Tag Archives: working from home

Our Favorite Holiday is coming! National Wear your Pajama’s to Work Day!

Nowadays wearing your pajamas to work can be an everyday occurrence for those that still have the luxury of working remotely. For those whose employers require their presence back in the office or workplace, there’s one day out of the year where you can flashback to the good old days (a couple of years ago) where you can once again work in your pajamas. This year, on Tuesday, April 19th, go back in time to when working in your most comfortable clothes is once again allowed.

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And since our favorite thing here at The Pajama Company is – well – pajamas, we’re experts at making sure you get the most of the best national holiday ever!

To begin with, consider where you work. You are no longer in your home office or at your dining room table. Coworkers and customers will be present so make your pajama-style decision based on who you will be with and what’s acceptable. If your workplace leans to the laid-back side, you can probably be a little more casual with your choice. Otherwise think conservative.You should also think about the weather. After all, in many parts of the country it can still be pretty cold in mid-April so dress accordingly.

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A fun way to make sure that you stay warm on a cooler day is to use an accessory like a bathrobe as a coat as opposed to your normal jacket. We do suggest wearing regular shoes from home to work and or course, sneakers are a great look with pj’s. If  you’re going all-in bring your slippers along to change into when you get there. Wear Your Pajamas To Work Day is especially fun for teachers and students!

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Another thing to consider is that you may end up realizing you have to make a stop or two before or after work, and wearing your pajamas to these locations may not be acceptable. Bring a change of clothes just in case. We never know what might pop up over the course of the day and having them with you could be a real time-saver.

So what about hair and make-up? Well, if you are comfortable with people seeing you as they would if they came over to your house, then by all means, tone it down for the day. Maybe just spruce up a little bit as opposed to the bedhead you might have donned when you worked from home and simply crawled out of bed to your computer with your morning cup of coffee.

Here at The Pajama Company, we have always promoted that we often do our best work in pajamas. We imagine that many who worked at home during the pandemic would agree and perhaps find going back to the office distracting. People working in creative fields often work best in solitude and comfort. We also embrace the individuality of your perfect pajama style. Perhaps it’s a flannel pant with a cashmere sweater, perhaps it’s a lounge pant with a great sweatshirt or a classic pajama set with a print that you love.

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Lastly, make a fun day of it. You don’t want to be the only one walking around in your plaid flannels while the rest of the company is wearing their daily street clothes, so be sure to let everyone know ahead of time that you will be embracing Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day!

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That’s it! All you need now is the perfect pair of PJs and you’re ready to celebrate the happiest day of the year!

 

Back to the office: Tips for a smooth transition

For many people, September will mark a real return to normal, as employees all over the country return to the office. Even if it’s on a flex schedule where it will only be a couple of days a week, the sheer thought can fill you full of anxiety. It’s to be expected. For the last 18 months or so you’ve been working remotely in your comfy clothes, having virtual meetings, and enjoying all the comforts of home while doing your job.

So how do you make the transition back? It’s not like you didn’t manage for all those years before the pandemic hit, but it still feels like you can’t even remember what it feels like to “go” to work. The following tips should help get you back to your old ways without too much stress

Routine

Remember your old routine. Think back to how you used to do things. What time did you normally go to bed?  What time did you get up? Did you shower in the morning or the night before? You have to get back to that or you’re going to have a tough time. Start doing these things now before your official “back to the office day” so you can ease back into your routine comfortably.

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Consider drive time. Not everyone will be returning to their respective jobs at the same time and some will continue to work remotely full time. Don’t assume because of this you can leave the house later than normal to be on time. You’ll also have to check into road construction. It’s been a year and a half since you made the drive. Do you know if any of the roads on your route are under construction?

Lunch work

Think lunch. While you’re working from home it’s easy to go to the fridge and grab something for lunch or whip yourself up a quick salad or sandwich. Now you have to start thinking about bringing your lunch to work again. Do a little ahead of time meal planning to get you back in the mode. Create a list for a few weeks until you get your groove back.

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Dinner too. Now that you’re going to be away for the day, what will you feed the family after work? Do you need to pull something from the freezer? Once you’re at work it’s too late. Lists and notes are a great way to keep you in check. Better yet, download an organizing app that you can plug all your reminders into.

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Get back in the office frame of mind. We’re all more laid-back at home. Our mindset, attire, and overall attitudes, are just more casual. There likely won’t be a dog lying under your desk either. Now that you’re going back into the office you’ll have to channel your inner professional a little more.  Don’t forget that you’re going to be around fellow employees and bosses all day who expect that same productive person that they could count on before.

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Make a to-do list. Slipping away from your desk to do a load of laundry or vacuum the living room during the workday is a thing of the past. These things will now have to be done during your free time so before you get overwhelmed, it would be a good idea to plan when you will take care of your regular household chores. The schedule you make will morph over time but in the beginning, it will help you stay organized instead of flustered.

Support

Seek and give support. Remember you aren’t the only one who has to readjust to the return to normalcy. Be open and honest about your own concerns and do your best to support co-workers that are also having a tough time. For many, this won’t be easy and the best thing you can have is a strong support group behind you.

At the end of the day, you really aren’t doing anything you didn’t do before this pandemic hit. You will likely wonder how you could have possibly managed before, but you did. And you will again- we promise!

 

Mastering the Art of Working at Home

For many, the new normal, at least for the time being, means working from home. So, if you’re going to be working remotely, why not be comfortable right? Working in your pajamas is a dream come true, but it comes with a catch. It actually takes a lot of discipline to work from home and be productive at the same time. We’re here to help you ease into your new home office atmosphere so you can be comfy, get things done, with the same or better work efficiency you show at the office.

Start your day like any other workday. When you don’t have to think about your business attire and comute  to work, your mind might fall into “weekend mode” and that can be a detriment when it comes to productivity. The best way to overcome this is to go about business as usual. That means when you wake up, go through your regular routine just as you would if you had to leave the house to go to work.  Sure you can absolutely get comfortable but don’t get up and go about your day in the same clothes you slept in. Your body will be tricked into thinking it’s a relaxation day and your motivation level will go way down. If you actually change into something else, perhaps a fresh pajama style, it’s like you’re getting dressed as usual.

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 We love working in  pajama pants paired with a pullover sweatshsirt, sweater or classic shirt which is perfect for video conferencing or any virtual meeting that may suddenly pop-up.

Have a daily plan. Just as if you were in the office, you have tasks, calls, meetings, projects each and every day, so prioritize and stay focused on your calender and what you have to do. Your employer will expect the same results from you while you work remotely as they would if you were at the office or shop. Another must is to take your breaks and eat lunch as you would any other workday. The time will come where you will have to go back into work, so sticking with a normal routine will make it much easier to transition back.

Remove distractions. A designated workspace is a must.  You have to be able to work unabated and without the distractions that might be going on around you. Chances are you don’t watch TV at work, so don’t give in to the temptation at home either. We know that right now, the whole family might be staying home so this can be a challenge. You may have to set a family schedule that works in shifts so everyone has time for everything. We’ve seen some colorful family calenders with designated activites for one and all.

Keep your home office area clean. In conjunction with having an area for ‘work only,’ you need to make sure that your workspace is kept neat and tidy so you can remain organized. Don’t treat it any differently than you would your office or desk at work. It’s easy when you’re at home to let half-full beverage glasses accumulate on your desk, or to litter your workspace with non-essential clutter. Stay on top of it and clean up.

Photo by Nathan Waters on Unsplash

Don’t be tempted to stray. One of the hardest parts of working at home is doing the actual job you have to do. It’s very easy to think “I’ll just put in a load of laundry” or “I’m just going to do a little cleaning.” Don’t do it! One thing will lead to another and before you know it, the workday you were supposed to have, became an all-out domestic chore day. Focus on the task at hand and don’t stray. Wait until the end of the work day to take that long walk.

These are lessons we have learned firsthand from working at home ourselves.We have been working in pajamas since 2004!  pajama pants is great but the importance of staying organized and on task also needs to start right away.

Before this crisis, many companies had already rolled out “Own the way you work” initiatives Companies may start to realize it is better to give their employees more freedom in the way they work to achieve better results. When this is over you may realize you do your best work in pajamas, you are more creative in pajamas.

Join our facebook group Workin’ in Pajamas share your pajama style and workspace stories.

Stay healthy and stay safe everyone!  We’re all in this together.