Let's face it, though many Americans have been returning to the office in the last few months, many of us are still working from home. Whether you love working from home or hate it, you know the pressure you feel to look professional on your Zoom calls, even though you'd much rather be working in bed still in pajamas. There are ways to fulfill the professional appearance while remaining comfortable, though. Let's take a look at some ways to always be on point, even if you're rocking secret sweatpants with that business-casual blouse.
Set A Sacred Space
A sacred "Zoom Zone," so to speak. Many people set up in-home offices out of necessity due to equipment or to just be able to focus on work during lockdowns. While some might be able to stay productive from bed, many people couldn't stay in the working mindset from that kind of comfort. So, if you fall into the group that already had an office set up or at least a desk, you're halfway to your set space. Make sure you have a corner of your apartment or home that you always attend your meetings from. Curate the area so it looks nice but not overly decorated, which could be distracting for other participants on the call.
Posture Perfect
Working from home and lounging a lot can have a significant impact on your posture. Good posture conveys confidence, so make sure when you're on calls, you're sitting upright and looking square and confidently in the camera. If you're struggling with your posture from sitting so much in front of the computer all day, you should make sure your screen is elevated enough that you don't have to bend your neck down to engage with the monitor. Additionally, it's worth looking into stretches online or through apps that can help you with correcting your posture. There are even devices you can use or support undershirts to help restore it. Either way, making sure to have a great posture on your calls is one way to always be Zoom ready.
Make Sure Your Face Is Camera Ready
It's essential to look awake and refreshed while interacting with your coworkers and bosses on Zoom. If you don't already have go-to face makeup that accomplishes this for you, visit your local beauty shop, get matched for foundation and concealer colors, and go from there. You can also discern these matches online if you're too busy to go to the store in person or don't live near a store that does matching by professionals.
Essentials for looking refreshed are under eye concealer to brighten the dark circles and bags under your eyes and a lovely mascara to open up and outline your eyes - making you look more alert and engaged. So, don't forget to swipe on a little bit of makeup, not because you're not beautiful without it, but because it shows the meeting is essential to you, and you want to look polished for your peers. After all, you have a lot to offer!
Working Wardrobe
While there's nothing wrong with writing proposals or making simple calls from the comfort of your loungewear or athleisure clothes, when you know you have a video conference, you need to look the same as you would in person at the office - unless your boss has given instructions to the contrary. Even then, it's always best to put your best foot forward, so you're probably better off getting dressed for the call either way.
If you're not into shopping or you don't have the time due to workload or personal obligations outside of work, one way to know you'll always look your best is through subscription boxes. Subscriptions are a great way to get a look you align with and for the needs you have delivered right to your door with minimal effort on your end. These are especially great if you only have weekly meetings, so you don't even need that many options for your Zoom calls.
Remember, not only is it essential to remain professional while working from home, studies have shown that when you look good, you feel good, so don't think of the list as something that only benefits your boss or coworkers. What benefits them most is the hard work you're consistently putting in as a female professional and teammate. Here's to you and all your hard work!
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