Lessons from Jake: Get Comfortable.

I cringed a little bit when I walked into the living room today to find Jake’s butt plopped right on top of my decorative pillow. Apparently he believes in function over fashion.

Which brings me to the realization that these days, I often do too.

In recent years, and especially since leaving the corporate world this past spring, I’ve found that I'm abandoning my stilettos and flimsy fancy tops for flats, flip flops, and long, comfy cardigans.

Here, a few ideas to incorporate a bit more comfort into your daily routine.

Bring a sweatshirt (or sweater, or blazer, or whatever strikes your fancy and provides warmth).

When I was little, every time I left the house, my mom reminded me, “honey, don’t forget to bring a sweatshirt.” It didn’t matter if it was 90 degrees or 14 degrees below zero, but she always encouraged me to bring an additional layer.

Of course, I always thought she was crazy and refused to listen as the all-knowing 12-year old I was, but after countless evenings of shivering through dinner in a cold restaurant, about 15 years later, I realized she was right.

In my experience, it’s very difficult to enjoy a social function or participate in a meeting while shivering, shaking, and/or losing feeling in your toes due to excessive air conditioning.

Because we are a country of people who love air conditioning and because I am a person who is always cold, I now take my mom’s advice and always bring an extra layer – even when it’s 90 degrees.

Add something cozy to your office space.

Many corporate offices are cold, gray, and lacking any sign that human beings actually occupy the space for a significant portion of the day. If it sounds like I’m describing your office, consider bringing a little life of your own. Here are a few of my favorite ways to do so:

• A candle. The soft glow of a candle brings a bit of tranquility to even the most stressful days. Consider something unscented – a bit of fragrance in a small office goes a long way.

• A plant.  Plants bring a bit of color, a bit of cheer, and a lot of life to our working environment. Plus, many studies have shown that working near a plant may reduce headaches, fatigue, and sore throats. For a bit of good karma to go along with your health benefits, consider picking up a plant for you and your cube neighbor.

• A splash of color. I’m a big fan of yellow and orange. Try out a few different splashes of color in your office or cubicle to see which has the most positive effect. 

• A lamp. I wrote earlier about my obsession with calming lighting. Corporate work places are often the worst offenders when it comes to bright, cold, and generally terrible lighting. BYOL with a colorful lamp and a low wattage bulb.

Have Something Comfortable to Come Home To.

In college, a dear friend of mine would immediately walk in the door and change into her “sweats.” This was her affectionate name for her extremely baggy and perfectly comfortable sweat pants that she loved to wear for low-key evenings at home.

My favorite way to get comfortable on warm, sunny days is to immediately go outside and soak up the remaining daylight. During the winter, it’s a hot bath with candles and lavender bath salts.

Greeting yourself at the door with something comfortable is a great way to settle into a relaxing evening. Here are some other ideas.

• Throw something in the crock-pot before you head out the door in the morning; a delicious smell and magically-prepared (well almost) dinner await you upon your return.

• Identify your own version of "sweats." This is your single most comfortable, wonderful article of clothing that you love changing into when you walk in the door.

• Keep fresh flowers or a plant in the house. They greet you from the kitchen table with a bit of life, color, and cheer, and it’s easy to find inexpensive bouquets at places like Trader Joe’s for under $5.

Only Wear Stuff that Feels Good.

This year, I implemented a new approach for figuring out what gets tossed in the giveaway pile. I had always asked myself the question “do I like this?” and “do I wear this?” This spring, I added a new question to the mix, “do I feel good wearing this?”

I painstakingly went through each item in my closet and imagined what it physically felt like when I had it on. Itchy fabric, weird material, a length or style that had me tugging/readjusting/repositioning at any time while wearing = into the giveaway pile it went. This was a little heartbreaking at first, as several Anthropologie sweaters are now hanging on the racks at St. Vinnie’s, but I’ve since recovered from the experience and learned a few lessons about considering my purchases more carefully in the first place. 

Intrigued, but not sure where to start? My friend Vicky put together a sweet flow chart to help guide the process of getting rid of stuff from our closets.

What are your favorite ways to add a bit of comfort into your daily routine?