SYDNEY. Not having to dress up and being able to stay all day in a suit or pajamas is seen as one of the benefits of teleworking during the pandemic. However, a new Australian study warns that staying in pajamas while working from home can cause deterioration in mental health. The study, conducted in the middle of the lockdown in April and May, was attended by 163 academics and researchers from various areas of the country, and was published in the Medical Journal of Australia. It found that those who worked from home in pajamas revealed worse mental health conditions than those who, having small children at home, were induced to dress more normally.
The study, led by academics from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, concludes that ‘a greater percentage of people who wear pajamas during work hours report a decline in mental health during the pandemic than those who dress before going to the computer”. “The harsh reality of big cities, with high real estate costs, means that many academics and researchers cannot afford houses with separate studios or work areas,” write research authors Cindy Thamrin and David Chapman. And again: “As for productivity, the highest is recorded in those who are called to perform specific tasks, such as writing scientific articles, while novice researchers find it more difficult to juggle”.
Sign up to our newsletter Special coronavirus
–
