Wearing Pajamas All Day: The Pros & Cons

For people with a hectic, work-centered lifestyle, wearing pajamas all day is like living the dream. They’re super comfy, and they signify a carefree, unstructured day free from societal obligations. But those who work from home know there’s a flipside to the PJ coin: living in loungewear may not be all it’s cracked up to be.

Pros: All PJs, All the Time

Pajamas are the ultimate symbol of relaxation, a rarity in the rat-race culture, and of course, they are inherently comfortable (they’re designed with sleep in mind, after all).  There are plenty of ardent defenders in the “pajamas as daywear” camp. Freelance writer and Buzzfeed contributor Rebecca Grant makes a strong case for livin’ la vida jam-jam, with reasons ranging from unadulterated comfort to defying social norms. Stay-at-home parent discussion boards are peppered with odes to the joy of wearing pajamas and their close cousins, yoga pants, all day long.

Cons: Get Dressed

Plenty of career advice websites and columns have weighed in on the debate of whether it’s a good idea to wear pajamas when working from home, and many come down on the “against” side of the fence. Fortune’sadvice to telecommuters: working from home “doesn’t count” if you’re in pajamas. Work at Home Womanmakes no bones about telling its readers to take off the PJs if they hope to be productive.

Here are some of the most commonly cited downsides to all-day jammie wearing:

• Pajamas are strongly associated with sleep and lounging, so it’s not surprising that wearing them all day keeps us in chill mode. For some people, the psychological effects of wearing lounge clothes can hamper productivity.

• When you work from home and wear pajamas all day, you soon associate them with daily drudgery and they cease to be an indulgence. Plus, changing out of work clothes and into pajamas is an important transition for a lot of people that can help mentally prepare us for bedtime. When you never shed your sleepwear, it can be hard to find the work-life separation line.

• People who wear pajamas in public or are seen around the neighborhood in sleepwear in the middle of the day may face a degree of snobbery and scorn. Judgey McJudgersons are everywhere, and it’s second nature for some people to make snap assumptions based on appearances. Actress Eva Mendes famously stated that women wearing sweatpants was the “number one cause of divorce in America,” and while she was probably joking, it’s not exactly a well-kept secret that there are negative connotations associated with loungewear.

The Verdict

For those who work from home, the bottom line is: wear what makes you feel productive. There’s no single formula for success for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and other home-based workers. Some can’t get into work mode without a minimum of business casual attire, while others cringe at the thought of donning khakis when they’re not even leaving the house.

For the traditionally employed, if living the pajama life on your day off is your jam, go for it. There’s certainly no real harm in it, and for some, freedom and self-expression looks like wearing flannel all day. For most people, though, marathon jammies sessions are best reserved for the occasional “staycation” or a rare treat. Pair them with Netflix and a cache of couch snacks for optimum results.

How do you feel about PDP (Public Display of Pajamas)? Share with us in the comments!