Uniforms for success

Everyone wants to be more productive – especially entrepreneurs. One way to increase productivity? Simplify your decision-making processes by building habits.

In studying the effects of external variables on the outcome of legal cases, researchers segmented judicial deliberations into three distinct “decision sessions.” Over the course of these “decision sessions,” they found the percentage of favourable rulings dropped gradually from about 65% to nearly zero within each session. After a break, it spiked back up to around 65%.

Part of the reason? Decision fatigue.

It’s said the average person makes 35,000 decisions every day. What to eat for breakfast? What shirt to wear? Which door to go through? Where to go for lunch?

A simple way to save brain power is to cut down on the number of decisions you need to make. Some of the most successful people have already figured this out. They simply wear the same thing each and every day.

Uniforms for success
In HBO’s 2017 documentary series, Defiant Ones, Andre Young – better known as Dr. Dre – mentions he wears the same shoes every day: Nike’s Air Force 1. Barack Obama wears only grey or blue suits. Mark Zuckerberg sports his iconic grey Brunello Cucinelli t-shirt. Steve Jobs became famous for a black turtleneck, jeans, and New Balance sneakers.

We’re hazarding a few guesses as to why these uber-successful figures adopt a uniform;

1. You’ll waste less time.
Having a regular uniform makes it quick and easy to get dressed. Rather than deliberating for five or even ten minutes, your outfit is decided, you can throw it on, and get started on the more important things on your to-do list.

A go-to outfit also saves time shopping. You know what you’re looking for and can get right to your favourite shop. Or better yet, if you have a set work uniform everything has already been provided for you.

2. You’ll save brainpower.
As Obama said in an interview with Vanity Fair, “You need to focus your decision-making energy. You need to routinise yourself. You can’t be going through the day distracted by trivia.”

When you wear the same thing, you’re one step closer to avoiding the distraction of trivia. It takes no thought to get dressed in the morning. You can channel all that decision-making power directly into growing your business.

3. You’ll always feel good in what you’re wearing.
If you choose your clothes for comfort, they’ll always feel good. If you choose them for style, you’ll always think they look good on you (even if others disagree). Either way, you’ll feel good about what you’re wearing. It’s an automatic confidence boost.

Whether you’re considering a uniform for your employees, for yourself or as a personal dress code, give it a try and see if you can beckon success with the way you dress.

Info via Craig Bloem, Inc. 2018