Back in the old days, I would get dressed every weekday around 7 or 8am, and later on weekends. Occasionally I’d have a leisurely Saturday where I’d stay in pajamas all day. It was such a treat! I loved the luxury of it, but it was definitely rare.
Today’s glamorous outfit, a.k.a. pajamas
Well, times have changed. Now I force myself to get dressed on all but my sickest days because I’m worried that not getting dressed one day will lead to not getting dressed more days and soon I won’t have the drive to do anything. I live alone, so if I don’t leave my apartment, then I don’t see anyone. And if I don’t leave my apartment, no one knows if I’m dressed or not. So staying in pajamas all day would be so easy. And that’s exactly why I know I shouldn’t do it.
The other day I found myself in my pajamas at 4pm. This was even later than usual. If I don’t have to be out of the house for a medical appointment in the morning, then I usually don’t get dressed until noon. I shower and get dressed right before lunch and I hate that I always do it so late. I try to get dressed earlier, but it never happens. But the other day I was more fatigued than usual and I just couldn’t push myself. So I watched the hours tick by and finally, by sheer willpower, I forced myself to shower and get dressed so I could go out. I didn’t want to go out, but I’d been looking forward to that party for ages, and I knew I’d have fun once I got my ass out the door. (And I did! It was so much fun!)
Today was different. Today I didn’t have to be anywhere. That’s why it took extra effort to finally, finally get dressed at 5pm. While most days I get dressed right before lunch, today I waited until right before dinner. The funny thing is, it was a more productive day than most. I didn’t spend all day on Facebook or watching tv. Instead, I cleaned out my desk drawers, going through dozens upon dozens of papers….. old handouts from presentations I’d attended over the years, financial notes, and so many health insurance letters all made their way to the recycling bin. It felt fantastic to purge all of that clutter! And yet, even with that drive and excitement, I was still in my pajamas at 5pm.
Tomorrow I’m meeting friends for lunch, so I’ll have to get my butt moving a bit earlier. I might even be dressed by 11am! Now, wouldn’t that be something?
Chronic Rants 
Where’s it written that you have to be dressed at home? I spend entire weekends in my “sleeping” clothes (yoga pants & T-shirts in summer, sweats in the winter). When I was sick a few years back, I spent 3 weeks in those clothes. I only dressed if I had to go out to a doctor’s appointment or something, or if I knew someone other than family was coming over.
Excellent point, CM. When I say “get dressed” I mean “put on different clothes.” If I’m at home, that means yoga pants and a sweater in the winter and casual shorts or a comfy skirt and a tank top in the summer. Some times I end up wearing clothes from my pajama drawer. The important thing is that they’re *different* clothes 🙂
I hear you. Sometimes on weekends, I wear the same clothes for 2 days, especially if I’m feeling a little under the weather.