Get Dressed, Dammit!

Quarantine. At the beginning of all this we were all like, "oh, you mean I don't need to wear pants anymore?" or, "I can just wear sweats all day!"

We aren't going anywhere, so we feel like we don't need to follow our normal wake up-getting ready for work routine. But that comes with some harsh consequences sometimes that leave us not quite feeling like our best selves.

Sure, hang out in your pajamas every once in a while. That's what made the weekends so great when we were all working. But when it starts happening every day, you'll probably be wondering why you feel so crappy - mentally and physically.

A very popular "first step," if you will, of many motivational speakers or influencers is "to make your bed in the morning." No, that's not some term that means something else, it is the very simple act of making your bed.

Making your bed first thing in the morning gives you your first dose of success and accomplishment. You started the day with a win, so your body and spirit are more inclined to continue that positivity and will easily overcome any little "loss" you encounter throughout the day. And then, if you did have a rough day filled with losses, at least you are coming home to a nicely made bed. You're reminded of your first success, and you get to crawl into your neatly made bed. You've just started and ended your day on a positive, comfy note that will help lift you up.

In our regular routine (before COVID), this small step has made such an impact across the globe and for all sorts of people. I mean, even therapists love this easy technique to uplift and motivate clients. It's such a small thing that everyone overlooks or says they don't have time to do in the morning.

Well, guess what? Now we have too much time on our hands! And this analogy has become every task we do while quarantined. Everything feels so taxing and stressful right now.

But that's just making my point for me. Get up, make your bed, get dressed, brush your teeth, heck, do your hair and makeup if it makes you feel good!

You might think it's silly at first...I mean, you're not going anywhere, right? That's not the point!

The point is to lift yourself up, out of those sweat pants and leggings and hair you just threw in a messy bun. Start your day off with several wins! Make yourself feel better and more motivated to keep busy, think better, and more hopeful thoughts. Look cute, even if it's just for yourself.

You'll be more energetic and motivated to go on that run (if you're allowed to), to get some fresh air in the backyard, to make some "quarantine bread", to start some art project, or to get into making things with turquoise.

Even if you end up not doing anything...at least you got dressed!

Personally, when I plan on spending the day writing articles that need to get done, I wake up a little earlier than my body does naturally. This makes me feel like I'm still waking up intentionally to do something. It gives my day an extra boost of purpose.

If you aren't able to work from home in some form, you can still practice this if you want to plan on getting a home project done or to do any other activity. You don't even have to actually DO anything that early, just waking up to an alarm clock or making yourself wake up right when your body first naturally wakes up instead of falling back asleep can have a huge impact on the rest of your day. It's another victory and purposeful intention to start you off, and you haven't even made your bed yet!

When you feel better and start your day with a win or two, all this other (very prominent) stress will be a little bit easier to handle.

And at the end of the day, at least you got dressed.

We're going through this together, you are not alone! And we can do this!