By Lynn Allison From Newsmax

Experts say it’s important to swap those sweats and pajamas for casual wear, even if you work from home. Psychotherapist Dr. Kathryn Smerling says getting dressed every day as if you are going to the office helps your mental health and productivity.

“Any kind of structure is important in this time of unprecedented disorganization,” she told Fox News. “It’s a ritual. Ritual helps us focus.”

Smerling said that getting dressed, having your coffee and making your bed signals a shift from sleeplessness to efficiency. The simple act of putting on your pants sets up a new environment and changes the scenery, she told Fox News.

Robin Givhan, the fashion critic for The Washington Post told NPR that dressing for work helps define your agenda for the day.

“It also says something about who you are and tells people kind of what you expect from your day,” she said. “I think it is a kind of demarcation between our private time and our public time, our playtime and our work time. It gives a sense of order to your day.”

Givhan told NPR she’s been working from home like so many Americans and tries to put on something special but comfortable every day — like her favorite pair of jeans or a shirt dress.

“Yesterday, I put on a sparkly T-shirt because I felt I need a little sparkle in my life,” she said. “The only creature around to appreciate it was my dog. But you know, I felt better.”

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