Mental Load: I Have Been Dressing The Same Way For Three Years And I Feel Much Freer

I even wore clothes that I wasn’t entirely comfortable in, but which allowed me to accomplish a task, yet “another one” that I had set for myself: to vary my clothes to make sure I wore a different outfit every day. Even the lack of time that comes with motherhood hasn’t diminished this need to always manage everything with a different look every time, of course but for the past three years coinciding with the pandemic and all those months when we didn’t leave the house and comfortable clothes were the new little black dress, I’ve been dressing more or less the same all the time.

This doesn’t necessarily mean always wearing the same clothes. But with the goal of conscious and sustainable consumption in mind, I’ve invested in a small selection of well-made clothes.

“The Uniform is My Way of dressing”

It’s really about creating a sort of uniform with clothes that look the same, to help me lighten what was a real mental load for me. An essential daily decision-making that can sap energy without you realizing it. In my case, trying to convince myself that I could wear unusual outfits (and feel comfortable at the same time) deprived me of a certain mental comfort. For some time now, I’ve decided to limit my clothing purchases to basic pieces: I’m one of those who buys the same model in several colors to simplify things as much as possible. This way, I know that I’ll feel good in my outfit and I avoid a new headache every morning when it’s time to choose.

It is obvious that for many people, playing with fashion and creating different looks every day is a real motivation. This is not my case. And although another alternative to lighten this type of load could be to prepare the clothes of the week in advance in a part of the wardrobe (in the manner of David Beckham , as he himself recounts in the Netflix documentary Beckham, we can also take inspiration from celebrities, and adopt the alternative solution of the stylist Anine Bing. “I am one of those who likes to wear the same thing every day. I have maybe 20 white T-shirts and 5 identical jeans. But the uniform is my way of dressing. I complete it with a bag or I innovate with a blazer”, she recently posted on her 
Instagram account.

Making This Type of Decision Easier Also Means Taking Care of Yourself

If we consider mental well-being, this makes perfect sense. “The vast majority of people spend a lot of time at the beginning of the day deciding how to dress. This becomes mentally exhausting and takes away time that could be used to sleep longer or eat breakfast and start the day properly,” explains psychologist Yasmine Saad.

I don’t want to focus only on dressing simply, but rather on finding daily alternatives that make me feel better. It all adds up. “This is what self-care is: detecting what is beyond us and what makes us uncomfortable in order to remedy it and simplify as much as possible what we cannot do without. Many people love fashion and playing with fabrics, combinations and new trends, but it is also true that at certain times in life, the dressing routine can be tedious and exhausting, even if it is a pleasure in normal times. For example, in times of stress, when we don’t have time to do everything, creating a kind of uniform in which we feel good can be a practical solution to start the day quickly and without stress,” adds Yasmine Saad.

Psychologist Pilar Guerra also looks at the benefits of lightening some daily decisions. “Simplifying everyday decisions, like what to wear, can have a positive impact. Our decision-making capacity is limited, and every choice, no matter how small, consumes some of our mental energy. By adopting a consistent style of dress, we reduce the weight of decisions, which frees up that mental load for more meaningful tasks,” she explains.

It All Depends On Each Person

Taking care of your mental well-being starts from the moment you wake up, acting according to your personality and understanding that everyone has their own rhythms, needs and priorities. Precisely for this reason, there are people who are relieved not to have to choose how to dress in the morning, and others who are not. It is about listening to yourself, knowing yourself and deciding accordingly. “Certainly, some people find it beneficial to create a uniform, as it simplifies the morning routine, providing stability and reducing the anxiety associated with choosing an outfit. This can be especially useful for people who have difficulty making decisions or who want to focus their energy on more important aspects of their lives,” adds Pilar Guerra .

How Can We Simplify ‘Other’ Daily Decisions?

There are many other ways to lighten your mental load. To some extent, it involves modifying, automating and making certain frequent actions habitual. “This not only saves mental energy, but also contributes to a sense of control and stability in our lives. Ultimately, it’s about finding a balance that fits our individual needs and promotes complete mental well-being,” concludes Pilar Guerra , who gives us other ideas for achieving this outside of the clothing field:

Plan meals. “Creating weekly menus or having healthy options on hand can help reduce the mental load that comes with choosing and preparing dinner,” she says.

Establish clear morning and nighttime routines. “This avoids having to make decisions at every step, from morning shower to bedtime.”

Use reminders, alarms, and apps to automate routine tasks like payments, appointment reminders, and shopping lists. This will save you mental energy.