Last week I wrote about how you can use music to help you in your everyday life much the same way as writers, designers and directors use them in movies, books, and video games. Today I’m going to continue that discussion, looking instead at how dressing the part can help you both get things done and in some cases, make sure you’re not getting things done.

Costumes

Costumes have always been a large part of productions. Back before special effects, sound stages and elaborate sets, much of the background of a character had to be set out by the costume he or she was wearing. Even today, costumes are used to great effect in all sorts of entertainment, meant to give depth and context to the characters. Much like an actor getting into costume for a performance, we can use the same sort of trick to get ourselves aligned with our goals, whether they’re for the next five minutes, the next hour, or the next day.

Work out clothes

One such area is in trying to stay/get in shape. If you’re trying to motivate yourself to get moving, this can be extra useful. If you’ve gone to the trouble of getting changed into whatever clothes you work out in, then taking that first step, whether it is heading out for a run or heading to the car to drive to the gym, can get much easier. I’ve found that on days where I know I should go to the gym but I’m having a tough time getting in the right frame of mind, just changing into my gym clothes can help. And it doesn’t even need to be a huge change, sometimes just changing my shirt is enough (because who wants to wear shorts outside in 20 below?).

Work IN clothes

This technique can be applied to other roles you wish to play as well. For people who work from home, some find it easiest to continue the routine of getting up and dressing for work the way they would if they were working in an office, or at least at a level close to it. This act of getting in your “professional” clothes, or your work uniform if you will, can help reset your mind and prime it for work.

Additionally, this can be helpful for maintaining balance. If you work at home, it can be harder to draw clear lines between work and the rest of your life. If that is a problem for you, having clothes that you wear while working can be a clear mental boundary between work time and non-work time. Changing when you’ve finished for the day can then reset your mind back into a non-work mode, or a family mode.

Relaxing clothes

Related to the idea of work clothes, there are times where we just want to relax. I’d say that regardless of how comfortable you are in a suit, it’s probably not your ideal choice of R&R wear. Just changing into comfortable clothes, whether they be your favourite sweater and jeans, your pyjamas or whatever else you like, can send the message to your subconscious that it is no longer time for work, but time for rest. For some of us, we can use any and all help we can get in defining that boundary.

In trying to help structure your day and adjust your attitudes, it can be helpful to ask yourself the question: “What would the character playing this role in a movie wear?” Dressing the part can help trick your subconscious into agreeing with your conscious, as opposed to fighting it every step of the way.

To slightly modify the old adage, clothes don’t necessarily make the man, but they can sure help the man make himself.

Cheers,

Adam