Hello! And welcome to Dressed for My Day, where my goal is to inspire and help women like you and me dress beautifully and appropriately for our unique days so we can engage gracefully with those around us and influence them positively.
Specifically, today I’m offering encouragement to those of you who, like me, work at or from home part or full time. I’ve got both a work from home outfit and tips for staying fit…while most of the day you sit! Ha!
Truth be told, I do not put on makeup or get dressed up every day. On the days I have appointments or reasons to leave the house, I definitely dress and do my face and hair. Right now, that’s Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays. But most Wednesdays and Fridays I dress in athleisure clothing. And sometimes I add makeup on those days, and sometimes I don’t!
But I am more productive and happier as a whole if I do at least dress in something I like, something pretty and coordinated.
That’s why I’ve invested in some pretty athleisure clothing. These are items I can “get dressed” in, but still feel comfortable and appropriately casual for working from home. I don’t exercise in these clothes (I sweat too much when I work out, so I save that for my real workout clothes.) But I am more prone to take an afternoon or mid morning walk around the neighborhood if I wear something like this. And that’s important, since I spend so much of my day sitting at a desk.
I’m wearing my vintage soft pocket tee, but they’re running low in sizes. I also have this whisper soft cotton tee and love it, too. They both run large, so size down.
My cardigan finally sold out. However, I love this bouclé version by the same brand. It’s available in a misty pink and in all sizes right now.
But not only did I want to show you what I wear when I work at home, I thought I’d share some of my goals for keeping fit, healthy and sane while working from my home office, too. You know, I’ve found that one of the keys to working from a home office is to manage yourself. So I’ve set some standards, quotas and goals to help me stay on track with my work, but also to help me stay fit…while all day I sit!
I’m not perfect at keeping these standards, by any means. But I try. I work on drinking water throughout the day. And I try to get up and go for a walk around the neighborhood sometime during the day, on top of my exercise schedule of two cardio days and three weight training days. Honestly, I’m better at those walks when the weather is a little nicer.
If I’m wearing athleisure clothing, I’m more prone to get that 30 minute stroll in. But I also try to just get up from my desk and move every 30 minutes or so. I admit, I’m not very good at that, but I’m working on it.
Have you had an eye exam lately? I was battling headaches and eye fatigue, so I assumed my eyes had changed and I would need glasses all the time. But it turned out that I simply needed bifocals for work. My vision is perfect other than when I’m reading. So I have one strength of lens for reading from the computer screen and then I look through the lower lens when reading books, magazines or my tablet. These bifocal reading glasses have helped tremendously.
I also learned of the 20/20/20 rule while I was at my eye appointment. Looking up at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes and focusing on it for 20 seconds is the equivalent of stretching your legs after sitting too long. When I do this regularly throughout the day, I notice a significant difference in the way my eyes feel at the end of the day.
My son, who is a computer software engineer and works from home, recently purchased this sit/stand desk for his home office. He and I agree that if you do work from home, it’s best to have an office or at least a designated work space from which to work. And he loves being able to both sit and stand at his electric, adjustable desk. I’m hoping to get my husband and me one, too. By the way, Daniel also has this anti-fatigue standing mat.
By the way, the sweater and t-shirt both run large, so size down. In the joggers I’m wearing a medium, the larger of my two sizes. The socks are the most comfy I’ve ever worn. And they’re durable! My sneakers run large, so go with the smaller of your two sizes. Let me know if you have any questions about this apparel.
When I wear something cute and coordinated like this to work from home, even if it is comfortable and cozy, too, I can slip on my shoes and run an errand or two with confidence. But while I’m home, I’m able to focus on my writing, cook dinner and fold a load of laundry during a quick break. This just really works for me!
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I’ve linked today’s post to Jo-Lynne Shane’s Fashion Friday Link-Up. Be sure to check out the other great style ideas there.
Blessed for My Day
Do you have friends who are older and younger than you? I have to say, I really enjoy my time with both older and younger women. There’s so much to be gained either way.
From my older friends I learn wisdom. But from my younger friends I am gain perspective, too. They remind me to be grateful for the journey the Lord has brought me through thus far. They keep me current, too. I like to think that I contribute something to my older and younger friends, but mainly I like to listen when I’m in their presence.
In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine. They are to teach what is good, so they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive to their husbands, so that God’s message will not be slandered. ~ Titus 2:3-5
This is such an encouraging and helpful post! I also work from home – as a full time homemaker. I only put on makeup if I am running errands. Being dressed in a coordinated outfit makes the day run so much better! How to Stay Fit while you Sit is now printed and on my refrigerator to help remind me of these tips even tho I rarely sit. I have tried multiple times to pin your posts to Pinterest, but it does not work. (operator error for sure). Can you give me any guidance on that? Your blog is my favorite:-)
Hi Patty! I’m so glad you liked this post. Let’s see if we can help you pin it. It’s probably easiest to pin from a desktop or laptop computer rather than a mobile device, but it ought to work there, too. If you hover over the picture you want to pin, a “pin it” sign should pop up in the top left corner. You can click that, then select the photo you want to pin from the selection Pinterest provides and go from there. Or you can use the Pinterest button in the “spread the love” section just above the comments section and below the Blessed for My Day. As long as you have a Pinterest account and are signed in, you should be able to click on that button and go from there. Let me know if you continue to have troubles. Thanks for reading and sharing!
Love this post! I sit at a computer all day at an office but make a conscious effort to move frequently throughout the day. I will be retiring by the end of the year and your outfit is perfect (I often dress that way if I’m staying at home!) Thanks for sharing!
Yes, I really have to WORK at reminding myself to get up and move. My dogs used to whine until I got up and let them out. But now my husband works from home, too, and he’s closer to the dogs and tends to let them out. I’m thankful! But it also means I forget to get up and MOVE IT enough!! Thanks for commenting!
I had a home office for several years and the two key things I always advise others is to have a designated work space so you ‘go to work’ every day even if it is in your home and to consider purchasing a stand up desk. I had a Veridesk and still love it. It is sturdy and ergonomically sound.
I absolutely agree, Tracy. Sometimes, especially when I’m sick, I’ll move my laptop into the den and work from the sofa. But eventually that doesn’t work because I don’t know when to “go home!” I do so much better sitting at my desk…or standing. Thanks for sharing!
You look so cozy and pretty in your desk Kay. Love the joggers and light blush pink cardigan.
Welcome by and join the new Thursday Moda linkup this week and each Thursday. Love your style!
http://eleganceandmommyhood.blogspot.com/2019/01/thursday-moda-151-viv-red-radiate.html
Enjoy the weekend, Ada. =)