Some might perceive it as laziness, others as a lack of style. However, Steve Jobs' black turtleneck, Mark Zuckerberg's grey t-shirts, and Albert Einstein's simple attire are actually conscious methods to conserve mental energy. Automating daily clothing choices helps to prevent decision fatigue in the morning and reserves energy for creative and important tasks. So, how does this strategy work and how does it ease our minds?
Source: CEID
Some people may dismiss it as 'outdated'. However, science suggests otherwise: Wearing the same outfit every day could actually be a deliberate strategy to preserve mental strength.
Think about Steve Jobs' famous black turtleneck, Mark Zuckerberg's gray t-shirt, or Albert Einstein's simple suits... These are not just signatures, but systems in their own right.
So, what's the reasoning behind these choices? Why do the world's most productive people seem so 'indifferent' when it comes to wardrobe choices? The answer lies deep within the realms of psychology and neuroscience.
However, every minor decision we make in the morning, such as whether to have coffee with milk, which shirt to wear, or which shoes to pick, chips away at this energy. Science refers to this as decision fatigue.
Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hughes from Harvard University says, 'Our minds have a limited capacity for making decisions. Wasting it on trivial choices in the morning directly reduces productivity for the rest of the day.'
This is precisely why Jobs, Zuckerberg, and Einstein had automated their clothing choices. For them, this was not about style, but a strategy to boost productivity.
In a study, some participants were asked to choose different outfits every morning, while others were asked to wear the same outfit every day. The results were striking:
The attention span of the group wearing the same outfit was on average 23% longer,
They experienced less stress throughout the day,
They demonstrated higher performance in problem-solving tests.
In short: Fewer decisions = More brain power.
Avoiding constant thoughts like 'How do I look?' or 'What will people think today?' reduces the need for external approval and strengthens the sense of staying true to oneself.
According to psychologists, the prominent benefits of this habit are as follows:
Reduction of decision-making stress
Increase in self-esteem
Breaking the pressure of consumption
Feeling of mental decluttering
So, this isn't just a productivity tip, it's also a method for psychological detoxification.