includes an interactive quiz (from 2017): How Long Can You Reasonably Stay In Your Pajamas? (spoiler alert: forever? forever ever? forever ever.)
Now, hear me. I bathe daily and would theoretically change my PJs daily if I wore them all day. So, we aren't talking about wearing the same set of unwashed pjs (risking staph) day in and day out for multiple days in a row. (Although, if you do - that's your business (Tabitha Brown voice) and I ain't judging, BUT I suggest you click here: 8 Gross Reasons To Never, Ever Wear The Same PJs 2 Days In A Row).
Annnnd y'all, it's not just my daily activities that lure me into the "PJs all day" life. Most days, in this season, I am burning the midnight oil and then scrambling to get on my feet before school starts.
And so when the rooster crows (like for real - for real, my neighbors have a rooster that cock-a-doodle-dos in the mornings), I stumble out of bed and my day starts rolling before my body feels ready to change into real clothes.
And so there you have it... in winter 2021, there's no logical reason why I change out of my PJs/sweats in my day-to-day. In truth, if I lived solo or had the house to myself during the day, I would roll out of bed, do my hygiene routine, have my cups of jo, and float between workboots, apron, and planting GLOVES. That's right, friends, at 37-years old, you can sign me up for a muumuu. Hopefully, one that's fair trade, ethically and sustainably made, and easy on my Eczema.
Nevertheless, here's to a new appreciation for the functionality of overalls, muumuus, and housecoats.
Polepole, Friends.
Shelby