TeamThe Internet makes all sorts of things possible these days, one of them being the wonder of online classes. Even though one could argue that they are not as efficient as in-person classes, the fact is learning and getting an education has never been this easy.
And this accessibility is not only for classes but also meetings, interviews, work. Now, more than ever, we can do our tasks remotely and this gives rise to a really bad habit – not dressing up. The comic notion of the pantless businessman is more common than ever, and for good reason since we really do not need to dress up if we are working or studying from home. When we are at home, we want to be comfortable. We want to rock on some pajamas or sweatpants and, if you are daring who knows, underwear is a valid choice, too!
However, scientists have already claimed that this mentality is something we should all steer away from for a few reasons. Suit up and let’s go!
Motivation
We might not realize it, but the way we dress has a direct effect on our mood, attitude and mentality. Sure, it might seem tempting to walk around in our sweatpants all day, but when you are taking online classes, you should always dress accordingly. For one, you will be more inclined to pay attention and learn. Second, your brain does not make lazy associations with your online classes.
You have to dress the part to motivate yourself to learn. The learning starts in your closet! Can you imagine going to school or college in your pajamas? Silly, right? Then, why should we do that when we are at home? The principle is the same, you are still doing the same thing, just from a different location.
Wiring the brain
You see, our brain makes associations to what we are wearing, doing or planning to do. If you are used to relaxing in your sweatpants, then whenever you use them, your brain thinks it is time to relax! It is a surefire way to not learning anything in your online classes.
A more familiar example that sleep therapists usually present is to never use electronics when you go to bed, that is, not playing games or seeing tv shows on your phone or tablet. And the reason is pretty simple when you think about it. If you go to bed and watch a tv show instead of sleeping, your brain begins to associate that behavior to your bed. Instead of being a place to sleep, it becomes a place to watch shows. Pretty crazy, huh?
The same thing applies to online classes. You need to dress as you normally would if you were going to in-person classes so that your brain knows it is time to learn and pay attention. Also, being well-dressed increases our confidence, self-esteem and boosts our social skills, which are really helpful to make interventions in classes.
Respect and avoid awkward situations
Lastly, there is another important point that should make you think twice before leaving your closet. If our teachers and colleagues are all nicely dressed, should we not meet their efforts? On top of that, nowadays teachers usually demand that all students turn on their webcams to deal with this issue since it has become so common. And it is taking a toll on everyone’s learning.
Researchers have been recommending to teachers and educational structures to enforce mandatory webcams so that students feel the need to dress accordingly.
There has been a rise in awkward situations, that are quite common now, too. Some people follow this dress-up mentality but only take it midway, that is, they suit up from the waist up and just stay pantless. The iconic meme!
The thing is, the number of accidental bare legs flashings is insane! We get so used to being pantless that we actually forget that we are not wearing any clothes from the waist down. Then, we casually move around and end up showing something that we do not want to!
Final thoughts
Hopefully, you haven’t gone through the embarrassment of being caught pantless in your online classes. Regardless, the way we dress is a reflection of ourselves to the rest of society and it affects the way we work and think. Despite being in the comfort of our home, should we take full advantage of our online classes? Should we not suit up and be the heroes that our school curriculum deserves? Most definitely.
