MANMOHAN JOSHI

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This Productivity Secret is Hiding in Your Closet
The link between minimalism and productivity

by | Jan 23, 2026 | Creativity & Productivity

Image credit: Canva

If you like being outdoors, you may have noticed nature’s careful use of colours.
 
A brown, muddy trail.
A soft green grassland.
A wide, open blue sky.
 
Nature isn’t chaotic—it’s cohesive.
Its palette feels calm, balanced, and deliberate.
 
Yes, there are moments and places when colour bursts through. But most of the time, nature limits its choices, allowing each colour in the landscape to carry meaning.
 
That restraint is what creates harmony—and what quietly stirs moments of awe within us.
 
Nature, in many ways, is the ultimate minimalist.
 
This keeps me wondering:
If nature uses its colours with such intention, can we do the same?
 
 

Art imitates nature.
— Aristotle 

 
So let’s explore how adopting a minimalist approach—starting with the closet—can bring more clarity and boost productivity in our daily lives.

Nature is the ultimate minimalist. A photo from my recent expedition to Mount Panchachuli Glacier, Uttarakhand, India. Image credit: Author

Why Big Brands Choose Minimalism

Research shows that colours influence mood, perception, and even cognitive performance.
 
For a deeper dive, I found this article a good reference:
 
We see this principle in action all around us—especially with the world’s most popular brands.
 
Think about how you feel when you consume or interact with a Tier 1 brand.
Every detail is intentional.
 
Coca-Cola uses red—energy, boldness, attention.
IKEA relies on blue and yellow—trust, warmth, approachability.
Apple stays with white, black, and aluminium—simplicity, clarity, focus.
 
Did you notice something?
Each successful brand learns the art of communication by choosing less.
 
And here is what most people miss:
You are a brand too.
 
People form impressions through your words, your behaviour, and the colours you show up in.
 
Just as strong brands repeat a small set of colours to reinforce identity, you can do the same through a defined palette for your closet.

Why a Minimalist Closet Works

 
You may have seen Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg consistently wear certain colours.
 
That choice isn’t about fashion.
 
And it’s not even about owning just a pair of clothes.
 
It’s about removing unnecessary decisions, for example:
    • Does this go together?
    • Does this feel right today?
    • Is this too loud? Too dull? 
Individually, these questions may seem harmless and go unnoticed, but they occupy your bandwidth and add up over time.
 
The simplest way to fix this is to be intentional about your closet:
Have a defined closet palette. Stick to it.
 
When you do, a few things start happening without you trying too hard: 
    • You get dressed faster, without that low-grade mental resistance.
    • You stop buying clothes on impulse and start choosing with purpose.
    • You look put together, not because you tried harder, but because things naturally work together.
And here’s the real payoff.
When your closet choices stop demanding your attention, that energy doesn’t disappear.
 

It flows elsewhere:

    • Into clearer thinking.
    • Into problem-solving.
    • Into actually getting things done.

Curating Your Minimalist Closet

A minimalist closet isn’t about rules or restrictions.
It’s about wearing things that actually feel like you. 
 
Before you think about colours, pause and ask yourself a few honest questions
  • Do you want to come across as calm or intense?
  • Do you want to feel grounded, sharp, creative, or warm?
Let those answers lead the way.
 

Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest.
— Leo Babauta

 
Choose 3-5 colours that naturally work well together and can be a real projection of who you are.
 
The only rule that really matters: choose what feels right to you.
 
And to keep things less rigid, let’s apply the 80-20 principle here. Try to  follow your defined palette for 80% of the time and reserve 20% for whatever feels like you.

Illustration by the Author

Even preserving 10–15 minutes of focus a day compounds over weeks and months.
 
More importantly, you’re building the habit of protecting your mental bandwidth, conditioning your brain each day to eliminate low-value decisions and reserve energy for high-value work.
 
That habit can compound far beyond your closet.

References:

Elliot, A. J. (2015). Color and psychological functioning: a review of theoretical and empirical work. (Original work published 2015). Frontiers in Psychology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4383146/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Manmohan is a Writer and Creator. He writes about discovering potential and purpose–through understanding ourselves– and the transformation journey that unfolds afterwards.

His newsletter, The Infinite Pivot, shares ideas on how to break the status quo and pivot from being the current to a greater version of ourselves (The Infinite You) that makes an impact.

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